The Detroit times., 1914-09-01
|WOOD-SHIELDS
MACHINE DUE
FOR SMASHING
Progressive Democrats Claim
They'll Control New State
Central Committee
MEMBERS TO BE CHOSEN
IN CONVENTION, SEPT. 80
Organization Jolted Hard in Sc
lection of Delegates in
the Primaries

With the primary election over. po-
litical interest In Michigan for the
next month will be conferred In the
convention contests. county and
state. In the Republican and Demo
cratic parties. In the primary near
ly all contests were on the Hepubli-
can side but In the convention the
big fight viii be staged by the Demo
Gratis because OF the statewide move
ment by progressive Democrats to
overcome the lopg-standing domino
ton Of the Wood Shields organiza.
ton, In the Democratic state central
committee. A new state central
committee Of 26 members Is to be
selected In the state convention In
Detroit, Sept 80, also q new chairman
TO succeed Chairman Shields. Each
of the 13 congressional districts Is
entitled to two committeeman and
these are selected by district eau
cuses Of the state convention dele
gates of the respective districts.
ION the result OF this contest Will
depend the control OF the party or
ganixation for the next two years,
carrying with II the selection OF q
new state chairman. the chief voice
In party appointments, state and fed
the Michigan delegation in the prssi-
dental convention OF 1915. Both
sides assert loyal support OF Gov.
Ferris. but the anti-machine men
claim the organisation forces are
still. at heart, hostile to President
Wilson, and are likely. II they retain
control and the opportunity arises, TO
try to prevent his nomination In 1916
as they did In 1919. Gov. Ferris has
refused to be drawn into the contest
and recently stated emphatically,
over his own signature. II am attend
Ing to my own business and not TAX
ing sides In the committee contro-
versy."
Delegates to the Democratic state
convention win be chosen In all coun-
ties, Sept 8, In the various county
convention. Delegates to the county
conventions were elected In the. prt
mary Of Aug. 25. Returns on these
delegates were slow In coming In but
enough are at hand for both sides
to put forth claims Of victory. The
result In Wayne county win not be
this week. In the other IL districts
the progressives claim all but two.
The progressives have established
state headquarters In Detroit and
have given out detail statement 70
substantiate their claims. II fo'iowA
In part:
Second district washte-
nav, and jackson. each selected an
almost solid progressive delegation.
The machine forces we're beaten In
Lenawee badly, and will not have
one-fourth the delegates In the coun-
ty convention. The organization
forces conferred their attack on Con-
gresham Samuel w. Beakes who as
the man on the Job was given D mag
|nificent vote Of confidence, beating
State Dairy and Food Inspector
Helme, q strong man and also o
progressive. by almost three to one.
Third district--"In straight fight
In Kalamazoo, progressiyes won %
of 106 delegates; carried Calhoun al
most solid, winning 81 Of 50 In Battle
Creek; won easily In Eaton; an even
break In Hillsdale; no contest In
Branch.
Fourth district-Progressives car
ried Cass, st. Joseph and Allegan
overwhelmingly; better than an even
break In Berrien and Barry; Van
Buren,, doubtful. but probable VIC
tory for progressives.
Fifth district-Returns in Kent
slow In being canvassed but indica-
lions are that machine candidates
lost big share OF Grand Rapids. Of
tawa county will send progressive
delegation to state convention.
sixth district Chairman Shields
slate beaten two to one In Howell, his
home town. also lost In over 90 per
cent of townships Of Livingston;
Genesee. doubtful: Ingham and Oak
land, no contest.
Seventh district--Close contest In
Huron. Sanilac and Tuscola, with pro
gressives leading In all three. Or
ganixation ahead In LApcer. Progress
sives ahead in st. Clair. defeating
machine slate In two-thirds OF Port
Huron precincts; no contest and an
independent delegation IN Macomb.
Eighth Organization car
ried Clinton. Progressives carried
Qratiot and Shiawassee. Progressives
0uo0Q III lOulh anu MOutChAAu. IA
chine men made their fight In Sag
inaw county where their states Of
delegates were badly beaten In 20
per cent Of precincts both city and
county.
Ninth neutrality-suspicious. In
straight fight carried every precinct
in Muskegon county and city. Grand
Traverse, Newaygo, Benzie and Mis-
saukee are overwhelmingly anti-ma-
chine. Organization leads In Manis-
tee.
Tenth district--Isabella solid pro-
Rressiye. Machine candidates large
" defeated In Midland, osceola, and
Mecosta, the home county OF Gov.
Ferris. Progressives ahead In Iosco.
Progressives got at least an even
break In the townships, and. notwith-
standing claims OF Chairman Shields,
the machine Is beaten In Bay City
and Bay county.
eleventh district.-Few returns re-
ceived but no question that progress
siye Democrats are ahead In prac-
tically all counties.
Twelfth district-Few returns re-
ceived, but indications are that or
ganization has lost control In most
counties, also the district
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