The sun., 1891-08-12
THO Meeting Of the state Committee.

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THO Meeting Of the State Committee.
The Democratic State Committee meets
to-day to designate the time and place OF tho
Etate Convention. In nseveral Of tho counties,
In anticipation Of this meeting, contests OF q
vigorous and energetic character have re-
llevod q situation OF undue placidity.
There Is evident wholesome rivalry among
Democrnts to be at tho front this year and
next. In the party affairs in Now York. No
isuoh rivalry, for obvious reasons. exists
on tho part Of tho New York Republicans.
At this end of the State, factional differ
,ences Of local character arc found to exist,
- usual. among tho Democrats. At tho
other end Of the State, In Buffalo, Rochester.
and other places. similar contests have
arisen. In Buffalo, which Hill carried
In 1888 by 5.372 votes and CLEVELAND
lost by 1,435, we are told that favor Is
shown to what ia known ms tho MACK
harmony plan for uniting tho SnEEHAN
and BIssELn factions of tho Democratic
party. This scheme includes tho selection
OF the State Committeeman for tho Thirty
first Congress- district by fifty Democratic
members Of tho Citizens Reform Associn-
ton. In New York city there Is the accus-
toned olamor OF factions. the smallest In
numbers making. as IL customary. tho
loudest noise, and the demand for harmony
being most strident from those who chiefly
stand In the way OF harmony. The State
Committee will have to straighten out
these difficulties by tho exercise OF con-
Iummate tact, wisdom, and gensralship.
Most of the talk Of this sort is mere mid
summer moonshinc. Tho Democratic State
Committee will have other and better work
to do this year than Strengthening out the
claims OF minortics to equal recognition
with majority delegations. The invcterate
and only safe rule in all Democratic con-
ventions has beon to acknowledge the su-
premacy and control of tho majority. When
primary election has been regularly culled
for the choice CT delegates, they must be
elected in an orderly, lawful. and Demo-
cratic manner; and this done. the work
OF the party in that respect is per-
formed. Under tho plan proposed by
some hothends it is held to bo tho
function OF the State Committee to
harmonize all differences, and by this Is
meant to acknowledge the claims and yield
in some measure to the demands Of the de-
feated minority. Such n course would
quickly put premium upon iactlonal dis
Bensions, for tho members Of an Insignificant
minority would need only to get up con-
test In order to obtain from the State Com
mitteo that recognition which their Demo-
cratic neigEborB have denied. Thus the
rights of the majority delegates might be
overttrown by tho State Committee, against
all rule, precedent or fairness
The rule OF the majority is the bedrock
foundation OF representative government in
the United States. Upon its preservation in
violate manhood suffrage depends. Electors
In town meeting choose delegates to an As
sembly Convention by q majority vote; the
Assembly delegates to 4 convention 80
chosen elect, also ny majority vote, dele
gates to the State Convention; and tho State
Convention delegates choose, by majority
vote. candidates for tho State ticket. These,
in turn, are elected or defeated by majority
OF the voters
The American and Democratic rule is
acquiescenco In tho will OF the majority,
honestly expressed and recorded. To ovor-
turn 1t, in order to "harmonizn hero and
there the mnlcontents who havo been de-
1cated in locul contests for party supremacy,
would he alike dangerous and unjusti-
fable. 1t would open the door to abuses
almost without limit. Under the opera
tons OF such plan. there would soon
be subdivisions OF the minority. each
claiming share OF the "harmonizing
benefits. a slice OF the recognition, and one
or more crumbs OF tho spoil. The right OF
tho Democratic electors to choose their own
delegates would bo absorbed by the State
Committee. AID In the confusion which
", Md ensue cOnilicts OF authority would be
un voGablc.
In some Of tho Western States new-fan-
Sid plans OF cumulative voting have been
introduced without much success. ard In
this city for considerable time tho Repub-
leans operated such II scheme in the elec-
tiOn o! tho i!l-'atcd and prodigul Board of Su-
pervi ors. OF which the defeated rs we'll as the
elected candidates were members. This was
done. too, with the Board OF Aldermen by the
Republicans. till finally the wretchedness OF
III" system became so obvious that 1t was
abolished, aud minority rule is done away
with In this town and State.
l"-day's meeting, besidcs fixing the time
ord pincs for the State Convention, will
assert again those enduring principles OF
Democracy upon which MI members OF tho
pnrty are agrch:. for whicl, They are always
%!lin-: to contend. and sustaining which,
they are accustomed TO triumph.
Tie ule Of the majority Is the essence OF
tho !Worle's liberty; and this liberty tho
Dnmnrucy is pledged 10 cherish and sus-
tain.