The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-10-17
MASS CONVENTION

MASS CONVENTION
The People Rise i'm Their Nigh,
to Throw Off the Oppression
OF Republican Tyranny
A visit to the court house last
Saturday afternoon would have
been pleasing to any one who
could enjoy a political farce
Nothing on the stage at the opera
house could have been more
ridiculously funny than the at
tempt to make it appear that q
convention was being held. In
fact the few individuals who took
part in the convention could moi
help but realize the comedy they
were enacting. and some of them
afterwards spoke of it as a prac.
tical joke.
The conven ton was called as
a mass convention, and the
"mass" numbered less than a
dozen souls besides half
dozen republicans who were
there as onlookers. The chair
man of the county committee
left the hall after calling the con-
vention to order and the Sec
retary of the committee was too
busy to be present, these rush
ing republican times. The only
motive power of the machine
seemed to be in the inspiring
presence of our fellow editor,
H. S. Volkmar.
The masses chose J. V. r.
Priest as chairman, and the only
really invigorating part of the
proceedings was j. V. Rs.
speech of acceptance, in which
the speaker took the old repub
lican party by the nap of the
neck and shook the life out cf it.
He clearly and Enthusiastically
proved that the carcass he was
be]aboring was the source of all
our ills by it's unconstitutional
and tyranical legislation, which
had robbed the people of their
birth right and the declaration of
independence. Bryan or Vallen-
bingham himself couldn't have
made stronger plea than did
Mr.. Priest, and the only cause
for regret was that the audience
was so select.
Henry Martens was made
secretary, and upon motion the
chair was authorized to appoint
an advisory committee to tran
sact any business of the conven-
tion and name a ticket. The
chairman named Messrs Thos.
Street, H. S. Volkmar and John
Storm, but some one thinking
the committee should be larger
suggested that seven be named.
The chairman looked over the
room carefully to see that there
we're seven present and then
graciously acceded to the wishes
of the masses, and named in
addition, John Martens, George
Mitchell, DR.. O'Ready and J. N.
Manley.
The committee retired for mu-
tual counsel and to formulate
plans and specifications whereby
the distressed and downtrOdden
people could again be brought in.
to the light of freedom and Of
fetal position. When the com
mittee retired to incubate. some
one suggested that to hold the
audience until the COMMITTEES
should report it would be pro
per to have some speaking
but the chairman on looking ovel
the audience chamber discover
ed that in making his committee
so large he had appointed th'
whole convention, and when thu
seven retired there wasn't [
solitary democrat left in th,
room except the chairman ant
SOCI OtdI y.
When the committee again e
merged from its self-imposed sol
itary CONTINENT, it had lahore.
and brought forth the followin.
tickeu:
SENATOR. V. r. Priest.
Representatives,. S. Brown
and j. e. McKenna.
| Sheriff.. S. Stewart.
/ Clerk of Courts-F. A. CrOal
Auditor-H. 0. Healy
| Treasurer-M. L. Ecker.
| Coroner-Dr. w. j. Ferguson
| Surveyor-W. S. Croal.
| Com missioners-First District
| M. P. Martens; second district
L. Halverson.
The committee recommended
that the balaE ce of the ticket b,