Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-05-16
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE CONVENTION.
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published table showing the prob
able strength of the Sta1wart and
Insurgent factions at the Minot con-
vention, and the result of that con.
vention and of the test votes that
were held in it shows that the Trib-
une's estimate was very nearly cor
rect. The Insurgent press of the
state has claimed 23O votes in the
convention, a claim that was not war
ranted by even their own views of
local conditions. The Tribune has
stated, from it's point of view as a
newspaper, that the Stalwarts would
have about 2S7 votes in the conven-
ton. The first test vote showed a
Stalwart strength of 2SS On other
propositions the vote varied little,
but the Stalwart majority was gen.
orally about hundred votes.
In the progress of the convention.
1t is apparent that there was no at
tempt to take any unfair advantage
of the Insurgents, either in the set
Element of contests or on the floor
of the convention. The selection of
Senator McCumber as chairman was a
fortunate one, and there can be no
objection to his fairness as presiding
officer. Neither can it be said that
there was no opportunity to dispose
fairly of the matters coming before
the convention by vote of delegates.
The Insurgents were given the op-
portunity to show their strength and
make such use of it as was possible.
There was no gag rule or jamming
through program without regard
for the opposition.
In the settlement of contests the
central committee was governed by
the facts in the several cases, with
out other Interior purpose or con-
sideration. A great deal has been
said of these contests prior to the
convention and some of the more
radical of the Insurgent newspapers
have assumed that it was the purpose
to seat the contesting delegations
whether or no. The committee seat
ed the Insurgent delegations from
Mclean and Dickey county, the Stall
wart delegation from Eddy county
and divided the Ro1ette county dele.
cation. In the final settlement the
Insurgents got thirty votes and the
Stalwarts less than a dozen. Had
all the Insurgent delegates been
seated it would have made no differ
ence with the result. But the com.
mittee was governed by what it be.
lieved to be justice in the several
cases, and it cannot be sad that there
was any disposition to decide the
cases from factional or partisan con.
siderations.
The Insurgents appear 20 hav.
been much divided on general pro.
positions. There were many contend.
ing factions of them, within the gen
eral faction, and to bring the Hang.
brough Insurgents, the Marshall In.
surgents, the Johnson Insurgents and
the Herald Insurgents together was
a task that seemed beyond poss.bil.
ity. There appears to have been lit
tie IL any confidence among the In.
surgent factions. The Hansbr0ugt
Insurgents, it was not to be expected
would have much faith in the Herald
Insurgents or the Johnson Insurg
gents, and vice versa There was sc
much fear that one faction Il tEe
I Insurgents would gain more than an
other that The Insurgent delegates
were only homogeneous unit on the
question Of being antiStalwart.
There can be no question Of thu
Republicanism Of the individuals
chosen by the convention to fill the
several places the convention wa.
called upon to fiji. And there car
be no question but that either fac.
ton, having control Of the conven.
ton, would choose individuals Of It'll
own following to fill these positions