The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1910-10-22
West End Captures Candidates.


Monday was a cold day for the Clear
Creek County Democracy The party
held its convention near the summit of
Mount Mcclellan perhaps on the theory
that the h CHER it climbed the lower it
would fall on the eighth day of No
vember. The piercing winds the low
erlng storm clouds and the general in
clemency was slight index of the
fierce tempest that was raging within
the craniums of the delegates. 1t was
only mild precursor, however of the
avalanche that will overwhelm and en-
gulph democracy when election day
arrives.
The convention met in the Foresters
hall at Silver Plume where
the axes were close at hand for decapi-
tatlng the opposition whether regular.
insurgent or independent and they were
utilized. A. j. McAndrews as chair
man of the county committee called
the convention to order and on mo-
tion Judge John Tomay was elected
temporary chairman. He acknowl-
edged the ''honor conferred" on him
after which Hditor V. l. Noxon was
unanimously elected secretary and
the temporary organization was sub
sequently made the permanent organ
ization,
Senator B. J. O'Connell and repre-
sentative John Olds were not pre-
sent. They were at the prolonged
''uxtrv" session trying to redeem the
unredee mable.
A committee on credentials, consis t.
ing of Patten, Howard and Cox, one on
resolutions consisting of Andrews,
Sweeney and Fisher and one on rules
composed of Barry ]. N. Stewart al!
Harley by appointment. An adjournment
was then taken until one O'Clock during
which time caucusing of every imaginabl
combination was indulged in but all
having one common all absorbing OBJ
ject to get next to the pie counter.
On convening there were two re-
minority report favoring the adoption
of the list of delegates as read by the
chairman and majority report favor
ing the same with the exception of the
proxy of Frank Walters who had been
placed on the delegation from the four
tenth precinct oy the republican
caucus and subsequently by the demo-
cratic caucus. The latter was adopted
and Walters proxy was elected. The
report of the committee on resolu-
tions contained several crow eating
planks. 1t unanimously endorsed
Shafroth when some of the delegates
Wee secretly and soundly cussing him.
1t endorsed the county officials by
swallowing the mutual grating charges
when one half of the convention was
damning the other half and alss the
officers which each faction were up
holding. 1t was a parodo eical, diaboli-
cal and hyperbolical situation. 1t en-
endorsed the Initiative, Referendum
and Recall and when the convention
had adjourned there were many who
wished the recall was operative so that
it's work might be undone. 1t sat down
on their only Senator O'connell by ia
voring the election of United States
Senator by direct vote of the peo-
pie and also adopted Catchy plank
that every man, woman and child be-
lieves in and advocates, namely the
Good Roads measures. In the midst
of backbiting, secret and open knitting
elimination and re-crimination, it was
refreshing to hear the Good Roads
plan read as showing reasonable de-
gree of convention sanity. Then there
was prolonged recess taken so that
the delegates from the central and
west end precincts could get tog ether.
The Idaho Springs delegates were left
shivering in the rear of the room with
that far-away, doped expression that
indicated an underhand punch or blow
of the foot-pad. Resuming work an
other motion to take a recess was
made so that the central and Idaho
Springs precincts could get together"
1t was taken but was fruitless. You can
mix oil and water by using a third ingre
dent but no ingredient could be found to
unite the discordant factions ofthe Idaho
Springs democracy. One had to float
and the other to sink. Finally the con-
vention got down to real business of
nominating the sheep to be led to the
slaughter. John w. Olds was unani-
mously re-uominated for representative.
There were 4 candidates for clerk; Frank
Peck, the, present incumbent, S. M.
Smith, ]. } Joseph and L. A. Hafer.
One ballot was sufficient to show that
Peck had rounded up the herd and
owned the corral. Tom Cunningham