Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-03-15
MASS MEETING
OFDEMOCRATS
Decision to Place a Straight Party
Ticket in the Field Reached After
Long Discussion
SLAP AT LAUx AND LITTLEJOHN
Resolutions First Adopted and Then
Amended-T. J. Johns Has Things
Pretty Much His Own Way.

nail Monday evening was an exceed
ingly lively affair. Some called it {
convention, while others designate,
it conference, but the majority
Kept on the safe side and referred t.
IL as a meeting, which it certainl,
was.
Several times during the proceed
ings it looked as though a split was in
evitable, and the feeling of amity wa:
very much the same as that which
has prevailed during the past week ir
the vicinity of Mukden, but the var
i0us factions were held together long
enough to decide on a line of action
for the coming municipal campaign.
The net result was the adoption of
some very peculiar resolutions, refer
red to occasionally as platform; the
decision to nominate a straight Dem
Ocratic ticket at a convention to be
held March 90. Primaries are to be
held Saturday evening, from to 8
o'clock, when ten delegates will be Sc.
lected from each ward. Executive
and campaign committees were named
Perhaps the most conspicuous fig
ure at the gathering was T. j. Johns
who presented the principal resolu
tons, and generally carried his points
in the one or two instances when he
was challenged.
The chairman of the central com
mittee, +. f. MacGowan, was not on
hand at O'Clock, or for several hours
thereafter, for that matter, and City
attorney De Kalb finally called the
meeting to order. Roy T.. Ayers was
chosen as permanent chairman and
II. ]. Hazen secretary.
Mr.. Ayers announced that it would
lie in order to turn the meeting into
a convention and nominate ticket
or to simply hold a council of war
as the meeting might deem best.
A motion to appoint central com
nittee brought Mr.. Johns to his feet
He saw no necessity for such action
just then. The first thing to decide
in his opinion, was what line of ac
ton was to be pursued in the cam
paisn
This view was accepted, and Tom
Stout offered the following resolution
which was adopted
whereas, There is an evident dis
satisfaction with the present fusion
arrangement for the government of
the municipality of Lewistown; there.
fore, be it
Resolved That straight Democrat
ic ticket be nominated 1Or the coming
election"
Resolutions being in order, Mr.
Johns casually remarked that he had
few and reaching into his pocket
produced the following, except thai
the names of Aldermen Littlejohn
LauX and Pinkley, where they occur
IN the section devoted to praise of the
Democratic officials, were inserted lat
err by amendment:
The Johns Resolutions.
Whereas, The blighting, unsatis.
factory and demOralizing influences
OF fusion have been forcibly and eff
iectually demonstrated 10 a very large
majority of the conservative voters
of this city; be it
Resolved, That it is the sense OF
TINS meeting that we proceed with
me nomination OF a representative
Democratic municipal ticket-furthel
that we pledge our nominees that, il
elected, they will administer the mll
nlclpal affairs OF IeWiStOWn in al
economical, progressive, public-spirit
cd and absolutely impartial manner
seeking at all times to promote, de
FelOp and advance the material ant
substantial interests of our city, i'm
posing no hardship upon any calling
and extending equal and exact jus
tice to all; We further pledge them t.
Judicious execution of the duties i'm
posed upon them, as the represent a
tlves of the municipal authority. B,
it further
Resolved, That we deplore the in
efficiency, and lncompetency, which
have prevailed in the management o
certain departments OF The city, ant
we pledge our nominees to NOR,
efficient administration of these de
partments, to which reference is had
particularly do we regret the name
in which our water works system ha
been operated. and we urge a rigi(
curtailment of the manifest extrava
eance which prevails therein, tn,
loose and lax methods pervading thi
department are alarmingly inimical t,
the best interests of the taxpayers, ant
we promise that with lue election o
these nominees, a radical and com
mendable reformation will be prompt
ly inaugurated.
Resolved, further, That, implicit,
relieving as we do, in the Democratic
principle OF absolute home rule TO
each and every community, we I'm
Qualifiedly condemn the action of tn,
city council in. upon the eve of al
election awaiting themselves of :
technically to arrosate unto them
selves the privilege of designating al
alderman of the Second ward, when
by all the presidents that every fan
minded citizen holds sacred, the vot
ers OF the Second ward should hav,
been permitted TO express themselye
at the approaching city election, as t
whom they desired to represent then
in the council, as the successor o
Hon. w. d. Symmes: we. however
heartily endorse the position of Alder
man Pinkley, who so mapfully AM
hOnOrably protested unavailingl
against the injustice sought to be pei
petrated upon his constituency, b,
thus usurping a prerogative whicl
custom, justice, common sense, ord
nary decency and an unwritten Law
delegates to the people themselves
Resolved, That Lewistown. nov
having attained the dignity of pros
porous and progressive metropolis,
tecOmes the incumbent aid patriot
duty of every reputable citizen, to dc
throne, from participation in the cor
troll of our municipal affairs, the greed
and arbitrary coterie of unscrupulou
ring politicians, which has so Ion