The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-04-09
ABoUT TWO CONVENTIONS.

paign. Up to this moment, no
word of criticism or unkindness for
the opposition has appeared in
these columns. Its report of the
late republican convention was
frank, respectful and gentlemanly.
But no such respectful treatment
has been accorded the democrats by
the Gazette. For many issues past,
that paper has been filed with in
situation, innuendo, and alleged
ridicule. Its report of the late
democratic convention was disre-
spectful, garbled, warped, and in
many respects untruthful. The
paper is apparently determined that
this campaign shall not, as it should,
be clean and peaceful. The TIMES,
as above stated. is for peace, and
with that end in view begs to point
out reasons why that course is far
better for the opposition.
There was no occurrence in the
democratic convention out of which
the Gazette can make capital. On
the contrary, the inner workings of
the republican convention were
such, the slate put up was so bare
faced and merciless, that the Ca
zette ought to be glad to have no
questions raised.
The truth is. that the character
of the democratic convention was
such that it deserved a respectable
notice even at the hands of the op-
position paper. It was an open,
free convention, and one of the
most harmonious that was ever held
in Benton county. Differences or
chickering's were impossible, be-
cause there was a contest in the
case of but one Office, and no man
knew until the votes were counted
which of the two men was to be
the nominee.
A striking contrast is presented
in the case of the convention of two
days before. Every candidate in
that convention who was defeated
was the victim of job.
Hours before the convention met,
delegates on the street knew who
would be nominated, and knew
about what the vote would be. For
instance Joe Edwards went into the
convention for representative but
the combine against him knew long
before hand that he would be de-
feated. The same is true of George
Waggoner, of Mr.. Wyatt and of the
gentlemen whose names were voted
on as Hermann delegates to the
congressional convention.
There was, in short a midnight
CAUCUS, to which the Hermann men,
the Edwards men, the Wyatt men
and the Waggoner men werenot in
vited. A select few representing
the Yates contingent, the Cooper
contingent and the others gathered
together in a secret conc1ave at
midnight, and there settled the ques-
ton of what men should be nomi-
mated. and what should not. The
convention as a matter of form
simply carried out the programme
the select few had agreed upon.
When Edwards, Wyatt, Waggoner
and the Hermann men with their
friends walked into the convention,
they supposed that everything was
in good faith, and that the fight
was to be fair and the field open.
In reality, they were already de-
feated, and stood about as much
show of survival as a SNOWFALL in
hades. They were already elimi-
mated, doomed, defeated before the
voting began. They were not only
beautifully jobbed, but they were
allowed to enter the convention to
be slaughtered.
Ali these facts are understood by
everybody. The incontrovertible
proof is seen in the figures by which
the combined candidates were NOM
mated. There were 7S votes in
the body. The successful con-
gressional delegates each received
about 81 votes; the opposing con-
gressional delegates, headed by S.
L. Kline received 18to 20 odd votes.
w. E, Yates landed the senator
ship with 81 votes to 20 for G. A.
Waggoner. Virgil Carter struck
Joe Edwards out with a score of
so to 2s. and George Cooper by
the same combine knocked out his
opponent by the orthodox 81 to 18.
Lightning has been known to strike
twice at the same place, but it has
vat hoo~ ~aoo~IaJ