Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-15
FROM WASHINGTON,
Political Pointers From the
Capital.
Some Views Of the Republican Sit
uatiOn.
Some Leaders ooking Westward for q
Candidats-Conventio Which Have
Instructed-An Interesting
Lettsr-Eotes.

DAYS tnaC Jno hepuDllcan party leaOer6
are looking westward for candidate,
and are rapidly concentrating upon Mr..
Rusk, the present agricultural member
of the cabinet. The detection OF the
party in the western states, chiefly
from the agricultural voters, obviously
dictates the consideration of Mr.. Rusk's
name as candidate. and he would un-
doubtedly be stronger in the farmers
Alliance states than any other man the
party could present. 1t is possible that
these murmurs against Harrison may
b quieted before long and before they
reach fatal eruption, but it is evident
that Harrison's denomination is clouded
by elements of doubt today which were
unknown and un anticipated less than q
month ago.
1t is sight that warns the heart to
see the Harrisonian editors come troop
ing home from from foreign parts to
whoop 1t up for Benjamin. Mr.. Reid's
eye scans the political horizon from the
once tall tower of the Tribune building.
Mr.. Charles e. Smith is due in Phila-
delphis and Consul General John G.
New will eme1ge within week or two
from London fog in time to guide the
Hoosier column at Indianapolis. And
yet there are pessimists who say that
gratitude is lively sense of favors to
come. 1t may be 30 with common men,
but obviously it is not so with the Har-
risonian editors.
Of the total OF thirty-one conventions
that have been held exactly q dozen
have instructed their delegates to vote
for denomination of the president at
Minneapolis, and these are as follows:
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Mis-.
souri,, Nebraska, South Carolina, South
Dakota and Texas. 1t will be observed
from this showing that the dozen states
which have instructed for the president
consists of his own, which is debatable
ground for both parties. Rwo Repub-
lican states, Nebraska and South Dakota,
which cast q total of twenty -four
votes in the convention, aud
nine Democratic states in the
south. Even in these southern states
where the Republican party has little
existence beyond that supplied by. the
Office holders Mr.. Harrison was not able
to secure instructions without develop
ing opposition. In South Carolina, for
instance, it is claimed that the resolu-
tions of instruction were not introduced
until after nearly all the delegates to
the state convention had left the hall,
and at least one delegate-at-large, Mr..
E. M. Brayton, declares that he does not
consider that he is bound by them. In
Alabama there is q contest. while the
split in the party in Mississippi, led, as
will be remembered, to the election
of contesting delegation to Minnespo-
lis. In states like Arkansas and
Texas, where the conventions were liter
ally "one-man" conventions and where
it happened that this all-important in
dividual was favorably disposed toward
the president, it was not difficult to se-
cure the desired instructions OF the
two Republican states it may be added
that Nebraska seemed to be unanimous
in its declaration. In South Dakota,
however, the resolutions were not passed
until bitter fight had developed and
then the vote was 395 to 295, showing
that the minority against the president
mustered very respectable following.
We do not speak as partisans when
we cay that the Republican mind is in
need of education in the principles of
American government.
In several New England states the
Republican party retains its control of
affairs by virtue OF constitutional re-
quirement that utterly set at naught the
fundamental principals of equality and
the natural right of men to self.govern-
ment.
In Rhode Island and Connecticut, for
example, the constitution gives as great
representation to the small towns as to
the large ones. In the Rhode Island
senate the 800 people of Block Island
count for as much as the 100000 OF
Providence; while, in the lower house,
Lincoln's 10000 people have nearly half
as many representatives as city with
seven or more times its population.
And, by virtue of another unequitable
provision, whenever there is failure of
election by clear majority of state off,
GERS, the right to choose them is given
absolutely to the minority party.
In the state OF New York the case is
not so bad. but even there the constitu-
tion provides for an inequitable repre-
sentation by giving to each rural county,
with one exception, representative In
the assembly regardless of it's popula-
tion, and thus deprives the people OF
the cities OF some part of their proper
voice in state government.
The Republican mind seems sincerely
to regard these arrangements az neces-
eary II not absolutely just. Honest
Republicans urge that it 10 necessary to
keep down the proportion of represen-
tation OF the cities for fear that what
they call "slum' shall dominate, and
government shall pass out OF the control
of what they call the "best people,"
The Republican mind has not grasped
the truth that rightful government Is
not government by the best people, but
government by all people that equality
in the conduct of public affairs is not q
granted privilege but natural right;
that equal representation is as essential
to the free state as honest voting itself
is, and that majorities rule in repub-
lie, not because they are the best peo-
pie, but because they are majorities.
In word, there fingers in the Re.
publican mind the old intolerant ideas
Of aristocracy and class privilege; the
old distrusts Of the people; the old dis
position to hedge liberty about with re-
strictions intended to restrain it from
hurting itself.
The true republic is thing of slow
growth. With uH in this country it's