The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-11-17
How to Nominate.


After trying the Crawford system of making |
for more than twenty years, the |
Democrats of Hartford county, Nd, are tired
of it and are seriously considering a change.
For time, it is said, the system worked ad-
mirably and resulted in good nominations
In recent years, however, the plan OF
nominating has resulted injuriously to the par
". For two dollars any person desiring to be
a candidate for any position could have his
name printed on the primary tickets, and
multiplicity of candidates have come to the
front at every primary. Fit or unfit for the
places TO which they have aspired, each can
didate has always had a following, great or
small For weeks the contest for election has
been waged with energy, if not always with
fairness. Candidates have tried to elevate
themselves by belittling others, and the sue
eessfnl candidates frequently have entered the
canvass for the general election handicapped
by the stories circulated about them IN the
primary contests. 1t has sometimes happened,
two, and not infrequently, that when the prl-
maries are over the unsuccessful aspirants and
their supporters lost all interest in the election
1t is impossible to devise any plan of nomi-
nations that will be entirely satisfactory. Sew
eral counties that have had the Crawford sys-
TEN have witnessed the decline of the Demo
cratic party. In Queen Anne's county the
Democrats have tried several plans, including
the Jury plan. This latter consisted OF putting
the names of all persons who wanted to be
delegates from district in box and the
drawing therefrom of the requisite number
By this plan there could be no packing OF con-
ventions, and the plan seemed fair, but 1t was
not satisfactory and was soon abandoned.
In most counties the same system is used as
in Carroll. Each district is entitled to specl-
fed number of delegates, and these are chosen
NJ primary meetings. The delegates meet IN
convention and nominate candidates to be
voted for mt the general election. This system
has its objections also. Sometimes person
wants nomination, and sets up a district del
egation in his behalf. Some one else wants
the delegation for himself and he puts up a
delegation. The voters come out to the polls
and vote for one delegation or the other, while
some of them are more interested IN the nom
nation of some one else for another Office.
They have to forego their choice, and vote for
one or the other of the set-up delegations
These contestsare frequently sharp, and gener-
ally leave bad feelings behind. In Carroll there
has not been much of this, or rather the con-
rest have rarely ever occurred in more than two
or three districts in any one year, and the DIS
Appointments have not become general, as
may be the case under the Crawford county
system.
If Democrats upon whose judgement the
party is accustomed TO rely take an interest III
the nominations, ''ring rule is sometimes the
cry of the defeated or worse still, "bossism.
These Democrats, too, may have eschewed
ANYTHING like favoritism and used their infiu-
ence for what they regarded the best interests
of the party.
If delegates unpledged to any ones interest
he chosen throughout county, and the
delegates present to the convention all the
ospirants. the result will not be much better,
if any, than the Crawford county system, so
complained of in Hartford. Incompetent per-
sons, through good citizens, often aspire to
public position, and the failure to secure NOM
nations will leave nearly as bad feeling as
under the Crawford primary plan.
The delegate and convention plan Is the
least Objectionable system we know of, and
with intelligent leadership, good nominations
can always be made. But the voters need a
little more education on party principles and
the necessity of party organization They
should be taught that the mission of party is
the spread of principles, in order that they
may be applied TO government; not an organ
ization to be used for personal benefits. Offices
have to be filed, and in the selection of eandi-
dates Democrats who are such from conviction
should be chosen, fitness, of course, being
taken into consideration also. When EOmina-
tons are made they should be Loyalty supported
by the whole party. Principles cannot be adj
yaneed and applied to government without
party. and party cannot be maintained without
a submission to the will of the party.
The Hartford Democrats will find objections
to any plan they adopt, but any change will
be an improvement on the Crawford system.
And objections will decrease as the people are
taught that party should be used for the gen
eral good, and not as means to crafty per-
sonal ambition.