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

Kassar with the secretary of the coun-
ty committee to call another meeting
for the purpose of selecting delegates.
This committee meeting, on which
committeeman were largely represent
ed by proxies, appointed a contesting
delegation and instructed for Bowen.
Not satisfied with having called two
meetings, Chairman Kassar, claiming
to hold within himself the representa-
ton of Cassia county, appeared in the
convention at its organization, walk
ed on the platform, and I'm the name
of God and the Democratic party" de-
manded that he be heard. Pence was
still in the chair when this happened,
and after trying to ignore him. the |
chairman finally requested his remOv
al Kassar left without making any !
further trouble, beyond trying once to |
get attention from the floor
The committee by a vote of q to 10
voted to seat the Elder delegates in
Cassia Whether this was a steam |
roller proceedings or not was more
or less discussed informally after
wards. That a mass meeting, giving a
single town power to name delegates
and to bind them by instructions is
irregular, cannot be doubted That
those who took part in such proceed
ing, however irregular, helped call the
later meeting is worthy of considera
ton. Anyhow, the 13 did not follow
the vote by protest, and did not file
a minority report. In this as in all
! cases, the credentials committee pre-
scented only one report supposedly
representing the whole committee and
that report, when finally presented,
was unanimously adopted. The last
contest, that of Washington county,
was decided in favor of the anti-Elder
delegates.
During the night and early morning
there was much caucussing, between
the delegates on both sides and the
hopelessness of the attempts of foes
of Elder to unite on anyone who could
take the bandwagon delegates from
the national committeeman became ap-
parent The only hope lay in arbi
trarily setting aside the unit rule,
preventing the election of anyone on
the first ballot and then fighting it
out until the opposition would auto
matically unite on someone. Since
Elder had 1872 instructed delegates to
70 delegates instructed for others, the
probable advantage of this move to
his opponents is obvious. A favor
able opportunity seemed to present
itself, when a delegate from Fremont
county arose and declared that his
county had been bound by the unit
rule by committee meeting at which
four men were present in person and
the rest by proxy. Since that time a
new condition had arisen, inasmuch as
man from their county had been
placed in nomination He said that
the majority of those who had attend
ed the committee meeting in question
were present and he had tried to get
them to revoke their previous action,
but they had refused to do so. He
would like to have the privilege of
voting for Kerr. A motion was made
to release Fremont county. which was
followed by a motion to table. This
started the fireworks. The nominal
ing speeches had already been made
without a ripple of discord. Mild in
situations had been thrown out but
! the sparring had all been with soft
gloves. R. S. Tschudy of Bannock
: county, who with six other enemies OF
Elder in that county, had been sent
, as part of a delegation of is to the
{ convention by a prO-Elder committee
= who though they had them safely
/ tied by instructions, got the floor and
- threw shell after shell into the Elder
forces. He demanded release from in
] structions and denounced the federal
E and state appointees and others of the
/ sort whom he charged with attempt
e. ing to steam roller the convention
S After this the battle ragged for three
Y hours. Personalities were handed
e back and forth In the midst of al
= this rumpus the Fremont county
). chairman arose and declared that the
= Fremont delegates felt themselves
= bound by the instructions of the coun-
10 ty committee The meeting which Sc
2 lected them had been regularly called
o and due notice given. The COMMITTEES
f members knew what the purpose o.
= the call was. They sent in proxies
= knowing the consequences. The in
+ structions had been published after
= the meeting and had met with no pro
= test. The instructions constituted {
p promise. The morality of breaking
that promise because Fremont county
4 might benefit thereby would be OF
- par with breaking any other pledge
/, under similar circumstances. Only
=, one Of the delegates from the county
= thought this pledge ought TO be re-
y voked. Personally they would all be
= glad to see Mr.. Kerr on the national
r committee. but they would not dc
r what they thought questionable to Sc
S cure his election. If released they