The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-08
The Ma..achu,ett. Democracy

In future no Democratic state con-
venIion should b. held in Massachusetts,
without provision for a police court in a
room adjoining the convention hall to
try assault cases occurring during the
deliberations. No lees than eight rough
and tumble fights were counted on the
floor while the convention was ballOting
for Governor on Thursday night in the
home Of the fierce Democracy Of Bcs-
ton The delegates assembled under
the hhpplest auspices. There had been
landslide in Maine. II seemed TO be
necessary only TO nominate capable
and popular candidate for Governor and
adopt platform calling attention 90 the
high cost OF living and the robber tariff
"a assure a glorious triumph OF prin-
ciple. The platform had been entrusted
To the Hon. FREDERIC JHsUP SrThSoN.
who belonged 10 the cnldite wing Of
the party. and there was no anxiety ON
tina, score The field of candidates was
limited. but enough: the Hon. EUGENE
Foss. a late recruit from the Republican
party with as much money rs zeal, the
Hon. CHARLES $. HAMLrN. the eminent
tariff reforIncr and ex- assistant Score
tary Of the Treasury, and the perennial
Hon. JAMES II. VAHEY who would do
AT "A pinch. II would have been a love-
feast il the Massachusetts Democrats
had put their best foot forward. a. their
brothers in Maine. Connecticut, New
Jersey and New York had done; but in a
DemOcratiC convention in Massachusetts
fists count more than intellect, and there
was really no convention az all, which
accounts for an inordinate demand for
tiCkets ~ witness the proceedings.
4 coherent report Of the convention
of 1910 will never be written. In the
shindy the newspaper men lost their
seats and their wits. No eve could
follow more than one u tho thiCkenlng
combatS between members of the To-
masncy and keiiher clans. The chair
man. the Hon. JoHN X. THAYER. re
tanned his gavel only by falling upon h.
The police were swept aside like chan
wealth with ball cartridges could have
restored order All That we can make
oiIt of tho chaos IN that the Hon. EUGENE
Toss was within a few votes Of a no'ni-
nation when the serious fighting began.
There are still unmercenary souls
among the Massachusetts, Democrats.
sturdy fellows who love q fight more
than money who put the man above
the dollar. Nature rebelled at last and
peace painted into sight. lyon motion
OF the magnanimous NAHEY, whose
leonine locks had brought him safely
through the fray, a temporary candi-
date for Governor was nominated. one
FREDERICK W MANSFIELD OF Boston,
counsel for the American Federation
OF labor. with the understanding that
within seventy-two hours he would re-
tire in favor OF the choice OF \ committee
that was delegated TO do what the Con-
yention had assembled to do, but owing
to It's preference for physical combat
had not found time TO DO.
We had bcen under the impression
that the forces OF conservatism were in
the asCendent in the Massachusetts
Democracy. and that the strongnrrned
men were well in hand. but the row in
the Court Theatre in Springfield in 1900
seems TO have been an experience meet
ing compared with the riot IN Boston.
The platform does not matter. IL was
of course progressive and a model
composition What does matter il that
the Democratic party in Massachusetts,
with an cnviable opportunity TO win and
deserve public confidence, has again
proved its title 10 the ridicule Of the
PEOPLE of the Commonwealth.