The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-12-20
DISTRICT POLITICIANS.
BEsTIRRING THEMSELVES AGAINST
CONVENTION TIME.
Commissioner Douglass Candidate for
Delegate to the Republican Conven-
tlon-Many Gentlemen Who Want to
Go to the Democratic Convention.


The time for holding the Republican Ma
tional Convention having been fixed, the Dis
trict Republicans are busily engaged In work
preliminary to the selection OF the two dele
gates who will represent the District of Co
lumbia in that convention. The first step to
be taken will be the designation of plan
under which the delegates to the convention
nominating these delegates will be chosen.
In certain quarters at least great dissatisfaction
exists as to the loose manner by which the
members OF the District convention were
selected four ye ars ago, and to cure that de-
feet in the system it Is proposed that the
boundary lines of the old legislative districts
shall be announced in the press OF the city,
and delegates selected at the primaries closely
confined to their respective dlstr icts The
District convention composed of delegates
chosen at primar les held in the various leg
islative Districts will be held probably a
month previous to the assembling of the
National Conven tion, which will necessitate the
selection of dele gates at the primaries not
later than Ma rch or April next. Although
the fight for the honor of representing the
District In the Rep ublican National Conven-
tion promises to the warmest ever waged here,
yet it seems to be generally conceded that
the two delegates will be Di istrict Commits
sioner John w. Douglass and Colonel Perry
Carson. Commissioner Doug lass is regarded
as favoring the denomination of President
Harrison, while Colonel Carson is und erstood
to be an out and out Blame man. Commits
soner Douglass, it is believed, will earnestly
endeavor not only to secure for himself the
honor OF seat in the National Convention,
but will also endeavor to have the District
delegates instructed to support the Presidents
candidacy. Owing to the strong Blaine ten
dencies, OF great number, il not of the ma
lority, of the District Republicans, it is evil
dent that the latter object of Commissioner
Douglass will not be accomplished. Indeed,
1t Is just as evident that the District conyen-
,lon VIII refuse 10 instruct its candidates,
leaving them to vote as their pref erences may
prompt. AS the personal prefere noes of the
two probable delegates are well known, this
refusal to instruct them would stamp the con-
vention as compromise one, and that 1t will
be such seems to be the belief of every we'll
informed District Republican. 1t was hoped
by many that Recorder of Deeds Bruce would
be selected as one Of the delegates but the ex-
Senator has so far declined to have his name
used, for reasons best known to himself OF
course, there are numerous gentlemen who
would be pleased to accept such an honor, but
only those named are thought to have
chance.
In District Democratic circles very little
though they appear to have much larger list
OF ofgentlemen who are willing, il not anxious,
to accept tho honor of representing their con-
stituents In the Democratic National Conven-
tion, 1t seems to be the general impression
that one OF the two delegates is already
virtually chosen in the person or MIR. Lawrence
Gardner. Mr.. Gardner's wishes are. as vet un-
known, but II he desires the honor there Is not,
1t seems, the least doubt of his desire being al
most unanimously granted. Among others
Ivy whom 1t is believed the honor would not
be declined should 1t be rendered, are the
names OF William H. Gordon, James l..
Norris. A. A. Ltpscomb, William Dickson,
Mills Dean, Charles Thompson, Dorsey Cla-
gett, and Campbell Darlington. There has
been some talk of selecting Commissioner
Douglass colleague, Commissioned Ross, as
one OF the Democratic delegates, but it is
thought that Commissioner Ross would de-
cline to allow his name to be considered The
young Democracy of the District have a can
dtdate In the person Of Mr.. A. A. Lipscomb,
OF the District Bar, for whom a most deter
mined fight will be made Although it Is al
most too early tc predict what the action Of
the District Democratic convention will be In
the matter OF making known preference as
TO the candidates who will come before the
National Convention, 1t Is believed that, as In
the case of their Republican friends, the dele
gates will 90 uninstructed. AS is we'll known,
there is quite an anti-Cleveland feeling here,
but whether that feeling will influence the
District convention 1t is now impossible to
determine. Governor David b. Hin has many
ardent admirers In the District.