The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1908-04-29

n collection of wild animals, whose an
tics are extremely amusing. but abso-
lutely without form and void. Nothing
outside OF n 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 TINT he really Is
of some importance in the gathering:
that is. he does II he is green
hand If he is n 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
cs" represent the chairman and sec
Rotary. by means of this sliding scale
Of actual power 1t will be seen that
the bosses" represent the people!
II was my deep delight to have ut.
tended n number of political conven-
lions. The will of the people stood
about deuce high" In the political
deck. The will OF the bosses was
always the ace" and II could be and
was turned from the bottom or top
just as the emergencies demanded.
Imagine a long. low, ralsish hall. the
atmosphere "A wavy blue with tobacco
smoke. Alsles are cut through to the
Platform. generally threa in number.
10 admit OF committees on this. that
and the other to go forward to tho
platform and hand In their cut-and-
dried communications. The different
wards and districts are ranged about
the hall. each with its particular spot
In stay in. like checkers on board
before the game begins. Many of
these delegates are In their shirt
sleeves. and many are talking wildly.
gosticulating 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. lie IL mere puppct
in their hands. understanding what
they want. and mt any and all times
ready to carry out their wishes. The
secretary is a mere echo: the assist
ant secretaries mere assistant echoes
Two or three highly respectable
stoughton. bottles of various titles sit
WI tur stdSe u utCtlNe tUt unlnttili-
gent observer into, the belief that
things are ION the square" A pitcher
Of water is on the chnirman's desk.
for he will open the convention with
speech. In that speech he will glori-
~ the proud history of his own rarity
and skin. salt and nail to the political
smoke.house the hide of the opposite
party. This is n species of buncombb
which'is always INDUCED in.
Sometimes a 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.
vcntions are opened with political
'iimmies." being burSiarious aggreya.
tions. brought together for purposes
OF plundering men OF their political
rights. The chairman has his speech
carefully learned by heart. and he is
invariably eloquent. pungent. witty,
scholarly. tcrsc. dense. fiowery and
iong-windcd. But he finally, subsidies.
and then. after the committees re-
ports and the platform are finished.
and some more political red tape is
gotten through with, the work of
nominating candidates is begun. But
before the convention has reached the
point of being ready to vote there
have been n number of battles fought
to finish before the various commit
tees on credentials.
In certain wards of the cities. or
certain districts in the country. there
may be dispute about some dele.
gates. these claiming the right to rep.
resent the people" those putting in
counter-claim for recognition. In
such cases. contests are begun and
the respective claims thrashed out be
fore the committee on credentials.
which have the power to review these
disputes in the various districts or
wards.
No one but the contestants and the
committee and the other delegates are
allowed in the committee rooms in
these contests, IL being sort of fam
lily affair. Usually. the contests are
determined according to the way the
bosses" want them to be decided.
but IL II doesn't matter about a vote
or two, the bosses" allow the com
mittee 10 do as they please. Evidence
is heard. speeches are made. and the
committee picks the winner.
The bosses" keep accurate tab
on the number OF votes they need.
hut are ready to achieve results by
amy means they consider necessary
One unseated delegate rushed madiy
up to boss" on the floor of the con.
vention and screeched out: What
dye mean by THROWN me out? There
amt no contest on me at all" The
boss" looked smilingly down at the
fiery face of his questioner. sur
mounted by its bright red covering III
locks and responded easily. gracefully
and most urbanely: Il don't like the
color of your hair" And the delegate
remained 'unseatcd Men were let
out of their delegations for any or NJ
reasons The only question was &c
have the majority. or at least the loud
est and most pugnacious minority
This latter. with the able aid of the
chairman and the secretary. will ena
BILE any combination to jam through
the nomination of their candidates.
Supposing. for instance. that Smith