Amador ledger., 1906-08-10
Boomerang Politics.

candidacy OF GllletG Tor governor,
was not only unfair, but impolitic
and unwise. Of course, the spirit
that actuated the course of the
central committee was a determine
tion to have a solid delegation for
Gillett at the Santa Cruz convention.
This was the program mapped out and
carried out in defiance of presidents
and regardless of consequence. 10
keep. in close touch with the rank
and file of the voters is the path of
wisdom. To travel at right angles
with that path is to court disaster.
In defense of the appointment of dele
gates, it is urged that other counties
have done likewise; that the com
mittee acted within the law in so
doing. When pressed for the parti-
cular law, we are referred to the call
issued by the state central committee
calling for a state convention, and
apportioniDg the delegates thereto.
The truth is, the call of the state
committee confers no authority what
ever upon the various county COM
mittees, beyond informing them of
the time and place for holding the
state convention, and the number of
delegates allotted to the respective
counties. We have searched the cleo
tion laws of the state, and fail to
find any provision that can be twist
ed into an authorization of the
appointment of delegates by the
central committee. AS for the plea
OF the state committees call, that is
fudge. The republican party of
Amador county, in convention
assembled is the creator of the local
county central committee, and to
that supreme power alone are they
responsible. And powers other than
those expressly conferred and neces
sarily implied, are reserved by the
creating body. What would be
thought of national committee were
it to meet in some out of-the way
place, without previous notice of
their intention, and proceed to select
delegates from every state in the
Union to compose national conven-
tion for the nomination of PRESIDENT
and vice president of the United
States. Furthermore suppose the
state central committee should arbi-
trarily appoint delegates from every
county in the state to form a state
convention to nominate full state,
congressional and legislative tickets.
Think you, oh ye ar-sighted actors,
who for the moment strut across the
political checkerboaId, that such ex-
amples of bossism would be tolerated
by the masses uf the party. What
would self-respecting members of the
party do under such conditions?
What could they do in vindication
of their inherent rights and self
respect? Why they would repudiate
the introduction of such czar-Iike
methods, by either calling a conven-
ton of their own authorized repre-
sentatives, or in default of this step,
they would be disposed to rebuke
such arrogance at the polls. They
would simply retort. Here, you
have assumed .prer ogatives never del
egated, you have put up candidates
without our assistance, now elect
them without u.s. That is the
natural and logical outcome of such
methods. Let US suppose that the
committeeman assume smore ex-
IRENE stand, and say practically,
Whereas, we have been elected by
the republican or democratic conven-
ton las the case may be) as a COM
mittee to look after the party inter-
ests; and
Whereas we have ideas of our own
as to the candidates that should be |
selected for the various state offices;
and
Whereas, we are considerably in |
doubt, whether our personal ideas on |
such matters, are in accord with |
the views of a majority of the party
adherents; therefore,
Resolved, that we will not trust
the party that trusted us.
Resolved, that we are the party,
and that we hereby elect ourselves as
representatives to work out our ideas
OF party matters at the state conven-
tion.'
Practically, that is what the act of
the local committee means. Personally
the delegates are unobjectional. We
have no fault to find with them, and
under different conditions would
cordially endorse them as, competent
and suitable. But as the case stands
we decidedly object.
Neither Gillett nor any other man
can afford to take the risks of being
nominated by such methods. 1t
would inevltablyfcost any man, no
matter how worthy in himself, thou
sands of votes. To stifle the voice of
the people who are depended upon to
furnish the votes to carry the candi-
date to victory is not the straight
path to success.
We remember years. ago Estee was
nominated by machine methods. He
was forced upon the people, because
the "push" wanted him. But when
the votes were counted, it was found
that the head of the ticket was count
ed out, while the balance of the re-