THE : HESPERIAN
UnHcitteftietory and DiNffiiHtingf.
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION FAILED IN
ITS PURPOSE.
For nearly two weeks the mock national
convention has been agitating the students.
All kinds of interest was stirred up among
the embryo politicians. But affairs did not
begin to get serious until about last Friday.
The republicans lound that by the then exist
ing assignment of delegates to states that the
silver forces were able to control the conven
vention. The silver men were equally well
aware of the fact and began adding insult to
injury by asking the 'sound' money men,
"What are you going to do?" "Will you bolt
or take your medicine like little men?" The
disciples of McKinley became indignant many
of them desperate. They were ready to re
sort to almost any means. The silver forces
were accused of gerrymandering, 'stufling'
delegations and what not. The opposition
led by the Palladian Boys' debating club, re
jected the report of the committee on state
delegations and made a new assignment of
delegates. By the now apportionment, with
the gains in the Maxwell club, the republicans
had enough states to control th6 convention.
But this was no point in their lavor unless
they could get control of the temporary organ
ization, as the credential committee was sil
ver and would obviously not unseat silver del
egations. Everything depended on which
side effected the temporary organization.
Here was the appointed place for trouble.
The republicans planned to be in their seats
promptly at seven and elect a chairman. The
first trouble began when, after three times
demanding their credentials and being refused,
the members of the Maxwell club forced their
way in the chapel without them. H. E. Dean
(rep) at once called the meeting to order and
H. B. Stewart (rep) was chosen temporary
chairman. At 7:03 G. A. Warfieldpop, chair
man of the national committee arrived and
proceeded to take the chair. Pandemonium
reigned. Everyone made for the platform.
After the cooler heads, with the aid of a jan
itor, cleared the platform, J. H. Lien and E.
B. Perry, in the interest of "law and order,"
proceeded to suggest some one who would be
satisfactory to the convention to preside
merely until a temporary chairman could be
elected. E. F. Warner was finally agreed
upon.
The first ballot for temporary chairman re
sulted: G. E. Kindler 101, E. F. Warner 96.
Five votes coujd not be accounted for and the
chair declared no election. The silver men
heaped all sorts of epithets upon the chair for
so ruling. The republicans demanded a sec
ond vote. It would be useless to waste
space with a description of the unsatisfactory,
if not disgraceful, proceedings of the next two
hours. Dilatory measures and bull dog tenac
ity on one side; uncontrollable impatience
and disrespect for the chair on the other.
Shortly after 10:30 Chancellor MacLeau ap
peared on the scene and he sought to bring
'order out of chaos.' The Chancellor was
chosen to preside temporarilly. Upon a rising
vote G. E. Kindler was declared elected tem
porary chairman.
When Mr. Kindler took the chair "speech"
was called for. Some, who know Mr. Kindler
well, claim that ho was not at his best. It is
said by some near the platform, that Mr.
Kindler said something about 'fairness. ' Mr.
Kindler had scarcely finished his remarks
when forty republicans were on their feet
demanding recognition. But according to pro
gram the chair recognized a silver man who
made a motion to appoint a committee. The
republican side was now not merely indignant,
but unruly. From this time on there were
scarcely a dozen people who had the slightest
idea as to what was going on. Motions, to
make the temporary organization permanent,
to appoint committees, etc. , were made, put
and declared carried with everybody voting
on both sides. A report from the resolution
committee was called for. J. H. Lien and H.
E. Sackett both began reading documents of
some sort. Neither got beyond the third
sentence. A motion to adopt the report of
the commilneo it is said prevailed. The pub
lic need not remain in darkness as to what
this meant, as Mr. Kindler states that the
motion was to adopt the report of Mr. Lien.
It is generally believed that Mr. Lien still has
a copy of what ho started to read and that he
will be accomodating enough to show anyone
desiring to know-who is not a mere curiosity
seeker-just what the convention adopted.
To say that the convention failed to accom
plish that for which it was intended is only
to say a part of what is true. The whole af
fair was unsatisfactory and disgusting to all.
Had partisan politics been kept out of the
organization of the convention, the result
might have been different. As it is, the sooner
forgotten the better.
