Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-04-17
la11caster fntelligencer.
Clearing the Way.

Clearing the Way.
Mr.. Randall's letter in disapprobation
of the unit rule will 60 far toward
Strengthening out things for harmony in
the approaching state convention. The
charge has been freely made that mas
much as Mr.. Randall has avowed prefer
ence for Mr.. Tilden's denomination, he
and those persons in the state who were
supposed to he acting in his political
interest, were striving to secure ma
jority of the state convention to commit it
to Mr.. Tilden and to bind the Cincinnati
delegation with a unit rule to vote for
him. Against such a purpose there has
been an earnest protest and on March
18th, the INTELLIGENCER said: eff
Mr.. Randall shall undertake to commit
Pennsylvania solely to Mr.. Tilden's re-
election, whether he is the choice of the
Democracy and can he elected or not-as
is charged by Mr.. Randall's enemies-he
will get no sympathy from the INTELLI-
GENCER nor any support in the under
taking" That position we believe to
he not only one of common sense, but in
accordance with the prevailing political
sentiment of the Democracy here and
throughout the state. OF that policy the
Lancaster county Democracy have en-
pllatically declared their approval. Now
that Mr.. Randall has disvowed any such
undertaking and proposes that the dele
gates of every district shall represent
their constituencies and cast their own
votes; and since it is understood that he
asks no g vindicatiOn, claims no leader
ship and wants no place in the Demo-
cratic state convention, there is no
longer any pretext for his friends or his
enemies to keep up any further clamOr
about his interests being involved in its
deliberations.
At the same time the INTELLIGEN-
GER said: s. If Mr.. Wallace shall under.
take to control the state convention in
his own interests, to secure delegation
which he can handle to his own advantage
AS his enemies charge-he will be en-
titled to our opposition in his project. "
That sentiment we believe to be equally
in accord with prevailing Democratic
notions, and it has been endorsed here
and elsewhere with profound emphasis.
We have criticised Mr.. Wallace for
voting for Kerns's confirmation, for
having Mr.. Clark (Democratj rejected
10y the Senate, though he says he was
powerless to prevent Kerns's (Republi-
CAM confirmation by the same Senate,
and for having made a bargain with
Don Cameron that all the Democratic
census enumeratOrs in Lancaster county
should he appointed in his own interest.
And upon all these points we are in
accord with nine-tenthS of the DemOc-
racy.
They cannot he gainsaid. 1t has also
been charged that Mr.. Wallace says he
g wieldS the baton of leadership" and
dare not he sent to the rear and that he
wants to secure majority of the delega-
tion to Cincinnati and bind it to his in
terests with unit rule. Against this
we protest in whatever name it is to be
done and it is manifeStly the part of
discretion for Mr.. Wallace and some Of
his superserviceable lackeys to take his
cause out of the contest, as wisely as Mr..
Randall has done, and let the Harrisburg
convention do its own business in its own
way.
1t is amply competent to do this. There
will be in it as big men as Mr.. Randall or
Mr. Wallace as cOmDetpnt leaders and as
trusted councillors. Mr.. Randall, as we
read his letter, makes himself one of
the rank and file of the party, waiting for
the word of its supreme authority, will
ing to follow, not ambitiousto command.
That is the right position for him and
Mr.. Wallace and every other Democrat
to assume, and whoever attempts more
will attain less.