The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-05-02

One of the most important State conven-
tons held BY the Democ .acv of Pennsylvania
for many years will meet at Harrisburg to-
morrow. Its real importance does not con-
sist, as many of its delegates and outside at
PENDANTS seem to think, in the triumph of any
individual leadership; and all the strife that
comes from such contest, if such strife shall
come, will be Just SO much to the discredit
and disintegration of the party. There will
be conflicts between leaders, as is inevitable
on all such occasions, and they may be q
fruitful source of weakness 10 the organiza-
ton; but after such struggles shall have been
disposed Of there will be most important
work for the convention to perform.
There must be contest and probably
bitter one, for the control of the delegation
To Cincinnati. The manifest weakness of
Mr.. Tiden has been confessed by his sup
porters BY asking for an uninstructed delega-
ton, thereby hoping to control majority
of the districts for the election of delegates
who will support Tilden or the Tilden can
didate. The opposition to the Tiden ele-
ment is most positively manifested in the
support of General Hancock, although there
is an independent Baysrd party and delegates
who, while preferrng different men, will
favor an uninstructed delegation. The one
thing that seems clear is that majority of
the delegation will be averse to Tilden's
nomination, but in what manner it may as
sert itselfis not yet assured. 1t may declare
AGAINST instructions and for the unit rule, or
it NAV declare against both instructions and
the unit rule.
Democratic National conventions differ
from Republican National conventions IN
g. . ;.,,+ g 10
All Republican conventions have adopted a
one of their rules that the vote of each dele
qate shall be reported to the body and count
ed as cast by the delegate himself, and this
has been uniformly done even in the face OF
instructions by the state to cast the vote of
its delegation as "a unit All Democratic con
yentions have respected and enforced the
unit rule when the instructions of the State
have declared it as the law of its delegation
Thus the vote of New York was cast rs 4
unit for Tilden in 1876, without protest
against the rule, although Senator Herman
when announcing the vote, stated that {
minority of the delegates would have votec
differently but for the unit rule that all re
spected. The vote of Pennsylvania was als(
cast AS a unit in that convention. In 1872
the vote of the Pennsylvania delegation wa
divided between Greeley and Judge Black
as their was no demand for the unit rule
the nomination of Mr.. Greeley being assured
bv next 70 a unanimous vote The adoption
OF the unit rule, therefore, by the convention
tomorrow, unlike Senator Cameron's uni
rule instructions of the Republican couven
ton, will mean unit vote of the Pennsyl
yanis delegation at Cincinnati on all ques
tions. Its founded on the old Democrat
theory of asserting the fullest power OF tn
State in the party as well as in the govern
ment.
Another issue of moment is the instruc
tons for or against the continuance OF tn
two-thirds rule in the National convention
The question Of repeating the rule was az
tated at st. Louis in 1878, and that convenn
ton RENTED the issue to the States TO decid
in 1880 BY their immediate instructions.
was invented in 1874 to defeat the third non
nation of Mr.. Van Buren,, and since the
has been the accepted Democratic law. In
friends of Mr.. Tilden would now be glad
have it repealed, but the field will be again'
it, and its enforcement at Cincinnati is res
sonably certain, and with the approval
Pennsylvania.
The important offices Of Supreme Juds
and Auditor General are to ill at the ne'
election; but the wars of factions and pre-
dental booms have entirely overshadowe
the claims of candidates. There will be
difficulty in the convention presenting goo
ticket, as the ground is virgin soil for non
nations. Besides, the State ticket Will
simply a tail to the presidential kite, and w
win or lose with the national candidates., q,
The convention to meet tomorrow VIII
one Of unusual ability. Wallace and Dill, Q
III. NEn