The morning news., 1892-02-03
FLORIDA,s DEMOCRATS.
The Two-thirds Rule in Conventions
Believed TO Be Doomed

The Two-thirds Rule in Conventions
relieved TO BE Doomed.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla, Feb. 2.-The prin-
cipal issue between the two factions of the
Florida democracy is whether the state
convention shall adhere TO the tWO-thirds
method Of making nominations or adopt
the less cumbersome majority rule. The
Call faction Of the party cham pion the ma
jority innovation, while the anti-Call fac
tiOn contend that It would be a breach OF
party principle to shelve the twO-thirds
rule, which for so many years has been
recognized as party law. This issue is the
rock upon which the republicans nope the
Democratic party in Florida will split.
The main argument in favor Of the adop-
tiOn OF the majority rule is that the theory
Of the tWo-thirds rule does not lie ia state
politics, but belongs more properly to the
selection OF national nominees. for the
reason that in national convention there
might be delegates from tWenty-one states
which cast their electoral votes for the re-
pubicans. ami these, by combining with
delegates from two or three other states,
could, by tie majority rule, name the nom
inee for President, who, perhaps, would not
be accepted by the masses of the party and
might be one who it would be
impossible to elect-a weak man, be-
cause Of the twenty states which NOM
mated him, only two could give him their
electoral votes. For that reason the two
thirds rule IS right and proper Ia nominat-
ing democratic Candidate for President
But iu state politics it is different. The vote
cast for the democratic candidates in each
OF the various counties, no matter how
small, counts toward their election. There
fore each county should have voice in nam
ing the ticket In proportion to the demo-
cratic vote cast in Chat county, and a
majority OF the whole should nominate,
because there is no valid reason, as In a
national convention, for demanding that
the successful candidate should have two
thirds vote of the convention. He can be a
representative man without that. There is
logic in this argument, more so when the
only counter argument is that the two
thirds rule has for years been party prin~
ciple and must be adhered to for the sake Of
principle.
THE TWo-THIRDs RULE DOOMED.
The indications are that the two-thirds
RULES doomed in Florida. All the dele
gates who belong to the Call faction will
vote for its abolition. Then there are sew
eral anti-Call democrats who we're diseusted
with the recent long and heated senatorial
fight, who will vote for the majority rule,
TO prevent recurrence of any such q
scene.
In county politics the old-time cry OF
town against country has already been
raised. There have been some heated street
corner discussions, and some OF the hot
biooded country politicians VOW they will
down the town democrats IL they have to
remain in the saddle from now until cleo
tion day to do it. The first plan proposed
by the country democrats to accomplish
their purpose was TO do away with the con-
vention method of making nominations, and
demand the holding Of primaries in
the various precincts. Some OF the
leaders held a conference Saturday,
and made figures on the probable
outcome. They were greatly surprised
when their calculations showed up that in a
convention they would have three delegates
to the towns one, while at primaries the
town would out vote them. The more con-
servatiYe Immediately came to the conclu-
sion that they were mistaken; that the
town democrats were not arrayed against
them; that they had enough delegates in the
convention to nominate who they pleased.
But one hot-head denied this. He said that
the money power in town ruled the country
delegates with an iron hand and made them
vote their way under the threat
OF foreclosing mortgages; that ne
for one meant to face and defeat the foe if
he had to sweat blood to do it. 1t is we'll
for the Democratic party in Leon county
that there are very few such cranks here.
The town democrats are liberal i'll concsd-
ing fair proportion of the county offices
to the country; and more: they help the
country delegates nominate their choice.
All the present county officers will be
candidates for denomination. There will
also be several new candidates In the field.
some Of whom have been quietly working
for several months.