Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-09
REORGANIZATION.


REORGANIZATION.
Party Rules and Regulations.
Chambersburg Valley Spirit.
The committee on rules appointed at
the last meeting of the Democratic state
committee will convene for the first time
next week and, since it is determined to
do something, it would be we'll that its
work be performed under all the light that
Democrats can give it.
One proposition likely to receive the at
tention of the committee is the future
composition of the state committee. Some
persons have advocated the formation Of a
state committee from the chairmen of
each county committee but we trust this
recommendation will not be made by the
committee on rules. If anything above
personal advancement is considered in the
selection Of a county committee chairman,
and let us hope there is, it is the peculiar
fitness of that chairman for local work.
His acquaintance, in most of cases, does
not extend beyond his county, and his
knowledge Of political tactics has been &C
quired only by local experience. He is,
in a measure, under the direction of the
local candidates, whose will he is to work,
and as a sub captain may perform much
valuable labor. But as an adviser, it is
altogether likely, nc would prove fail
ure. Members of the state committee
should bc chosen because of their eminent
personal fitness and their ability. They
are to he commanders, laying out plan,
or plans, for their licutcnants-chairlnc
Of county committees and others-to fol
low. These local chairmen should be con
suited freely, for their experience, when
directly or indirectly made use of, is often
of great practical value, but their elevation
to membership in the state committee
would evidently destroy much of their
local usefulness.
An executive, or working, committee
acting under the directions Of the general
committee might be selected, mainly OF
wholly from the state committee, and the
general plans laid out by the committee
might thus be promptly and intelligently
put into effect. The officers of the state
committee might either be selected from
it's membership or outside Of it. The ex-
ecutive committee should, Of course, be
officcrcd by one of its own members. The
best reason for allowing either of the ccm.
mittees to choose its own officers is that
there is a greater likelihood of the mem
bers being in harmony with their chief.
But to this plan Of selection there arc OBJ.
jjoctiOns which present themselves. Al
present VIC can see no need for one Or the
other of such committees employing 4 per
manent paid secretary.
We do not think our conventions are
too large. They arc never unwieldly. But
the representation allotted senatorial dis
triats might be proportioned among the
several counties and the senatorial district
delegate system be abolished. This class
OF delegates is q constant promoter Ol
disscnsiOn and strife in senatorial districts
In four cases out of five such delegates arc
likely to represent only the sentiment OF
tho county which happens by chance
common consent or alienation to secure
them, and leave the balance of the district
unvoiced. They are counterfeit represen
tatives in most cases, since they 10 moi
wholly represent, and may as we'll be re
jected.
The vote Of the party seems fair basi:
for convention representation, yet the mi
nOrity must not he overwhelmed, Or any
difficulties placed in its way to discourage
and the committee may we'll proceed will
great caution when it Genes to consider :
change in this direction.
The temporary organization of any con
vcntion may be safely left to that conven
ton to determine. The freedom of thu
delegates choice must be in no wa!
abridged, either in the selection of the
officers of his convention or Of tho can
didateS who are to compose the tickets
which he is to aid in forming.
1t must be remembered that many coun
ties have a brief series of rules to facilitate
business in their local conventions, tt
provide for the selection of delegates tt
state conventions, etc, etc. This com
mittee Of course will not interfere will
these, since such interference now On the
eve of an important campaign would create
dissension where only harmony exists.
We have not entered into any detailed
consideration of "new rules" for the rca
son that our feelings arc that the fewer
rules VIC lrayc rs a party the better for us.
Our local organization in this state has
been We'll kept up through long line Of
defeats with the system under which We
are now working and as it Gems to have
afforded an easy way through all on,
troubles in the past We have felt in nc
haste to favor Or urge change. The
matter now lies with this committee and
later with the state convention and VIC
have no fears that the best interests of the
party will not at all times be carefully and
conscientiously considered and regarded