Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-23
CODIFYING PARTY LAW.

There Is, As we predicted long ago, a
great deal Of outspoken dissatisfaction in
the counties where political committees
nave usurped powers and named delegates
TO the State Conventions. 1t is not con-
fined to either party. In Sonoma the
Democrats are exasperated by the auto
cratic power their County Central Commit
tee has assumed in Tchama the Repub-
icans are similarly stirred up and in Ala
media the act Of the Central Committee has
yell nigh occasioned bolt The Oakland
yidcie declares that the rule of faction
in that county, led by two or three men,
mas changed Republican into a Demo-
cratic county. In one locality a commit
zee has gone so far rs not only to name the
delegates to the State Convention, bnt to
instruct and pledge them to certain can
7idate. Wherever the committee has
acted as indicated, it has caused trouble
and weakened the party in which the
usurpation has taken place. 1t goes with
out saving that Central Committees have
no such authority as they are assuming.
Party organizations have not relcgated to
them the power either to make conven-
lions, write platforms or select candidates.
But all these things are done occasionally,
and with every doing there Is accomplished
corresponding harm. For every precedent
made, future and greater assumptions may
be INDUCED in These encroachments
should be checked The time has come
when the Republican party should codify
Its laws in its own interest. 1t may be
done easily, and by county and by State
Conventions. Why should it not be done /?
Can any man give a single substantial rca-
son For not putting in black and white the
principles that should govern committees {?
For instance, nothing but good can come
Of affirmative declaration, in few brief
resolutions, by the County Convention of
the Republican party of Sacramento to as
semble to-day, that the Central Committee
has power to call primaries, to name the
time and place for Conventions, TO allot the
number Of delegates for precincts, to man
age the finances committed to it, to arrange
for meetings and campaign canvaSses, to
provide WAYS and means for legitimate
campaign expenses, to fill a vacancy on 4
ticket in case of great emergency, and
that all other powers are reserved to the
party represented in its Conventions, and
that the committee has not authority to
adopt platforms, to define the policy of the
party, to bind it by declaration of prin-
ciple, to declare in favor of one or against
another candidate, and 50 on throughout Il
chapter Of assumed powers
There can be advanced no good reason
why political committees should not keep
records Of their acts and accounts Of their
receipts and disbursements, and turn them
over to their successors. As it now Is, the
party is IN organization without sufficient,
or indeed any, record of the transactions
OF its committees. Certainly the laws of
The party should at least direct permanent
minutes and records to be kept 1t is GER
tain that such reforms viii add strength to
the organization, remove the cause of much
annoyance, jealousy and internal discord,
and clear committees of much suspicion
now attaching to them-and often I'M
justly-when they assume functions that