The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-17
awaited the moment when they should
name their Boss as candidate for Gov

from tho seats Oh the usuipS.S
went UP a merry howl Of derlslon as
standisf's two little blocks OF delegates
from Matawan and Wills marched IN ana
took their places we'll down In front.
where they formed pitifuly small
oasis among tho Conover delegates
from Bowden, Carney, Haldane, Jerl-
cho, Sparta and Pompton counties.
There was no cheering by the stand-
ish delegates on the floor OF the con.
vention. Nine out Of ten knew that u
was practically a hopeless fight Into
which they were about to plunge ana
they knew. too, that not ono OF them
would have been given his rightful place
as DELEGATE had 1t not been that even
Conovcr feared to outrage sentiment IN
those ever-turbulent rural counties, MS
he had done in the larger and more
'1oyal" sections Of the state.
Karl Anscl, with an inscrutable grin
on his long. leathery face, might have
sat for a picture of typical poker
player as he slipped into his place Mt
the head OF the Wills county delegation.
II the shadow OF defeat was in his heart
II did not rest upon his lignuin vitae
features. What mattcred 1t that his
every opponent was smugly aware that
the Leagues cards were deuces? 1t was
Karl's business to wear the look OF q
man secure behind pat flush. And he
wore It.. But at heart he was sore dis
tressed for the hopes OF the bravo lad
he had learned to like so well. And, as
he watched the swelling ranks Of Con-
over delegates, his sorrow hardened into
whte-hot wrath.
Standlsh was nowhere In sight. Fol-
lowing the ordinary laws OF campaign
etiquette, he did not show himself before
the delegates In advance OF the nomi-
nation. but like Conove1, sat in TEN.
porary headquarters behind the stage.
About him were little knot OF Civic
Leagucrs. some Of them men who had
run the risk Of personal violence In the
campaign in their fight to obtain a square
deal for the young reformer against the
Juggernaut onrush OF the Machine Ono
and all, they were Jobs comfortcrs, Tor
they knew 1t would take miracle now
to snatch the nomination from the Rail-
readers grip
Promptly at IL o'clock shevlln, in his
newly acquired capacity OF State Chair
man, called the convention to order
He had judciously distributed punches
OF his best-traine1l shouters where they
would do the most good. This ciaque.
glad to earn their money, kept an eye
on their subcaptans and cheered at
the slightest provocation. They cheered
Sheylin as he brought the gavel down
sharply on the oak table In front OF him.
and went through the customary rig
marole OF announcing the purposes OF tho
convention. They cheered when he
named the secretaries and assistant sec
retaries who would act until the per-
manent organization had been effected
And between times they cheered just for
the Joy OF cheering.
Through the din the little square Of
standish delegates from Wills and Mata-
wan sat grim and silent, while the con-
testing delegates in the gallery above
muttered to one another under their
breath their yearnings for the opportu-
nifty to take personal payment on the
bodies OF those who had ousted them
from their lawful places.
Both sides knew that the first and last
test OF strength would come upon thu
selection OF the Committee on Creden-
tails, since II was to this committee that
the contests OF the six larger counties
would go for settlement. BY an over
sight common TO moro than one State
there was no clause In the party laws
setting forth the procedure to be fol
lowed In the selection OF the COMMITTEES
OF state convention. At preceding
conventions the chairman had invariably
(and JUSTIFY ruled that only delegate:
whose seats were not contested should
be entitled to hand In the selection o.
the Committee on Credentials, for Gus
tom holds that to permit delegates whose
seats arc contested to have hand II
the selection OF the committee would b.
like allowing men on trial to sit a
jurors.
On the observance OF this unwrttel
rule hinged Give Standish's last an
greatest hope, II this precedent wer
to be followed now, 1t would. Of. course
as he had pointed out to the doubtn
Ansel result in the selection OF com
,nittce by tho Standish delegates fro1
Wills and Matawan counties, since !
those counties alone there were no cor
tests. This must mean fair struggle
On 1t Give staked his all. staked !
forgetting the endless resource and fore
sight Of his foe For Caleb Gonover ha
no quixotc notion Of giving his rive
any advantage whatever. ON the pre-
ccdine nlpht he had wEi41en out his dt