Mohave County miner., 1900-10-06
A Remarkable Confession.


Mills says he was willing to be an ac
cessory to one of the most flagran
political steals in the history of Ari
zona. The MINER has always believed
the Enterprise to be political harlo,
and the statement bears US out in thai
view. IL also discloses the manner o.
men at the back of the Wilson cam
paigu. One and all of these men ar.
in politics for revenue and care no,
one iota for the success or honor OF
the party of Jefferson and jackson
This confession may be an indigest
able morsel to the few Wilson men in
this county, but the article bears all
the evidence of truth:
"Mark A. Smith is the regular demo
cratic nominees for delegate to con.
gress aud the democratic central com
mittee of Maricopa county has decided
to adopt his emblem, the silver dollar,
for the county ticket.
1t is well known to every man in
Arizona that the Enterprise was an ar.
dent supporter of Col. f. Wilson two
years ago, both for nomination and
election. This year with all our might
We advocated his denomination on the
ground that, having been a faithful
servant one term he was entitled to re
nomination.
County after county held convention,
some declaring for Smith, others for
Wilson, until outside of Maricopa
county it stood: Wilson 20; Smith so:
This county with its 80 delegates held
the balance of power, and so it was
proclaimed by both sides. The pri-
marie' were battles royal and each side
left no stone uuturned to advance it,
respective candidate.
The county convention assembled,
both sides nervous and afraid to make
test of strength. When it came to the
selection of temporary chairman,
Frank Baxter, the Smith candidate,
won by 10 margin. Other tests showed
the Smith men in control by small
but safe majority. This was increased
by adding nine delegates, not in the
call, eight of whom we're for Smith and
one for Wilson The majority had
strength to add these in parliamen-
tary way. A resolution was passed in.
structiug the delegates for Mark A.
Smith, and no protest was made aside
from inward bleeding and smothered
cuss words. The next day all partici,
pated in selecting the county ticket,
thus establishing an estoppel, if there
was anything in the convention to pro.
test against.
Three days later a number of ex-del-
egates held quiet meeting and Sc
lected contesting delegation.
"Owiug to extreme friendliness for
'Col. Wilson, the Enterprise re.
"mained silent, willing, if it could
"be accomplished, to allow the
"Wilson men to seat the contest
"ants in territorial convention. BY
"bad management the attempt
"failed, hence the case, in our
''mind, dropped back to the status
"of that county convention from
switch the Wilson men emerged.
"feeling they had been defeated.
Next day, during the county conven
tion proper, Col. Wilson told the edi-
tor of this paper that he would allow
no contest and that he proposed to
address the convention in the interests
of harmony, so as to help the county
ticket. During the second evening of
the territorial convention, Col Wilson
again attempted to withdraw, evidently
following the dictates of his own con-
science, His friends interfered and
the second time he failed to do his
plain duty. Now in the light of these
events we feel it our duty to follow
regularity and to support the man
whom the county central committee
declares the rightful nominee.
Inasmuch as Col. Wilson was present
at the county convention and knew the
circum stances as well as did Mr.. Smith
we felt certain he would in time come
to some terms. His action on Satur-
day in rejecting conference and rush
ing off to Jerome to begin the cam