The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-04
THE NEW DEMOCRATIC RULES.

THE NE W DEMO CRATIC RULES.
A CONVENTION over which that illustrious
Knight Templar, Sir Richard vaux, presides,
is engaged in devising new rules for the un-
ruly Democracy Several important changes
in the old system have been recommended by
the committee to whom the whole subject
was referred. They favor the Republican
plan of having separate convention
for the nomination of each candidate for city
or county Offices Another suggestion is that
representation shall hereafter be regulated not
by population, but by the number of Demo-
cratic voters, the rule to be zone delegate
for every eight hundred Democratic voters
in each ward, and one for fraction of eight
hundred over four hundred" This will pro-
badly furnish more equitable method of
ascertaining the exact wishes of the Demo-
cracy; but as it will increase the propor-
tionate influence in their conventions of the
Fourth ward crowd, the representatives of
the Seventeenth ward and the delegations from
other Democratic strongholds, it's natural ten
dency will be to make future Democratic
tickets even worse than the one selected this
year, if such thing is possible.
The gem of the new system, however, is
embodied in the following rule:-
''Rulc 20. When the conventions provided for by
these rules or any OF them, are duly organized and
proceed TO eectWelegates and nominate candidates.
the voting for delegates or candidates shall be done
IN the Following manner and in no other viz The
name OF each delegate shall be called by the secre-
taIy, and the delegate 80 called shall rise
from his place. come to the secretary's table. and
give mis- name, and the names of the delegates or
secretary shall report the same in the minutes and
the president of the convention shall announce the
name OF the delegate voting, and the person or per-
sons for whom he so voted, and in like manner shall
each vote be taken"
Sad experience has demonstrated to the de-
cent adherents of the Democracy that no ordi-
nary parliamentary regulations can control
the turbulent spirits who usually rule their
conventions. They ''go in to win, and are
ready to eke out deficient intellectual, moral,
or political strength by a display of muscular
power. If obstinate delegates will persist in
refusing to adopt the proper way of thinking,
they can at least be knocked down, kicked
out of doors, or thrown out of the windows.
and more tractable spirits substituted to vote
in their names. So many conven-
tions have been carried in this man
ner that even portion of the Democracy are
disgusted, and the new rule therefore directs
that in voting "the name of each delegate
shall be called by the secretary, and the dele
gate so called shall rise from his place, come
to the secretary's table, and give his name and
the names of the delegates or candidates for
whom he votes" What is the world coming
to? Is there to be no more cakes and ale?
and no more chances for the bullies to plug
up stubborn John Smiths peppers while
obedient John Jones votes for him? No
wonder the Democracy hesitated to adopt this
rule, preferring to adjourn over for further
cogitation before they surrendered one of the
great constitutional rights of the shoulder
hitters of the party.