Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-05-01

The ordinary political convention is
N collection of wild animals, whose all
tics are extremely amusing, but abso-
1utely without form and void Nothing
outside of cage full of monkeys can
present such an example of futile ac-
tivity. Each delegate Is duly ticketed
and loaded with his proper credentials
and fondly imagines that he really Is
"of some Importance in the gathering;
that is, he does if he is a green
hand" If he Is q seasoned campaign
.er, he knows that he merely repre-
.sents the people," and the chairman
and secretary of the convention rep.
resent the delegates, and the boss
ees" represent" the chairman and sec
retary BY means of this sliding scale
-of actual power it will be seen that
the bosses represent the people
1t was my deep delight to have at
tended a number of political conven-
tTons. The will of the people stood
about deuce high in the political
deck The will of the bosses" was
always the 'ace," and it could be and
was turned from the bottom or top
Just as the emergencies demanded.
Imagine long, low, rakish hall, the
atmosphere wavy blue with tobacco
smoke, Aisles are cut through to the
platform, generally three in number,
to admit of committees on this, that
and the other to go forward to the
platform and hand in their cut-and-
lat .ltn
wards and districts are ranged about
the hail, each with its particular spot
to stay in, like checkers on board
before the game begins. Many of
these delegates are in their shirt
sleeves, and many are talking wildly,
gesticulating powerfully and in other
ways molding the destinies of their
country. The very few who are not
smoking are choking.
On the platform are two tables. at
which the chairman of the convention
;sits, he having been chosen by the
powers that be. He is a mere puppet
in their hands, understanding what
they want, and at any and all times
ready to carry out their wishes. The
secretary is mere echo; the assist
ant secretaries mere assistant echoes.
Two or three highly respectable
;stoughton-bottles of various titles sit
on the stage to deceive the unintell;-
gent observer. into the belief that
things are ION the square," A pitcher
of water is on the chairman's desk,
for he will open the convention with
a speech. In that speech he will glori-
fy the proud history of his own party
and skin, salt and nail to the political
smoke-house the hide of the opposite
party. This is a species of buncombe
which is always INDUCED in.
Sometimes convention is opened
with prayer. This is something which
cannot be touched on at length, for
the devil himself could not conceive a
more grotesque blasphemy. Most con
ventions are opened with political
'jimmies," being burglarious aggrega
tions, brought together for purposes
of plundering men of their political
rights. The chairman has his speech
carefully learned by heart, and he ii
Invariably eloquent, pungent, witty
scholarly, terse, dense, aowery ant
long-winded But he finally subsidies
and then, after the committees re
ports and the platform are finished
and some more political red tape |,
gotten through with, the work o
nominating candidates is begun. Blu
before the convention has reached tn,
point of being ready to vote there
have been a number of battles Tough
to finish before the various commit
tees on credentials.
In certain wards of the cities, o
certain districts in the country, ther
may be a dispute about some dele
gates, these claiming the right to REP
resent "the people," those putting Il
a counter-claim for recognition. Il
such cases, contests are begun an
the respective claims thrashed out be
fore the committee on credentials
which have the power to review thes
disputes in the various districts o
wards.
No one but the contestants and tn
committee and the other delegates ar
tallow"d in the committee rooms i
these ltests, it being a sort of fan
lily affair. Usually, the contests ar
determined according to the way tn
-bosses" want them to be decided
but If it doesn't matter about yot
or two, the bosses" allow the con
Ihittee to do as they please. Evidenc
lis heard, speeches are made, and tn
committee picks the winner.
The "bosses" keep accurate "tah
@on the number of votes they nee'
but are ready to achieve results b
any means they consider necessar.
One unseated delegate rushed madl
UP to "boss" on the floor of the col
vention and screeched out: "Whs
dye mean by throwin me out? Thei
amt no contest ON me at all" I'll