The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-03-06
THE CONVENTIONS TODAY.

10 select utltghlth W lhe phlu conNunN"H
which meets ut galveston April Goth Il
elect delegates 10 the National Demo
cratic convention. AS TO who should
or should not DO nominated In the city CON
vention for Marshal and for Assessor and
Collector, It Is not our province 10 shy, We
have no preference 10 express, the claims ol
no gentleman 10 urge, We will say, how
ever, that thu convention should weigh well
tho availability, other things being equal, OF
each candidate for oach position. The
Office Of City Marshal Is one Of no little im-
portancc to this city, This office Is no small
factor In tho welfare of the city. Its qulc-
tude, order and ponce Is in hls care, and The
gentleman who Is chosen should be mon OF
nerve, of prudence, of GOODNESS under dIllicul'
ties, Of quick, sound Judgment especially IN
emergency. He should be mn ener-
getic, active man, one who can
DO relied on under all circumstances,
OF course he mast DO Democrat, tried and
true, rs the convention Is Democratic con-
yention, held in tho interest Of the Demo-
cratic pnrty. The office Of City Assessor
mud Collector Is one, too, of no mean i'm
portancc. In fact, tho vital interests of the
city aro involved In the selection made to I'LL
tho place. We know Of no position of all
those under the municipal govern
mont in which the occupant should come
up more to the old Democratic test SIS he
honest, Is no capable| He should be n man
of practical business habits and qualifications,
able TO arrive ut correct conclusions us to the
value of property that he may be nm efficient
assessor of taxes; ho should DO energetic, nc
tive, indeed tireless, that no may miss no
property in the city where he Is making up his
assessment rolls, for every man within the
corporate limits should bear his proportion
ate amount of the burthen Of taxation for
the sup ort OF that city government which
protects his person and his property. He
should BIO an accurate accountant, that he
may as collector make no mistakes, either
for or against the city. He should be in his
nature Just and impartial, that he may know
not one man from another, under the law
He should be prompt, honest, reliable
so that the citys interests may always
be safe in his hands. We have thus briefly
outlined tho character Of men, of Democrats,
who should be nominated by the convention
to-day for Marshal and Collector, having no
particular gentlemen in our minds eye.
These requisites considered, then the
question Of availability comes up. If the
Democracy hopes to win in this municipal
race it must put forth candidates
who can poll the strength of the
party in the city, for it
is going to DO no mere skirmish, no little
running fight, but pitched bat
tie in which army corps must meet the shock
of army corps, and then keen rattle of small
arms must mingle with the war of artillery,
and bayonet charges of surging battalion
must be met with bayonets, and the flashing
Of sabres must be seen amid the dun clouds
Of the strife. AS the Democracy
mas organized for this contest
and has drawn party lines, 1t must not sleep
rom now until the close of the election in
April. Otherwise it can only hope for de-
eat Therefore IL, in our opinion, will be a
luty of the City convention to-day to take
tops towards Il thorough organization and
owards arousing an enthusiasm and zeal for
he ticket that will bring every Democrat to
he front on election day. What
hose steps shall be, we leave to
members of the convention TO
suggest. The County convention which also
meets to-day has business before II of the
greatest import Several duties will devolve
ipon it. Dallas will have twelve votes in the
State convention at Galveston, and to cast
.hose'votes, delegates must be chosen to at
end that convention. Just how many dele
gates are chosen, we think matter
If minor consideration. 1t may be
Tx, twelve or fifty, for no matter how
many or how few are chosen, they never all
20. This County convention should also de-
ermine as to the wishes of the county as to
he abrogation or retention Of the two-thirds
'ule both in the State and National conven-
ions, for we take il that this State, or any
,ther State, can ,abrogate the rule in State
conventions although it may be re-
aimed in National conventions, and the in
tructions given to the delegates to-day should |
,over both. The State convention which |
he delegates chosen to-day..are to attend is to
elect delegates to represent Texas in the
National Democratic convention to nominate
candidates for President and Vice-P President.
Whether or not these delegates should go to
he National convention trameled with in
tructions and tied down to support some
particular man, no matter what the circum-
tances may be when the convention meets, is a
question demanding grave consideration.
We believe that the delegates selected by the
at Galveston should be gentle |
men of standing and character in whom the
ntire State can repose confidence, and this
icing so we doubt the propriety of hamper
ng their action and Judgment by positive
,struot;ona If thax arc IN he mara fiurro