Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-27
THIRD EDITION.
WILLIAMSPORT.
ON THE EVE OF THE CONVENTION.

Nine Candidates for State Treasurer and III
Hopefal-Some Dark Horses-Thc
New Rules.
| Special Dispatch to the INTELLIGENcER.
WIILIAMsPoRT, Sept. 27.-Nearly all
the delegates to the Democratic state
convention will have arrived by this even
ing. Eight Of the nine aspirants FOR state
treasurer are on the ground and working
earnestly for the nomination. Col. Guthrie,
the only missing candidate, will appear
this afternoon, bringing with him the Al
legheny county delegation.
The committee on rules has prepared \
report to he submitted to the convention.
It recommends the abolition Of senatorial
delegates and authorizes the state commit
mittee, which is to consist Of the chairE1en
of county committees, to meet in:Ilarris-
burg annually in January and select
chairman and permanent secretary and also
to decide on the temporary organization
and roll on the evening before the meeting
of each state convention.
None of the candidates are sure OF VIC
tory, but all hope that something will
turn up to insure their success. Pro-
tracted ballOting is among the probabili-
ties. Davis, of Philadelphia, and Noble,
of Erie, appear to be in the lead, but If
either of the two is nominated it will bc
Noble. II.
WILLIAMspORT, Sept. 81.
1t is impossible to make any forecast the
the outcome of the convention. A dozen
candidates are here with friends, and all
are determined to press for the nomina
ton. None of them will hear to anything
except their own success, nor will any
consider second choice. Philadelphia is
harmonious and nearly solid for Davis. |
Mobiles friends are here in force and hard
al work. Kerr has gOad deal Of quiet |
strength. AS yet nobody can count ON
over fifty votes OH first ballot, and this
indicates hard strugg'c-a long and close
contest, with as good chance for the
present weak as for the strong candi-
dates better chance for the
dark horse than any. There are
whispers of Joseph Powell, of Bradford,
or Robert Il. James, Of Northampton, as
possible new men neither is a candidate.
Noble feels that he is in the dangerous
position of leading candidates-nOt strong
enough to win, but with enough strength
to combine the field for his defeat.
There is no sign whatever Of
any factioDal fight. Wallace is busy
trying case in the United States
court and Randall is ut Cleveland. The
most noticeable thing hero is tho utter
absence of anything like caucases, rings
or bosses. Friends Of candidates indspOsed
to meet for council behind closed doors .est
they be suspected Of ring purposes, and as
vet there is not even mention Of any name |
for chairman Of the convention, Of com.
mttees, or state committee.
The committee Of rules will report to-
night to the state central committee rs fol- |
lows:
The New Rules.
To tile Democratic State Central Committee:
Your committee begs leave to submit the rules
appended hereto as fit and suitable for the gov
of the Democratic party in this state,
directing the manner Of organizing the state
committee and state convention, and providing |
for their own amendment, alteration or abrOgatiOn,
whenever the same may appear necessary or ex-
pedient.
In considering the duty assigned them, and in
reaching the conclusions herewith submitted,
the members of the committee were guided simply
by a desire to meet what seems to be the almost |
o,n;r,, ,xicI Of tho ,aptv in the
First. That whatever system of organization is
to prevail should be formally expressed, instead Of
being left to be contended about year after year,
as occasions arise which are too often met by the
of disputed precedents, according
to the interests Of the majority.
Secondly, To amend the existing unwritten
rules in certain features which have been source
of needless and easily-tO-beprevented irritation.
The members Of the committee are confident
that fair examination of their recommendations
will disclose no radical changes proposed in those
existing regulations which long use has commend
ed to the approval of the party; and that in the
respects in which the previous practices have
proved deficient or unsatisfactory. practicable |
corrections are offered.
1t is proposed to substitute for the present rep
resentation on the state committee the county |
chairmen er o6fcio; because they are the best |
of the local organizations and |
stand to the party masses, and their assOcia-
ton will be the most reliable and best representa-
tive state council because, being elected at diff
ferent times, they will constitute a continuing |
body, subject to'no complete dissolution nor sud- |
den reorganization, and OF very gradually chang |
ing membership and because, by this arrange
ment there will be avoided the possibility of any
conflict of rights or duties between the state COM
mtteemen and county Chairmen.
The annual meeting of the committee is fixed
for January because it is believed its organization
and action then will be freer than otherwise from
the personal and sectional influences which too
often interfere with state conventions and control
the selection of state chairman with narrower
views than for the general party welfare. Be-
sides, in the winter months and between the ex |
element Of political campaigns the most effective
work can be devised and put into operation to in
fuence independent and thoughtful voters.
The state executive committee, under control
of the state committee, is proposed for the special
management of campaigns, when closer atten- |
ton and greater concentration are needed than
can reasonably be expected or is even desirable |
from the larger body, besides preventing the
withdrawal of the state committeeman from their
important local duties The er o6fcio member
ship of the chairman and secretary of the state
central committee in the executive committee will
prevent any conflict between these commit |
tees In the election OF executive officers of these
committees the greatest fexibility is desirable to
accommodate the selections to varying exgencies,
while the minority vote plan of choosing the ex-
ecutive committee prevents Misrepresentation Or
lack of representation of any element of the party.
The abolition Of senatorial delegates is intend
ed to abate an entirely useless system of repre-
sentation, since every county in the state now
has at least representative, and the selection
of senatorial delegates, well their anomalous
position in the convention has too often been the