The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-04
THE TWO-THIRDS RULE.

ocratic party for President of the United
States to get two-thirds of the members
in the nominating convention, is creating
considerable comment in Democratic
circles, opinion being pretty evenly di-
vided, both as to numbers and as to posi-
ton of the individuals upon each side.
This rule has been the law of the Demo
cratic party since the meeting of the first
Democratic Convention, which succeeded
the old plan of nominating candidates
for the Presidency by caucus of the
members of Congress belonging to the
party making the nomination. 1t is,
therefore, an ancient landmark of the
Democracy, and has done service for the
party in many eventful contests. Those
who advocate its abolition DO so on the
ground that it handicaps the party, and
tends to defeat the choice of the majority,
resulting frequently in the overthrow of
the stronger men of the party, and
forcing the nomination of less positive
or less prominent candidates. Thus, in
a Convention of 3S5 members, it is ne
cessary for the nominee to obtain 257
votes, so that 129 men who oppose any
particular candidate can force the 256 to
give up their first choice, and vote for
some candidate for whom some persons
of the minority are willing to vote. They
also argue that any prominent man is
likely to have 129 members opposed to
him, and hence that the chances are
against such mans obtaining the NOM
ination. There is much show of reason
in this presentation of the opposition to
the rule, but we think there is another
side to the question which is stronger in
the reasons it presents for the continu-
ance of the rule. 1t is not the object of
any political party to elect any particular
man president. 1t is the aim of each
party to enforce certain principles, and
to control the administration of the gov
ernment in the interest of those princi-
Piles. 1t may, and frequently is, very
desirable to elect certain man presi-
dent, but it is never desirable to nominate
candidate who is likely to be defeated,
if one can be found who can probably
be elected. The object of political con-
ventions, therefore, is to nominate the
best men from the party that can be
elected by the people; and if a particu-
lsr candidate, however strong and good,
cannot carry the election, some other
more available man of good character
and qualification should be selected.
Now, it may frequently happen that
candidate might get 1913 votes of the 1856,
and yet be bitterly opposed by the re-
naming 1872, and his nomination cause
the defeat of the party in consequence
of the disaffection. For instance, some
man might get the Western and South
ern delegates to the convention, which
would nominate him, while he would be
bitterly opposed in the Northern States,
so that when the election comes on he
would lose New York, New Jersey, Con-
necticut, and all the Northern States,
which would ensure his defeat. Now,
by the two-thirds rule, a candidate will
have to get portion of the representa-
tives from every section of the Union,
and no man can be selected who is par
ticularly distasteful to any section. 1t
may defeat particular candidates, but it
will certainly ensure the nomination of
man whose record cannot be assailed in
any section, for it requires the co-opera-
ton of every section to give him the
nomination. Again, Democrats who
have two-thirds of the party against
them are more likely to acquies ;e in the
result than if the party is about equally
divided.
The rule will make it more difficult to
nominate, but the result will be more
to the whole mass of the
people, and the candidate nominated
will be more cheerfully supported
Then, again, it is replied with considera-
BILE force to the objections to the rule,
that it does not always, nor even gener-
ally, defeat the strongest candidate, for if
be is not Objectionable and his friends
stick to him, the minority is more than
likely to come to his support. 1t is only
where there is strong personal opposition
10 the strongest candidate that the two
thirds rule defeats him. In fact, the
Democratic party with the two-thirds
rule has nominated Gen. Jackson and
Mr.. Van Buren, twice; it nominated Mr..
Cass in 184S and Mr.. Buchanan in
1856; it nominated Gen. Mcclellan in
1864, and since the war has nominated
Gov. Seymour and Gov. Tilden, so that
The operation of the rule has not so far
defeated the strongest candidate as
rule, and we do not believe that it will
generally defeat such candidate, unless
it is best for the party that he should be
defeated. We hope, therefore, that the
rule will not be changed in the coming
1t is stated that Gen. Benjamin F.
Rut1er 10 nreparino IN anter the race