The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-21
Rsco|Iections and Reflections
OF Thomas Fitch.
Copyright Thomas itchJ
STAMPEDING A CONVENTION
Copyright 1903 by Thomas Fitch.

coSOSCSO30sCsOs CsosCsOsCSCS
smashed by an accident 1t was the
summer of 1886. The Republican State
Convention met at Los Angeles to NOM
| mate a State ticket. There were four
candidates for the nomination for Gov
ernor. One of those, Gen. w. H. H.
Dimond, of San Francisco, a civil war
| veteran, was supported by Higgins; but
he was unable to obtain many OF the
country delegates. General Dimond had
| a warm personal friend who occasion
| ally took the stump for the Republican
J ticket, but who never participated 9TH
| erwise in politics. and who had not
| been for many years a member of a
| convention. General Dimond greatly
| desired that this gentleman should
make a speech to the convention sec
| onding his nomination. and upon his
consent to do so Boss Higgins provided
him with proxy.
AAA
The convention, consisting of more
| than six hundred members, assembled
| at Los Angeles. A protracted fight was
| made over the nomination for Govern
or, and nominating and seconding
speeches, including one from General
Dimonds friend, We're made. But the
railroad influence was against the Cen
eral, and at last he was compelled to
withdraw, and compromise candidate
received the nomination. Higgins ar
ranged the deal" and as part of the
arrangement it was agreed that all the
rest of the Higgins 'slate" should go
through, and politician from Central
California was slated for the nominal
ton for ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AAA
Among the unslated candidates for
the Office was a San Francisco lawyer.
He had not six delegates in a conven-
ton numbering six hundred, and had
therefore practically no chance. He
was slightly acquainted with the gem
tleman who had vainly spoken in be-
half of the nomination of Dimond, and
after the convention had nominated a
candidate for Governor and the princi-
pal offices, the aspirant for Attorney
General sought Dimond's friend and re-
quested him to make a speech placing
him on nomination. II don't think I
can do that was the reply. AZ came
here for only one purpose-to speak in
behalf of my friend, General Dimond. 1
had not intended to participate further
in the proceedings of the convention,
or, indeed, to attend this evening at all.
Besides, I am not an elected delegate.
hold a proxy from Mr.. Higgins, and I
suppose that I ought to vote for the
candidate that is on the slate"
That" said the aspirant, with
some heat, does not comport
with what you said in seconding
the nomination of General Dimond.
You said that in any contest between a
Union soldier and a civilian. you would,
other things being equal, support the
soldier"
Were you a soldier?" inquired the
gentleman addressed.
Then the candidate told to the dele
gate the story which the latter two
hours later told to the convention.
A A A
When the convention reassembled it |
to the delegate that, according |
to political ethics, he ought not to use |
the proxy given him by Higgins to |
speak and vote in behalf of a candidate |
not on the slate; so he turned to his |
colleague a rising Tar Flat states
man, and said to him, 'Will you oblige |
me by going to Mr.. Higgins and saying i
to him that have promised to make
speech placing Mr.. Blank in nominal
ton for Attorney-General, and if that
will interfere with any arrangement of
MS, I will return him the proxy he gave
me and take one from one of Mr..
Blanks supporters? ''
A A A
Back came the obliging messenger.
It's all right" said he. THE boss says
you can keep de proxy and make your
speech; that it won't make no differ
ence nohow. for the slate candidate is
sure to be nominated"
Did he tell you to tell me that what
might say would make no difference?'
inquired the delegate.
well, no; not that way altogether"
"Will you please state exactly what
lie did say?"
"WeH, if you want the straight tip,
What he did say was this: He said,
Let him blow; it will amuse the boys,
md it won't make no difference what
lie says, for majority of the conven-
ion is fixed solid for our man.
The delegate said no more, but took
lis seat and began to grow white about
he lips. If his thoughts had been !
DICED they would have been something
S follows: Have I carried the ban
er of my party and labored for its sue
ess for twenty years and more; have
TTCH-Gal of Article No "a
held with credit seats in State and !
FEDERAL Legislatures, to be told by this
rute of a saloon keeper-this political {
ooss'-that nothing that L can say will {
ave any effect upon a Republican con-
ention." And then, as the nominations '
1r Attorney General We're called for, I
he delegate waited until the names '
f all the other candidates had been '
laced before the convention, and then,
lrcharged with passion, but outwardly
aim, he assembled the rostrum, and t
lis is what he said: e
1--WE have passed resolutions in favor 4
f the soldiers; we have commended !"
leir conduct: we admire their patriot e
m; we glory in their sacrifces-but G
e have not nominated any of them 4
" Office. [ have a little story to tell h