The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1920-08-06
Report of SnOhOmish
Delegations to the
Yakima Conventions
July Is to %. 1920

ance, Nonpartsan League and Com
mittee of 4S, Saturday, July 81,
1920
We arrived in Yakima late Satur-
day night and the delegates from the
| Chicago convention arrived Sunday.
We attended an informal meeting of
the Farmers sunday afternoon where
we heard a brief report by dele
gates to the Chicago Convention.
The report given by Fred Chamber
lain of Puyallup and c. r. Cottrell
of Kent was briefly this;
"That the Farmers and Labor peo-
mittee Of AZ got together harmoni-
pie and a major portion of the Com
ously and formed the Farm-Labor
Party. They nominated Farley p.
Christensen of Salt Lake City, an
attorney for the laboring people, for
president, and. Max Hayes of Ohio
for president. Senator LaFol-
lctte was the first choice of the en-
tire convention but he refused to
run. except on a platform of his own
making and as the delegates could
not conscentiously support that
proposition, he was not nominated.
The delegates put in one 42-hour
session, without food or sleep. c. j.
France and c.. r. Cottrell were two
Of the Washington delegates on that
committee. However, they all left
Chicago very well pleased and they
say that we will hear from Chris
Jensen before long"
Following this report the question
Of third party in this state was
discussed at some length. An in
formal straw vote was taken to see
how many Of that informal meet
ing were in favor of third party.
The vote showed 9 for and 3 against.
Neil Breslin voted against the third
party idea with this brief eXplana-
ton that he refused to vote for a
third party until he had satisfied
himself that the majority of the
rank and file Of the whole state were
in favor Of a third party. In order
to know what the rank and filed
wanted, he had to get the sentiment
of the delegates to all the differ
ent conventions. The delegates to
the Committee of AZ convention
seemed to be unanimous for a third
party as the membership of the
Committee of AZ always have been
in favor of a third party.
Sunday evening we held get
together meeting of all groups and
listened to short talks by members
from each of the groups all speak
ers advocating harmony and a get
together spirit and a determination
to win this fall.
The Triple Alliance Convention was
called to order Monday morning at
10 o'clock by Chairman d. C. Coates.
The convention call was read and the
usual routine business of appointing
committees followed. The first COM
mittee was a Credential Committee.
Mr.. Breslin was a member of that.
One hundred eighty-tWo delegates
were at hand to open the convention.
A Rules Committee was then APP
pointed. Marvin Smith of our Sno-
homish delegation and Elmer Smith
of Centralia were two of the Rules
Committee. This is where the Sno-
homish County delegation supported
by the Lewis County delegation be-
gan its active work and it is largely
due to the work of these counties
that we were able to come out of the
convention with definite platform
and no split whatever. The conven-
ton voted to convene at 8 a. m.
and adjourn at 5 p. m. or later,
mostly later.
A committee of was appointed to
confer with like committees from
the other groups to decide on the
method of procedure, that is in what
order we would take up the plat
form, policy and candidates. The
final decision was that we would
hear the report first of the Policy
Committee, then platform, then can
didates.
On motion each committee, that is
policy, platform and candidates,
would be composed of 10 delegates
each to be elected from the floor.
Snohomish County delegates sup
ported electing from the floor as we
believed it most democratic and we
were most sure of getting men and
women with real convictions on those
committees and men and women
who, the leaders of all or no groups
could influence.
Monday afternoon the Rules Com
mittee made a partial report. Rob
ert's rules of order were to be fol-
lowed. One clause that was adopted
vas introduced by Snohomish County
delegates was to the effect that a
motion for the previous question
could not be entertained until at
least 2 persons talking on each side
of the question had been heard. An
other clause by our delegation was
to the effect that anyone indulging
in personalities be barred from fur
Their discussion on that question.
The rest of the afternoon was
taken up with the election of con-
ference committees on policy, plat
form and candidates. The tellers
worked till way into the night count
ing the votes on various committees.
Mr.. Breslin was teller on the last
committee and posted the results at
midnight. Monday VIM. Short was
chairman of the policy committee.
Homer T. Bone of Tacoma and
Elmer Smith of Centralia were two
of the Platform Committee, Bone
was elected chairman of the joint
conference committee of 40, 10 from
each of the four groups in conven-
ton. L. w. Buck was chairman of
our committee of 10 on candidates.
On Tuesday morning the Rules
Committee again reported, bringing
in a recommendation that the con-
ference committees keep US informed
on their progress and report back
from time to time before stating
definitely the position of the Triple
Alliance, especially on policy. Mo
ton was put that we adopt the
recommendation of the committee,