New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-29
PLAIN DUTY OF TIE CONTENTION.


Why does the machine" demand that the
"gag" as embodied in the unit rule" shall be-
come a part of the written law of the Republican
partyR Why, In its interest are we threatened
with bulldozing tactics which would do credit
to the Democratic leaders of the SOuth7 Why,
for it's maintenance, are we informed that the
chairman of the National Committee, who has
merely formal part to do In bringing the Con-
vention to order, proposes to override an I'M
broken line of decisions upon the right of indi-
v1dual voting, to the making of which he once
contrlbutedS Why is contempt to be put upon
all the craftsmanship and precedents of the
past2 Why is autocradC power assumed which
is offensive to the Convention itself, and wholly
without justification In the light of principle
Senator Cameron cannot be presumed to be
anxious to expose himself by such action to the
censure of every fair-minded Republican in the
land; and his action, as fOreshadOwed, can
therefore only be regarded as compelled by the
supposed necessities of his position. Precedent
Is to be defedj principle is to be trampled
under foot and an insult is to be flung into the
face of the OnventOn-sOlely that thereby
temporary chairman may be chosen who will
recklessIy rule in the interest Of faction, and
who will help force the nomination of a man
against whom the Republican voters are, in
large majority, infexibly arrayed
This cherished "unit rule is very dear to the
hearts of the leaders of the machine. 1t is, in
deed, their most efficient weapon. Without it,
they are lost. Hence it must be saved. Witness
how convenient it is: By it, New York's sew
enty votes are comfortable if only thirty-six of
the delegates concur. By it, Pennsylvania's
ifty-eight votes are cOntrollable. If only thirty
concur. By it, Illnois's forty-two votes are
cOntrOlla bic, if only twenty-five concur. It is,
therefore, device by which eighty-eight dele
gates, skilfully arranged, are made to cast one
hundred and seventy votes!
This is its present value. "The machine"
has its grip ON the great States named and it
is unwilling to let go. 1t has, in addition, Mis-
souri,. 1t is casting longing eyes on Ohio and
Indiana. Suppose, by the next Convention, it
so extends its conQuests as to capture the Re-
publican organization in these COmmOnwealths.
What will be the RESULT 1t will then have
seized the two hundred and seventy -four votes
which these States represent, and will be able
to WELD all this power through the agency of
but one hundred and forty three votes. 1t will
have secured control of moro than one-third of
the Convention, with q working capital of
about one-fifth of 1t. With this powerfully
organized body, comprising the larger States
Of the Union, 1t Is intended that all resistance to
Its men and measures shall be fruitless. The
game is the capture of the party's organization.
The means are those of the hiRhwayman-gag-
ging and throttling and tying. And this lime
is attempted under the guise of Republicansm
If it be urged that the custom Of the Demo-
cratic party has been to tolerate unit rule"
we reply that their practice has not been uni
form. and that at the late Convention of the
Pennsylvania Democracy they distinctly, and
on a direct vote, repudiated it. But it must be
remembered that the unit rule in Demo-
cratic Convention is q different thing from the
unit rule " in Republican Convention, and
much more tOlerabIe, for the reason that in q
Democratic Convention 1t requires two-thirds
to nominate, whereas in Republican q
majority Is sufficient. The Democracy would
have partial compensation for the violation of