Arizona republican., 1922-05-10
UNIT RULE IS
DEFEATED IN
DEMOCRATIC
CONFERENCE
Unprecedented Harmony
Of Meeting Here Yester-
day Is Broken At The
Eleventh Hour-Big At
tendance


tendance
After an all day session in which
unprecedented Democratic harmony
bordering upon sweetness and broth
erly love prevailed to such an extent
that the brethren went about brag-
ging about it. the Democratic county
convention (they called it a confer
ence) reverted to the traditions Of
Democratic conventions and INDUCED
in row over the question of put
ting the delegates from this county
to the Tucson convention under the
unit rule.
That was the only disagreement
that manifested itself in the course
of the day. but it was fierce while
it lasted, until the unit rule was re-
jected by a decisive vote. 1t brought
to the surface the silent subterranean
conflict which had been raging be-
tween the Stanford and Franklin
forces.
There was a small outbreak of 1t
in the morning, but it was not recog-
nized in contest for the temporary
chairmanship of the conference.
Frank DeSouZa was first placed in
nomination, whereupon w. T.. Smith
demanded a showing of the roster of
precinct delegates. County Chair
man Brawner. however, ruled that
Mr.. Smith was dead wrong" that
his suggestion was premature: that
credentials are always passed upon
by a credentials committee and that
that committee is a part of the tenn
porary organization.
Then Mr.. Smith was put in nomi-
nation for temporary chairman and
the contest was on. A poll was taken
Of the delegates, but before the re-
suit of it was announced, on the
motion of Mr.. Smith, the election of
Mr.. De Souza was made by acclama-
tion. Charles r. Marshall was
elected secretary. After the ap-
pointment OF the following commit
tees a recess was taken to | o'clock.
Committees Named
Credentials r. G.. Struckmeyer,
Mrs. j. p. Ivy. II. G.. Ludden, w. T.
Smith and Thomas Aaloney.
Order of Business-George Purdy
Bullard. Alma Davis. John T. Orme,
Guy Acuff and DIR. Mason.
The conference was called to order
at II o'clock in Odd Fellows Han
which was filled to its capacity. All
but seven of the remote precincts of
the county were represented by either
delegates or altrnates and most of
them by both Never before in the
political history of the county had
so many good looking well-fed and
WELL dressed Democratic men and
women been brought together. Yet,
notwithstanding their outward man
ifestations of prosperity, many OF
them devoted the intermissions to
cussing the national administration
and hard-times.
1t was in another respect such an
aggregation as had not been seen in
Arizona since territorial days, before
the blight of the direct primary fell
upon the country, for since then there
has not been much to call people to-
gether into Democratic assemplages.
There were men there who had fig
ured in the Democratic conventions
of the earlier day-such men as John
p. Orme, Purdy Bullard, George j.
Brewster, Al Shoot, j. r. Bone, Quin
Faulkner and others who took part
in the conclaves of Democrats
quarter of a century ago and who
showed little sign of the ravages of
intervening years.
There were ,also members of
new regeneration, many of whom had
never before attended councils of the
party. The air was somewhat
charged. 1t was uncertain whether
an attempt would be made to secure
the endorsement. of candidates for
county offices, but it was given out
quite early by those on the inside
that nothing of that sort was TO be
permitted. What resolutions some
members might have concealed in
their sleeves was not known. but
Chairman DeSouza, who kept things
moving briskly throughout the day,
was counted upon to sidetrack what
ever might menace the serenity of
the occasion.
None Is Barred
When the conference reassembled
at l o'clock the credentials commit
tee reported as entitled to seats, 70
delegates and % alternates. There
were more than that many alter
mates seated within the delegation,
who were not counted because their
principals were present. Seven pre-
cincts were found by the committee
to be without representation, but
under a rule adopted before the re-
cess was taken, residents of those
precincts who happened to be in the
hall were admitted. 1t should be
stated that in those seven precincts
The committee on order of busi-
ness prescribed the following: The
election of As delegates to the Tue
son convention: the selection of 46
aiternates; such other business as
might come before the conference.
Some delay was occasioned by
variety of suggestions concerning the
manner of selecting delegates. A
proposal to leave it 10 a committee
of five was rejected as undemocratic.
1t was proposed also to make the
selection from the list of precinct dele
gates, but that, too, was rejected on
the ground that every Democrat in
the county, whether member of the
conference or not, was entitled to
chance. 1t was finally decided to
make nominations from the floor and
leave to each elected delegate the
choice of his own alternate on the
theory that he could better choose a
man who would represent his views
in the event of his failure to attend
the state conference.
And such failure was something
to be provided against. for it was
pointed out that proxies would not
be admitted in that conference.
Then the nominations began and
was continued until 81 names had
been listed. A recess of an hour
was then taken TO permit the print
ing of the ballots for distribution
among the delegates. At o'clock
there was an intermission of half an
hour for the marking of the ballots,
after which the collection of them
CONTINUED on Page Two)