Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-24
THE STATE COMMITTEE.
Its Action In Directing tho Makeup Of the
Roll.

THE STATE COMMITTEE.
Its Action In Directing she Makeup Of the
Roll.
Altoona Sun.
The action Of the state committee in in
terfering as to the seats of Philadelphia
delegates in the coming state convention
has provoked unfavorable comment from
large proportion of the Democratic press
of the state. Most certainly the commit
tee had not the slightest authority or right
to interfere in the premises. The whole
question properly belongs to and in the end
must be settled by the convention, and it
is pretty certain that the dictatiOn of the
committee will be warmly resented by the
convention Even the Philadelphia Times,
which always exhibits due caution in
the discussion in advance of subjects
of this character, ventures to say
this much in reference to the pro-
posed methods by which the tempor-
ary organization of the state convention is
to be effected: "The obviously sound
rule, when men seek honest ends by hon
est means, is to exclude from participa-
tion in the temporary organization OF the
conventions all whose seats are contested !;
but the abuse of which the rule is capable,
clearly calls for some restraint upon the
adventures of faction who can disfranchise
any district by formal notice of contest:
If the state committee had desired to deal
exact justice to all, it would have provided
for such ,formalities in contests as must
prevent the mere pretense OF claiming
seats for the purpose of preventing prop
erly chosen delegates from participating IN
the preliminary proceedings of cOnven-
| tiOnS."
Just what formalities would stop all
others than bona tide contests in the Phila
| delphia Democracy is one Of those things
that no fellow could easily find out but ii
is evident that the present practice opens
the widest field for defeated parties tc
disfranchise their successful competitors
until the important work of convention
is performed. Formal notice to the state
committee of contests, to be made within a
specified period after the election and stat
ing under oath the grounds on which they
are based, might stop some OF the dis
putcs; but how far the sancity of an Oatf
would restrain the average factiOnist O
any party in Philadelphia is not so clear
There is no reason why delegates to pOliti
cal conventions should hold their seats by
any other than honest titles, and it wOult
promise we'll for the future of any party
that can wisely and justly solve tho prob
lem.
Easily Answered Conundrum.
Harrisburg Patriot
Until the Lancaster INTELLIGENCE
makes better answer to the Arguments il
favor of order, regularity, and parlamen
tary usage in the making up of the roll o
the state convention, than by simpl!
making reference to the "mOb law
which prevailed in the organization of TIN
state convention at Pittsburgh in 1873, W
shall not waste words in futher disputa
ton. But meanwhile we insist on :
specific answer by the INTELLIGENcER t.
the following question:
1. If a majority of the seats in the con
vention are contested and the names of al
contested delegates are omitted from tn
roll, as the INTELLIGENCER contend
should be done, what becomes your con
vention? Can the minority left on tn
roll organize? If not, then is not the In
TELLIGENCER's proposition based on a
unsound principle?
g Is there no such thing as Trim
, facie right to a seat in the convention mt
. the committee on contested seats shall hat
disposed Of contests? Face the music, MI
INTELLIGENCER.