The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-27
How IL Works.

Here is the way the two-thirds rule
works: A democratic convention con-
tains, we will say, nine hundred mem
bers, each entitled to vote. Five
hundred and ninetv-Aine OF them favor
the nomination of Mr.. A. for governor,
and three hundred and one favor MIR.
B. The 500 favoring Mr.. A. are forced
to do one of three things-abandon A.
or accept b. or agree to the nomination
of man who is satisfactory to the 3Ol
supporters of B. Is this democracy ?
Is it common sense? Is it justice
In a convention with the numDer
given $500 when as many as SOL say
Y shonld he the nominee he should
have it. That would be democracy.
What is good enough for the ballot
box should be good enough Tor con-
vention.
The above from the Fort Worth
Gazette is specimen of the reasoning
by which the disorganizers hope to
upset the " wholesome two-thirds rule.
1t is no new statement of the situa-
top. The plea has been set up and
| knocked over so often that the task
has become monotonous and thank
less one. Granted that the ivehundred
and ninety-nine condition existed; that
any one of the aspirants went in with
the majority indicated, would it not
follow that he had better chance to
reach the two-thirds majority than his
competitor who is in with only three
hundred and one But suppose there
are more than two aspirants before
convention acting under the two
thirds rule, and the body honestly
wished to find and nominate the man
among them having the most real
strength, then the two-thirds rule
would be indispensable. 1t would
constitute a sort of emphasis which
could never be mistaken. Before it
all objections and dissatisfaction would
fly away as birds of evil omen from
the light of day. Where three or
more aspirants are present, a simple
majority could not represent the real
sentiments of the body, and there re-
mains but one other hope, and that is
LOuhu LII IllC UWO-IullIlo
The five hundred and ninety-nine !
favoring it, as the Gazette puts it, !
would do well in every instance to
abandon the favorite of clique or |
combination to accept man who
would be satisfactory. This is just it,
and we adopt the Gazette's conclusion
as final and satisfactory. The two
thirds rule always results in finding
the man who is satisfactory to the
majority, and he is doubly so because
he has two-thirds rather than a SIM
pie plurality. "The man who is salts
factory" is always the man who ought
to be nominated. He will get the
largest number of votes in the field, he I
will be the most satisfactory to the
voters, and there will be none
to cavil, other than his party devo-
tees and the republicans. The five
hundred and ninety-nine ought to
agree most heartily to the nomination
of the man who is most satisfactory.
That is what is expected, and it should
always result that way. There is a
habit long since grown up in the party,
that some clever party-man who has
served long and faithfully is to be
complimented with vote. The ma
jority on first vote often represents
this complimentary idea, rather than
the real preferences of the convention,
but when it comes down to earnest
work the man who is the strongest
gets the tWo-thirds, and the weaker
goes to the wall. This may be hard
thing for the weaker man, but it is a
a wholesome circumstance for the
party. 1t is one of the inevitable |
conditions of party life that all aspi- |
rants cannot be elected, somebody |
must chew the bitter cud of defeat, |
and true party wisdom lies in chuck |
ing the unpalatable wad to the weaker |
man. A convention is called only to |
do this. 1t is not and must not be |
made lying in hospital for men preg-
nant with selfish ambition. 1t is not |
a machine created for the purpose of |
simply making somebody feel good.
1t has a stern duty to perform and be- |
fore the requirements of which, per- |
sonal feeling, ambition, friendship or
aversion must stand dumb and voice |
less. The man who energies from it with |
the endorsement OF a majority of two !
thirds may not represent anything but |
the political sentiments of that major
ity,but that is sufficient and it is what |
he is nominated for.
The Gazette thinks that rule
which governs the ballot box should |
also govern the convention. Then |
why have convention? Why make |
nominations? Why not let every man
go to the polls and vote for who he
pleases? That would also be demo-
cratic but it is also a mere dream
of Utopian impracticability. Any other
impossible and impracticable thing
might as well be attempted. A con-
vention only dominates, it does not
elect. 1t is the atomic condition
which DEVELOPS in process of cam
paigning and election, into perfected
political condition. A rule salutary
in convention would play the devil
in an election, or visa versa. Is this /
reasoning plain? If the Gazette's
position is correct, the food which
nourishe5 best the brawny laborer in
middle lite would best nourish also
the pulling babe on it's mothers breast.
What follyl What blinded stupidity. |
The Gazette is making bad battle in |
a bad cause, and it feels badly in con-
sequence. 1t is not in a mood to get |
in its wonted keen and polished |
thrusts, nor yet its ponderous powder
grinding logic.