Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-04-09
lanraster fnttlligerlcer.
FRIDAY EVENING. APRIL 9, 1880.
The Coming Convention.


Somebody proposes plan to harmon
ize the Democratic party in Pennsylva-
MIA by agreeing in advance of the meet
ing of the state convention upon certain |
terms and conditions to be carried out |
therein, these terms in part consisting |
of an agreement by the contesting Phila-
delphia delegations as to what shall he |
done and the Philadelphia Times prints |
the sentiments of several Pennsylvania |
congressman thereon, which show their |
conviction that the state Democracy |
must not be disturbed by any personal
contest between Messrs. Wallace and
Randall, or any other claimants to lead
ership. So far as the matter of securing
harmony is concerned, and the DISPOSE
tion to disregard any personal interests
in obtaining it, it may be assumed that
there is no division of sentiment among
the masses of the party, and that
the delegates to the state convention
will meet with a fixed determination
that the interests Of the whole party shall
not be sacrificed at the demand of any
faction. And 80 far as the Philadelphia
dispute is concerned it is certain that
any proposition which will result in
sending tO::the convention one set of dele
gates will be welcomed by the party, and
any compromise proposed is very proper
matter for consideration and determina-
tion prior to the meeting Of the conven-
tion. So is it right that any disputing
sets of Democrats shall try to settle their
differences amicably before the conven-
tion meets. But it is nObody's business
to determine for the convention what it
shall do in the matters which it assem-
bles tO.determine. who shall be delegates
at large to the national convention,
and who shall be electors and candidates,
it is C.. the convention to say, and it
wIlli iM be proper to set up any slate for
its adoption before it meets. The con-
vention will be quite able to discharge its
business, and in the temper in which it
will meet we do not think that it will have
much trouble in settling all matters at
variance between members of the party.
What can properly be done to relieve it
of iangles should be done, but lit is mot
necessary for this purpose that the pro-
gramme of its nominations shall be
mapped out. Disputes in conventions
are not agreeable, but it is better to have
them than to have machine dictation.
The only great trouble the party has
ever had is with Philadelphia, and,
lnfn
convention has ready means Of
freeing itself from that by refusing
Philadelphia representation in this
convention if it shall find the party
there So antagonistic that it cannot
agree upon its representatives and can
not consent to act together for the party
good. There is no sense in the descrip-
ton of Pennsylvania Democrats gen.
orally as Wallace or Randall men. They
are ndtso. The most of them doubtless
have their individual preferences be
tween these two men, but it is certain
that in general they cannot be clan
nishly described rs the support
ers of either, as against the party.
Nor can the Democrats of the
state be claSSed as Tilden or anti-Tilden,
without charging them with the grOssest
folly. 1t will not do to say that Pennsyl-
vania Democrats are for any man for
nnesident who will be unsatisfactory to
any large number of their fellow Demo-
Gratis. Pennsylvania is not such strong
Democratic state that its Democrats can
afford to be very saucy in insisting in the
choice of their individual preference ;
nor will they.