The weekly tribune., 1892-08-06
AS TO STATE CONVENTIONS.

the personnel OF the ensuing demOcratlc
and republican state conventions which
are to meet in this city. Some take the
ground that the action of the democratic
state central committee in declaring that
the delegates to the Bozeman state con-
vention for the election of representa-
tives to the Chicago convention shall
also be the delegates to the Great Falls
convention was step beyond its au-
thorty, and aver that county central
committees should issue calls for new
convention to select delegates to the
forthcoming state conventions. One
county central committee has already
issued call for county convention TO
select such delegates, thus ignoring the
action of the state central committee in
the matter.
The TRIBUNE does not know the senti-
ment of IA single state central committee
man upon this matter, but it does know
the usages of the democratic party and
the p. cedents it has established con
cerning it. The duties of state central
committees are as distinct AS are those
of county central committees. Each has
a separate duty to perform and neither
is permitted TO assume the functions of
| the other
Under that unwritten law which gov
erns the action of political parties from
the primary meeting in country pre-
cinct to national convention of great
party the duties of committees are al
ready marked. National central com
mittees call upon state organizations to
send certain number of delegates to
represent the state in national conven-
tions. The state central &C "mittee in
pursuance of the order, calls upon coun
ties to select each certain number of
delegates to the state conventions which
are called for the purpose named. In
pursuance of this mandate county cen
tra committees call upon precincts to
select delegates to county conventions
for the purposes mentioned.
1t will be noticed that each central
committee acts within its own domain.
The national central committees do not
instruct state committees as to how or as
to the time they shall call their state
conventions, nor do the state central
committees instruct county..central com
mittees as to how or as to the time they
shall call their county conventions. The
higher. committees simply name the
number of delegates to which each state
is entitled and the state committees
name the number to which county is
entitled. Hence it is seen that the duties
of national committee are of a national
character and that the duties Of state
committee are of state character while
the duties of county committee pertain
solely to county matters. Each works
within a well defined and separate field
Therefore we hold that the action of
the democratic state central committee
in declaring that the delegates to the
Bozemau convention shall be the dele
gates to the Great Falls state conven-
ton was clearly within its province. and
that no county central committee can,
under the usages, customs, and prece-
dents of the party call convention for
the purpose Of electng delegates to IA
state convention without first receiving
authority for 50 Going from the state
central committee. Such action upon
the part of county committees would
constitute a trcspass upon the domain of
the state committee.
1t is true the state central committee
may waive its rights in the matter and
permit county central committees to call
conventions to do that which properly
belongs to the former, but it would be
setting dangerous precedent in the
state. BY permitting county central
committees thus to act the state com
mittee would emasculate itself and be-
come in ii measure nonentity. If
county committees have power to call
conventions for the election OF delegates
to state conventions, they would and
must assume the power to name the
number Of delegates to which their
county snail be entitled; and, going but
little further, each may determine the
time ana place for holding the state con
vention, thus usurpng about all the
functions OF state central committees
Upon the whole it will be found bet
ter to permit the state cent? al committee
to determine whether the Bozeman dele
gates shall be the delegates to the
state convention which will be called in
this city, or whether a new election for
delegates by county conventions shall
be called. AS it was clearly within the
power of the state committee to declare
what duties the present set of delegates
shall perform and as it was clearly un-
derstood that the delegates to Bozeman