The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-09-16
TRIUMPH OF MACHINE
IN REPUBLICAN CONVENTION

Adroit plans laid by the men who con-
troll Senator Reed Shoots machine failed
to prevent several bitter fights at the
Republican state convention in the Salt
Lake theatre yesterday. While William
Spry was nominated for governor by ac-
ciamation and other candidates on the
was a fierce struggle when she time ar
rived for the selection of candidates for
the offices of state treasurer and state
auditor.
gress by an overwhelming vote on the
first ballot Farley p. Christensen S
weakness In Salt Lake county was a sur
prise to his friends. He received only
remaining l27. The total vote was as fol-
lows: Howell. Al; Christensen. l35.
While Senator Reed Smoot was stand
ing in the wings of the stage. gazing IRON
ically forth upon the scene within the
theatre from point at which he was
free from observation. many things that
were not upon the slate were transpiring-
The convention at times became SO
noisy and unmanageable that Senator
George Sutherland. the chairman. had
great difficulty in restoring quiet so that
the speakers could be heard. The SEN
ator used the leg of a chair as a gavel.
cessant pounding upon the table.
One matter of surprise was tha'
nothing was said about prohibition in the
platform and resolutions adopted, al
though Tor many months pTtCculnS INC
opening of the convention the Republican
leaders had exerted themselves to stir
up sentiment in Utah against the liquor
traffic, and some of them had announced
that the Republican party would. at the
| convention take bold stand against the
saloons. There were many surmises as To
the cause of the sudden and unexpected
silence after the long and noisy preiim-
! mary agitation. There were hints that
Senator Shoots machine had been fright
ened from the previously announced
course by the threats of the saloonmen.
and it was intimated by some that saloon
men and brewers had used money where
ii would do the most good
To prevent the discussion OF matters
which the Republican leaders did not wish
| TO have threshed out before the conVen-
ton, the rule was adopted that all reso-
buttons. should be referred TO the commit
tee on platform and resolutions. 1t was
| In this way that the question OF local OPP
ton. the Utah railroad commission and
/ other matters were prevented from see
| ing the light. An effort was made Ia
have the partys attitude toward the
| liquor question made clear in the pat
| form when the committee on resolutions
and platform met but these efforts were
| fought down vigorously, and when the
| platform was read there was no reference
| to the liquor question Machine leaders
when asked the cause of this. after the
| agitation of the past few months, pro-
| fessed absolute ignorance.
| Theatrical effects. which played such q
large part in recent national conventions
were not overlooked by the Republican
leaders When Senator Sutherland called
the convention to order In the Afternoon
| the lights in the red. white ana Dlue
| ..Wefcome Taft sign above the stage
were suddenly turned on. The delegates
| after moments thought. cheered, ano
| then the work of the convention was
again taken up. A.
| lanes Christensen. chairman or tht
| committee on credentials. reported tha1
| all the counties of the state were repre-
| sented, and that there were Gus delegates
Reiser Resolution.
lust as the report was adopted. II. Alma
Reiser member Oh the coIlil,leSee ~
| platform and resolutions. appeared. ane
| moved that the rule requiring that al
| resolutions be referred to the committed
| on nlatform and resolutions be amended
| 60 thai he could offer a resolution calllns
for the creation of the proposed Utal
railroad commission. Mr.. Reiser declared
thar he had been deceived concerning IN
meeting place of his committee. ana To-
| that reason had been unable TO presen
the resolution for Incorporation in tn
nlatform. The committee. he said. hat
agreed TO meet in the Salisbury Duhdin'
in Postoffice Place. but had gone some
| where else without his knowledge IL wa
learned later that the meeting was he'
in the I. O. O. F. building
ut is unrepublican to transact nusl
ness In this way exclaimed MI hs.seI
IAN effort has been MADE 10 sla Ia az
The resolution calling for a railroad com
mission. The Republican party does no
want To go on record as being under gani
lie II seems that the railroads nav
+ Continued on Page 2.