The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1892-05-14

Democratic vote in the north. ,5e8 All
Democratic vote in the south. ........i PA
The aggregate of votes In the Novem-
Der election will probably not fall short
of IL, 00O, ,O00 Elections since 1883 show
that northern democrats are increasing
in number much faster than in the
south. 1t is necessary to bear these fig
ures in mind when democratic papers
are declaring that those states (which
cannot give their electoral vote to the
democratic candidate in any case'
ought not think of endeavoring to in
fluence the choice of the nominee at
Chicago. What would be the result of
the acceptance of such advice? Glance
again at the table, and it will be found
that If the states which gave their cleo
toral votes TO the democratic candidate
in 1888 are alone to select the presi-
dency, that mere majority of a mere
minority, a majority of the southern
states plus Connecticut and New Jer-
sey, the only two northern states that
were democratic in 1888, may select the
nominee. The suggestion is preposter-
Gus. If we broaden the field and re-
gard certain northern states as poten-
to come in with the south and New
Jersey and Connecticut to determine
nomination, we WILL of course, include
New York, because, while not certain
ly democratic state, it has been dem
ocratic in five out of twelve
presidential elections in the last
half century; but we would nat
urally go farther. Pennsylvania
has a democratic goveruoR. So has
Massachusetts,. Indiana has returned
to the democratic party. Illinois was
carried in 1890 by the democracy.
Certain congressional districts in Michi-
gan will assuredly return electors for
democratic nominee. Iowa has a demo-
cractic nominee. Iowa has demo-
cratic governor. Wisconsin has a demo-
cratic governor. Kansas, though
hardly democratic, may not be set
down as a certainly republican. There
are possibilities of Minnesota. One at
least of the Dakotas may be ranked as
a potential democratic state. In this
view the field of contest is almost
everywhere. This being SO, almost
everywhere" is as assuredly entitled to
participate in the selection Of a demo
cratic candidate for the presidency as
those states which have hitherto given
electoral votes for such a candidate. |
Indeed, it is impossible to take serious
ly the suggestion that in the selection
of leader s,5OO,OOO democrats of the |
north should be silenced, while less |
than 1000, 900 democrats of the south |
should be all-potent. 1t will be wise il |
there shall be no instructions from any |
state for anybody. There is no reason |
why delegates should be bound hand |
and foot at a convention which more |
than any called within the recollection |
OF the present generation has a delicate |
and difficult task before it. There |
may be indications Of preference in one
state and another, bat positive
instructions would be the height of nm
wisdom in what ought to be a deliber- |
ative assembly. Illinois, for instance, is
potentially democratic state, though,
unlike Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and |
Iowa, it has no democratic governor.
Whether Illinois shall or shall not vote |
in November for democrat it ought to |
have a strong voice in the shaping Of |
the ballot of the convention and in the |
determination of the outcome, but if
Illinois is tied hand and foot, delivered
at Chicago with unit vote only, and
that to persist in the endeavor to noun
mate an inhabitant of the state willy
nllly, its influence at a crisis may be
utterly lost. The situation demands
the best Judgment of all democracy,
north and south, in absolutely demo
cratic states as in absolutely certain
republican states. We want no sec
tionalism in the Chicago convention, a
sectionalism drawn upon the lines of
the political complexion of the electoral
colleges. Let the representatives Of all
the democracy get together in spirit
OF devotion to the great interests they
are expected to further, and totally dis
regarding personal and sectional feel
ing address themselves to the task Of
providing competent. and successful
leader in this presidential year. -Chica-
no Times