The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-05-23


did happen. The sudden inspiration of
the opposition to get together on
Kerr when the convention was called
to order has been told in these col
umns. On the face of it, it looked as
If the opposition should have had
either a majority or tie on the COM
mittee on credentials. Perhaps 1t
would not have made any difference if
they had had a majority, though the
subsequent votes showed that Elder
men in control largely on account of
the natural workings of antagonistc
forces noted above. No attempt had
been made by the state committee to
steam roller a majority in the election
of chairmen Unlike the usual pro-
ceedure in national conventions which
worked such hardship on the foes OF
Taft in 1912. the committee did not
ATTEMPT to determine which of the
contesting delegates were entitled to
seats. When Canyon county was call
ed, it was stated that a contest exist
ed and Joe Pence, chairman Of the
state committee announced that Can
yon would be passed, pending the re-
port of the committee on credentials,
the same done in regard to Cassia and
Washington counties. The procedure
so far was admittedly entirely fair.
The expected revelations before the
credentials committee in Canyon coun-
ty were made, but they affected both
sides. In brief the evidence showed
that IA out of the 80 committeeman
appeared at a meeting of the Canyon
county central committee called for
the purpose of devising methods for
the election of delegates to the state
convention and for the transaction OF
such other business as might come
before the meeting" There were eight
Elder men present in person and one
nv proxy and six anti-Elder meh
present in person and eleven by proxy
Although there seemed to have been
precedents both ways, the chairman,
being an Elder man, held that proxies
could not vote and the other Elder
men present sustained him. The six
who carried the eleven proxies then
organized an opposition meeting and
called a primary, while the eight who
remained claiming that the election
of instructed delegates to the state
convention was part of the "other
business that might come before the
meeting" proceeded to name 30 dele
gates and instruct them for Elder. In
the meantime the anti-Elder forces
claiming that the call did not warrant
the selection of delegates, that proxies
should have been recognized unless
notice to the contrary had previously
been given, and that the committee
had no power to select delegates in
any event, called a primary. Aside
from the more or less technical OBJ
iections that they had failed to raise
the proper parliamentary objections
before boiling, their manner of issu-
ing the primary call was misleading
They apportioned the delegates among
the several precincts in the first call
then changed the rulings without due
notice and elected them at large, and
allowed other irregularities. When
it come to a showdown after the evil
dence was all in, motion was made
to seat the Elder delegation, to which
an amendment was offered to seat the
selections Of the primaries, at which
297 had actually voted according tC
the face of the returns. Bert Miller
of Fremont county, pointing out the
irregul arity of both sides, declared
that the committee could not con
scientiously beat either at the eX
pense of the other and declared il
IaNCf OF StdlluB DOlu, ulNlulub NlA'
vote THE arguments of Miller proved
so conclusive that his substitute car
rie7 nran mously. Each party in thi'
contest. the longest and most fiercel.
contested before the committee, gavl
credit 10 the other side for good in
ention nd for being good Democrats
who would work for the ticket what
ever action might be taken. The fea
ture of this hearing was the state
ment If Secretary Lee of the boiling
decoration. The Elder forces tried t
grill him but, adopting the attitude o
the louly publican, the secretary turn
ed tie laugh on them on every occa
sior John F. Nugent, the Elder lead
err " was a member of the commit
tee laughed more heartily than any
BODY Use at the repeated discom
fitr his colleagues.
The Cassia county contest wouli
be derrhed as a thoroughly "batty
affair r this were not a purist article
The county chairman, F. A. Kassar
called Q mass meeting te select dele
gates Only a part of the count.
aroi hurley was represented. Dele
gate ere selected and instructed fol
ED Part Of these, with a number
rats objected to thi.