The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-04
WHERE ARE THE DEMOCRATIC HEAD
Quarters ?

WASHINGTON, April 2.-Thcre Is confusion
OF committees. claiming or assuming to repre-
sent and control the organization Of the National
Democratic party. The following circular
dated about six weeks ago. has been distributed
among the faithful:
wasni~erox Feb H. 1870
u6 1Es ga o sS ae9g STIR The Nons prmocrac
Executive Committee have appointed National Demo.
i, 10 perform The duties heretofore performed hy Com
yres,ona tamtgsn C%nmiitcc and ~" 10 act a. T AZ
Committee has organized nv the selection Of senator
Chairnan ana he ion II Bnnnins as SECRETARY.
and viii haye permanent hcadqusrlcr' at WASHINGTON
An Executive Committee has been named from this
body. which viii act with like number ot the National
rifa of ynrfg ptaag,o,nt senator Rarnum is chair.
man oi he Joint Executive Committee Tho Hon.
Secretary Nc.srs Blrnun. Blackburn, and Thompson
have been constituted Finance Committee. aud rour
aid TO the progress o. the WORN ~ re.ecuuIN requested
WILLIAM II Ba rE chairman T' JOINT Committee
The purpose Of the parties putting forth this
circular IL stated in the italicized passage 1t
proposes to assume the immediate supervis-
ion Of party management"
The official pedigree OF the authors OF the
circular is not quite so easy to understand. Not
less than seven distinct committees are men
toned in that document. A careful analysis OF
their mutual relations discloses tho following
facts;
a. Tho Joint Conference OF the two Houses
Of the defunct Forty-i nth Congress. in con-
junction with
~ Tho National Democratic Executive Com
mittce-whch is a fractional part of the Ma
tona Democratic Committee appointed once
every four years by tho National Democratic
Convention-have superseded the
49, Democratic Congressional Campaign Com
mittce. by appointing
"A No 1, fr,,, -
ty-one. which. in its turn has selected from its
own number an
t5.l Executive Committee OF the National Dem
ocratc Committee Of Twenty. One. whose mom-
bors. acting in conjunction with a sub-commit-
tee Of the National Democratic Executive Com
mttec constituted
tG.l Joint Executive Committed OF which SEN
ator Barnum is Chairman. Sergcant-a mt Arms
Thompson Treasurer. and Duncan s. Walker
Secretary. And finally. this Joint Executive
Committee has constituted
"a Finance Committee. consisting Of Messrs.
Barnum, Blackburn. and Thompson.
careful study OF this analytical table will
perhaps enable the reader to understand who
II is TINT have undertaken the Immediate SUI
pervision OF party management" and who 1t is
that appeal for political contributions.
But o. title Of the authors OF the circular to
~ i't N' IhitJ TUBS paTtlJ upon the JOINT
Conference Committee Of the two Houses OF the
last Congress. and partly upon the National
Democratic Executive Committee. The Grst
named body was appointed at the first session
OF the Forty-lfth Congress. with exclusive ref
ercnce to subjects Of legislation. and It's func-
tions expired with the Forty-nith Congress.
The sole function Of the National Democratic
Executive Committee. on the other hand. is to
| fix the time and place for holding n Convention
| to nominate Democratic candidates in 1850.
! Tho right Of the Democratic members Of the
Forty-sixth Congress 70 select their own Com
mi;tee seems to have been ignored.
The Democratic party needs nothing so badly
as it needs perfect and well-denned national
organization for political objects. 1t is abou,
time that it came to an understanding ne to
whore It's headquarters really are. and who are
really its representatives and agents authorized
TO collect money and lay out work.