Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-17
TEE UsURPATIoEs OF POLITICAL COM.
MIFTBgS

There has been during recent weeks
some friction ID the community, which, in
political circles, has been the more notice
able, arising out of criticisms of the policy
Of Que Of the party central committees.
Tire time is opporsune for some consid-
Grafton OF the matter. il may be profitable
50 inquire into the reasons out of which the
sreasion of political committees springs,
md the functions of such committees when
'rea.ed. 1t is not TO be denied that
tnroug hout the country the recent tendency
ii political committees has been to usurp
ne authority of the creative power, to re-
GAL themselves as directors, rather than
NEE mediums of party action.
Inc central committee is formed by the
men of party when represented st the
polls by ballots, or in conventions by dele.
gatea 1t is formed for the purpose of
conducting the routine OF political
campaigns, and of maintaining the
aemblance and forms CT political or.
=-1i--ALlOh until G4e liLle arrives
when it becomes necessity to call to-
gether the representatives Of the political
party. Beyond the absolutely necessary
routine details TO carry out the expressed
viii Of the party, and the issuance of the
necessary directions to be observed ia call.
ing together the party representatives,
and the necessary steps to be taken to
secure party expression, the central COM
nittee has no power.
1t ia gross subversion of every reason.
able conception of the duties of commit.
tee, when it enters upon tho realm Of plat
form making, when it is found formulating
credentials that become tests of opinion, or
when it essays the making of prudential
professions of political faith. There is no
instance in political history where COM
-nittee Of this kind has engaged in such
asurpstions that the party did no; take
punishment as a result.
Now it is necessary for political business
committees, and Central Committees do not
rise superior to that designation, to bear in
mind this essential truth-the doctrines,
principles and purposes of political party
can have authoritative expression only by
IRE voice Of q Convention OF delegates
elected for that purpose, or by an
election held to determine specifcal-
ly presented issues. This automatic
statement should be written upon the fore.
front of every committee. Its constant
truth will be shield and buckler, and pre-
vent committees from falling into the mire
Of political ohioanery
It is more gross usurpation of power
on tie part of political committee to at.
tempt to formulate or to declare the polit-
lcsi faith Of a party, than to nominate
candidates for it withou. calling Conven-
ton. 1t never entered into the idea of
political party systems that there should be
raised up such committees with power to
bind OF loose the party conscience, or
pledge or release party fealsy. Political
history will be searched in vain for
any such grants of power. There
can be no political Popes in
party Of the people. But in
these days it has happened that ap.
parent prerogatives of this character
have been exercised as if they vested Of
right in created body existing only at
the will, even the caprice of the party.
Aud because the American citizen is pa
tieat and long. suffering there has been 80.
parent consent by silence given to these
.usurped privileges. But wherever they
have been advanced with augmenting
boidness as rights, the offended political
creator has sooner or later destroyed the
offending servant and given new voice to
the truth we have already stated.
But so frail are men and so bold is am.
bition that the frequent repetition of these
lessons become necessary, and so it is that
political highways in the march of progress
are strewn with the wrecks of the subordi-
nate machinery of party that designing
men have sought to substitute for the mo-
tive power.
Perhaps the worst form of usurpation
vt attempted by political committees in
recent times relates to the interference
with the action of official boards. Public
officers are the servants Of the people, and