The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-08-26
Mr.. MCMilIin and the
Republican State Convention

to be reported to the convention for
It's action. In convention, the plat
form was read in full to the conven-
ton by the chairman Of the commit
tee. The four members of the San
Juan county delegation again sat
together. A number of amendments
were offered on the floor of the con-
ventlon; some were adopted and
some were rejected. To my know
ledge no vote whatever was announ-
ced from our delegation, excepting
after a full conference and unani-
nous consent of the delegates.
There was certainly no division in
our vote upon any question that
recall. Some of our votes were an
nounced by Mr.. Rudow, some by
myself, and possibly some by other
members of the delegation. After
all amendments had been disposed
of the platform was adopted as a
whole. Our delegation voted ur an
imously to adopt it. Mr.. Rudow
announced the vote on that particu-
lar motion. 1t came very late in
the afternoon, just before the close
of the convention, and as there was
considerable confusion at that time,
Mr.. Rudow walked down near the
secretary's desk in order to be sure
that our vote was properly record
ed. If there was a dissenting voice
in that convention on the adoption
of the platform l did not hear it..
Certainly no member of the San
Juan County delegation offered the
slightest objection to it, either pri-
vately in our delegation, or public
| ly on the floor. The platform was
before the convention for perhaps
an hour or more from the time it
was read until it was finally adopt
ed. No members Of the San Juan
County delegation offered any
amendment or asked to be heard
upon any motion in connection with
the platform. The floor was open
to everyone Of them and | know Of
no reason why any objection which
any of them might have had to the
platform, or to anything else before
the convention, might not have been
heard from the floor of the conven
ton in an effort to correct any error
which he might have thought the
convention was about to make. |
did not even hear the slightest criti-
cism by any member of our delega-
ton, and no complaint Of any kind
or character was ever made in my
presence by any Of our delegates,
with reference to any, action Of the
convention, with reference to any
act or word of mine, or with refer
ence to any act or word of any other
member of the convention.
After such a course, not only OF
acquiescence without complaint. or
criticism, but also of open approval
! by voting for the adoption of the
platform, am at a loss to under
stand how any delegate can consist
emily "denounce" either the conven-
ton or any Of his fellow delegates.
| / certainly cast no "vote of the San
| Juan delegation without authority. "
! cast my vote as / wished it record
ed. Whatever vote or votes OF our
delegation | may have announced, |
did so in strict accordance with the
vote cast by them, and no member
of the delegation at any time, then
or since. has ever made the slightest
suggestion to me that | had made
any error in announcing any vote.
IF any member Of the delegation has
since changed his mind with refer
ence to any act of the convention IN
which he openly participated, then
he must take the whole responsible
ity for such change. ! am wiling
to take responsibility for my part IN
that convention as one OF the dele.
gates in attendance. know OF no
/ way for any other member Of the
delegation to escape his part OF the
responsibility for the work OF that
convention, as we voted as q unit on
every proposition SO far as know.
This is at least true of all the time
| was in the convention. cannot
state what happened during my ab-
sence on the committee.
Again / must repeat that | cast
no vote whatever without author
lity. Every member Of the delega-
ton was Of age, and it was his busl-
ness to see that his vote was correct
lly announced and properly recorded.
| IF it was not, then it was his duty
| to challenge the vote then and there,
or at least call attention 70 the err
lror, which would have enabled him
Ito cast his vote in any manner he
saw fit.
/ greatly regret the necessity ct
thus taking issue with Senator Blair
| coe,tinued a. pnxe Eight