New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-18
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL.
Personal DUTIES OF PARTY MEMBERS.
TX GOVERNOR CORNELL ON ORGANIZATION AND
THE MISUSE OF PROXIES.

PERSONAL DUTIES OF PARI1 MrsMDr."o'
EX-GOVERNOR CORNELL ON ORGANIZATION AND
THE MISUSE OF PROXIES.
Tothe Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: From the current gossip of the metropolitan
press Of various political compilations there se''
to be great animation in the good OLD hepuoH'a'
Marty about these days This is one of the en-
couraglng signs OF the times and II TINS reie"eu
interest shall result in adequate attention 10 .ne
details of organization in the weeks ana fhoh'is
ahead II will give fair promise OF better uaSo al
future.
In the various affairs Of our great country Or
ganlzation, properly adjusted and wisely aui',''-
istered. is a mighty power. 1t is organization
yeloped into corporations legally baseu upo.i ~
rights of property, which has bound WIN snue''
of steel the American continent, that "ohuiou'
heritage of the great navigator. Christopher 90
lumbus whose memory is especially sacreu ~
teeming millions in this centennial year o'e
cation has by the of the electric wire' proush'
the human race almost face to face throushou'
Chrstendom It has filed our land with churches
and numberless charities of the most oeau''iu'
character. ,
Twenty and more years ago Senator CohK'ins
and his colleagues attempted to apply the won
derful power of organization upon the OASIS vi
our republican institutions, and with such suoeeo'
that they rescued imperial commonwealth
from the destructive piage Of the notorious
bN'''~~'
ton commanded the respect and gratitude oil all
good citizens. when controlled and applied with
integrity and wisdom, and their support was
cheerfully and generously given to the fepuph-
can party.
What has since occurred to make such an APP
parent difference in public sentiment IN reference
to political organization? The one word when
most forciby answers this query Is spelled IN our
language thus, PROXY! What is the legal
meaning of that word? 1t devised in cor
porate organization to enable scattered stock-
holders to have their rights of property coh'eh-
iently legally and honestly represented III the lesi
gatherings of the corporation constituency ouch
a thing as a proxy IS never known to permit
trustee or director of a bank. insurance. railway
or telegraph to be represented by another person
in "A board OF management or trustees meeting
Nothing would sooner bring contempt than Tor
any person to present himself as proxy for pahK
director or other official corporate representative
Practically the same may be said In reference
to political organization Take the constitutional
organizations of most sacred political rights.
Who ever heard of a Supreme Court Judge Ohted
States Senator, member Of Congress or OF the
State Legislatures being represented by proxy!
In our higher political conventions National and
State alternates are generally provided to yep
resent delegates not present, but nobody ever
heard of National convention delegate pelhs
represented by proxy. Seldom, and never legally
is a State convention delegate permitted TO be
represented. Unfortunately, however, the people
too generally neglect properly to appreciate ther
personal political rights These consist solely ana
only of the right to vote at legal and consututloEA
elections and at the primary political conventions
or. in common speech caucuses. No man, woman
or child has any personal right in any representa-
tive political convention except to exercise the
delegated authority OF the inferior assemblage
which constituted their representative agency.
In the past great abuses have followed the
wrongful and Illegal use of proxies in our pontlcai
conventions The only possible true ana appro-
pirate reform in this respect is to prevent IN
every form the use OF proxies N pohtical con-
ventons In these days OF liquidation and reform
in the great affairs of finance and commerce why
not let us try to place political affairs upon
"A plane which will at least command the respect
and sympathy of all good Republicans in regular
standing and If possible TO attract the rene"en
allegiance of some of those who have tor NaTlqus
rca sons in the past strayed from their pollt.l De
liefs and associations? ALONIO Il. COkS.-I.l"
Ithaca, y. y, Sept. g. 1873.