Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-01-07

THE Philadelphia Press, of Jarnary
lst, in the following able article covers
nearly all the Objectionable points made
to the State Committee in calling so
early State Convention. 1t says:
"The Republican State Committee,
at full meeting of the members, ac-
tual or substituted, have determined by
large vote that it was proper and
prudent and fair to call the State Con-
vention on the 4th of next month.
This gives a period of five weeks be-
tween the notice and the assembling
in which to make all the arrangements
for and actually to select all the senate
rial and representative delegates. So
early date for State Convention in
Pennsylvania has never before been
fixed, nor has 80 short an interval been
before allowed between the call and
the meeting. In 1872, when there
was absolute unanimity among Repub-
licans as to the candidates and little
time was required for discussion and
consideration, the State Convention
was held ON the 10th of April, the Ma
tional Convention meeting on the 9th
of June. In 1876, when Pennsylvania
had a candidate for nomination for
President, and time was an element Of
importance to his friends, the State
Convention was held on the 29th of
March, the National Convention meet
ing on the l4th of June, In 1880, the
convention is fixed two months in adj
vance of the usual time, on short no.
tice TO the Republican voters, under the
stimulus of an excited state of feeling,
and under circumstances which give
little promise of calm and dispassion-
ate action. Yet, if there be subject
which ought to be approached in that
spirit it is the selection of candidate
for the Presidency in 1880, when, for
the first time, the Republicans are sure
to be confronted with solid adverse
vote from the Southern States, and
when a Democratic victory depends
only upon a small margin of success in
the States of the North. And if there
be State which. more than another, is
entitled by reason of its fixed Republl-
can character to be respectfully re-
garded by her Republican sisters, that
State is Pennsylvania. But her voice,
to be regarded, should speak words of
soberness, proceeding from clear con-
viction, and not proffer advice which,
in its rendering, will go far to defeat it.
self.
The responsibility for this action
rests on the committee itself, which
was duly summoned for the purpose
Bad as the precedent is, it is the act of
the representatives of the party. 1t
settles the point in dispute. Its effect
should be to stimulate the develop
ment, among the people, of political
discussion, with a view to effect as in
teligent action as time and opportu-
nity will permit One of the i'll effects
of the premature date selected is likely
to be the appointment of delegates by
County Committees instead OF their
election by County Conventions, thus
materially diminishing the probabli-
ties of fair representation of the popu-
lar will. Whatever tends thus to
lower the representative character OF a
deIiberative body is always to be re-
GREETED, This action was taken in or
der to give Pennsylvania control of the
Presidential question, but control Of it
depends upon many other considera-
tions besides haste of action. The
question will not be settled by storm.
1t has too many elements of serious
ness in it.