The Daily Missoulian., 1914-09-12
REPUBLICAN STATE CONVENTION
Under the provisions of the new election law,
The state candidates,
The holdover state senators,

The state candidates.
The holdover state senators,
The legislative candidates, and
The members Of the state committee
constitute the membership of state conventions OF the dit
ferent political parties. This as it should be- ne men
who make the campaigns the spokesman tor party
issues involved.
Under this plan of organization, the full membership OF
Montana convention numbers about IFS delegates
Considering the lack of general interest in the meeting
is not surprising that full attendance was not had at
the republican state convention which met at Helena on
Thursday about 90 delegates being present.
The state conventions of the progressive and the demo-
cratic parties meet at Helena this coming week and the
probabilities are that neither of these gatherings will have
anywhere the full membership present
But it is not of the machinery Of party conventions
that we desire to speak
It seems that State Senator J. E. Edwards of Rosebud
presided the proceedings at the republican eonven-
ton For the past legislative sessions, Mr. Edwards
has been chiefly conspicuous one OF the confidential leg
AT the close of the conventon Mr. Edwards nominated Mr.
Sclway for chairman of the state committee
Dr. Lanstrum of Helena was elected chairman OF the
executive committee and T. Arthur NARROW treasurer.
Judge Henry c. Smith late candidate of the Taft organiza-
ton for United States SENATOR and who recently ap
peaed before the court as attorney tor those VINO
sought to have the initiative and referendum amendment
declared invalid also took an active part in the proceedings
OF the convention.
Taken altogether appears to have been repre-
Sentative gathering of those who years ago delivered
the Montana vote for Taft at Chicago
The tender memories associated with their activities in
delivering the Montana vote for Taft appropriately
embodied in the resolution adopted while filled with pro-
found respect and affection for those who loyalty stood
.hy the grand old party in 1912 etc"
But not much what the convention did what
did do when brought face to face with the living hui
interest issues of the campaign confronting the
# ople of Montana
Ronald Higgins of Mssoula proposed that the conven-
tion should ndorse the principle of the corporation license
tax bill that fathered by the direct legislation league
This proposes that the water power companies
the copper mining companies the express telephone tee
graph and sleeping companies should pay reasonable
of the that they have heretofore escaped
ing in this state Mr. McCusker the secretary of the Peo
pies Power league, seconded Mr. Higgins motion Butt
Mr. Reuben Dwight DOMAINS substitute for state senator
from Sanders county, vigorously protested The resolution
was voted down by a large majority.
Then Mr. McCusker proposed that the convention ap-
prove of the workens compensation bill This also
voted down by the resolution committee
resolution passed, however, roundy denouncng
IDENTIFY overlooking the fact that four years ago. under the
leadership of State Senator Edwards his resolution was
hurried through the Montana legislature avorng Tafts
socaed reciprocity treaty with Canada which put every
single product of Montana farms the free list
If it was patriotic ndorse Mr.. Tafts free trade
ure for the Montana farmer while retaining tariff duties
on manufactured goods, why should Mr.. Wilson and the
democrats be denounced for doing exactly the thing
Then the convention adjourned.