The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-07-26
State chairman.

There was the usual noise and
tramDing OF feet and cIamoring of
brass bands. the customary rabble OF
uniformed campaign clubs with their
gaudy banners and pompous drum
majors about the hall and in II. for
an hour before the time that had been
set for the calling OF the convention.
Here. there and everywhere circu-
lated busy lieutenants OF Boss Con
over. Their master. with little co
terie OF chosen lieutenants moved
early into his headquarters In one or
the rooms at the rear Of the stage.
where he sat like some wise old spider
In the heart OF his web. sending out
warnings advice and admonitions TO
his strappers
Conoyer felt calmly confident OF the
result Even had standish been the
choice Of majority OF the people in
all eight counties OF the State. il
would have availed him little. for
through the routine tricks whereof the
Railroader was past master, his young
opponent was AZ the last able TO con-
troll the votes OF but two counties
Matawan and wins
Standish's contesting delegates from
the other six counties sat sullen and
grim in the gallery Fraudulent Con
over delegates, who had usurped the
formers places Dy the various ruses
80 successfully put into action al the
caucuses. held the credentials and
occupied the seats belonging by rights
To the Leaguers on the floor OF the
Convention Hall There the Machine
delegates smilingly sat awaiting the
moment when they should name their
Boss as candidate FOR Governor
From the seats OF the usurpers there
went up merry howl OF derision as
Standish's two little blocks OF dele
gates from Matawan and Wills
marched in and took their places well
down in front. where they formed a
pitifully small oasis among the Con-
over delegates from Bowden Carney,
( Hadane Jericho. Sparta and Pomp-
ton counties
There was no cheering by the Stan.
dish delegates ON the floor OF the con-
yentlon Nine out of ten knew that il
was practically "A hopeless fight into
which they were about to plunge
Karl Ansel. with an inscrutable
grin on his long, leathery face. might
have sat for a picture Of typical
poker player. as be slipped into his
place az the head Of the Wills County
delegation
Standish was nowhere in sight. Fol-
lowing the ordinary laws OF campaign
etiquette, he aid not show himself be
fore the delegates in advance OF the
nomination; but. like Conover. sat in
temporary headquarters behind the
stage About him were little knot
OF civic LeagueTs One and all they
were Jobs comforters, for they knew
It would take a miracle now 20 snatch
the nomination from the Railroader's
grip.
Promptly AT twelve o'clock Sheylin.
in his newly acquired capacity OF
State Chairman. called the convention
20 order lie had judiciously dis
tributed punches OF his best trained
shouters where they would do the
most good They cheered when he
named the secretaries and assistant
secretaries who would act until the
permanent organization had been ef-
fected And between times they
! cheered just for the Joy OF cheering.
Bota sides knew that the first and
last test OF strength would come upon
the selection OF Committee on Creden.
tails, since IL was to this committee
that the contests OF the six larger
counties for the right 70 sit In the
convention would go for settlement.
Previous conventions had always de.
cided that delegates whose seats were
contested should not be allowed to ait
as members OF the Committee on Con
tested Seats Give Standish limo
Gently supposed this rule would be ad.
bered To by this convention. lie was
wrong. Conoyer had no Quixouc no.
ton OF giving his rival any such ad.
vantage. The night before he had de.
creed that the chairman should rule
that this Committee on Contests
should consist OF three members from
each county. and that these members
should be chosen by the sitting dele,
gatos from each county. This meant
that the committee would stand
eighteen delegates for Conoyer and six
for Standish And 40 II was. Chair.
man Rourke ruled exactly az Conover
had dictated
When the convention understood
the purport OF II all the maddest up
roar broke out All semblsnce OF or
der was lost dozen fist fights
started simultaneously. A longshore-
man -Conoyer district captain from
one OF the railroad wards OF Gran
ite wittily spat IN the face OF yo-
ciferating little farmer from Wills
County. and then stepped back with
below of laughter az his own powers
OF repartee But others understood
the gentle art OF "retort courteous"
almost as well AZ he. Losing for once
his inherited New England calm, Karl
Ansel drove bis big gnarled fist flush