St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-08-10

LaSt-iylt is plan so elaborate and
expensive, so technical in its details,
that the committee is of the opinion
that in state such as Minnesota, where
Democrats largely are not men of
means, 1t would fail for lack of money
with which to carry out its provisions,
unless such FUNDS were furnished by
men who desire to control the forma-
ton OF committees and keep themselves
in power.
synopsis of the Plan.
A synopsis of the Cutcheon-Smalley
plan OF organization is here given:
The state is divided into thirty-one
committee districts in which contiguous
counties are grouped, and each given
one committeeman. except RAMSEY.
which has four, Hennepin five, and the
district composed of Stearns, Pope,
Grant and Douglas two. In addition.
seven committeeman at large are to be
chosen by the state nominating conven-
ton, as is also the chairman of the state
committee. The districts are made so
that representation on the committee
shall be Oh the basis of population. in
stead of OH territory, as now. Provision
is made for an enrolment of the voters
III each precinct by the committees APP
pointed III the usual way this year, the
same to be completed by Dec. l. No
other condition than being legal voter
ami one who habitually votes the Dem
ocraiic ticket and believes in the doc
trlnes of the party shall be imposed,
and any one denied enrolment by the
precinct committeeman may appeal to
the county committee. No one not on
the roll shall be allowed to take part in
caucus or convention.
Forming the Committees.
Prior to Dec. l, after each biennial
election, the county committee shall
designate time anu place when and
where the enrolled Democrats of each
precinct shall meet and select the men,
Ders of the precinct com mittee, who
shall hold office for two years, and who
shall meet Immediately thereafter and
organize by electing officers. The chair
men OF the precinct committees form
the town or ward committee, and the
chalrmen OF the town or ward commit
tees 81 all be members of the county
committee. In addition there shall be
i've county committeeman at large, one
from each commissioner district, to he
chosen by the county nominating con-
ventlon. TO take Office Dec. 20 and hold
1t two years. The members of the
county committees meet not later
than Dec. 20 and organize by electing a
chairman and secretary. The district
members of the state committee shall
be chosen prior to Jan. Is, following
each election by the members of the
county committee at the first meeting
of the latter for purposes of organiZa-
ton, the members voting for commit
teeman for the district to which their
county belongs and the vote of each
county committee to be certified by the
chairman and secretary to the secretary
of the state committee. who is to tabu-
late the vote IN each district and certify
to the result and notify the committee
men having the majority of votes OF
their election. All members of the
state committee hold for two years from
their election.
The State Central Committee
thus chosen is required to meet and ap-
point an executive committee of seven
from its members and chairman Of
the same, who need not be committee
man, and this committee shall have all
the powers OF the state central when il
is not i'll session that are not inconsis.
tent with such rules as may be adopted
by the state committee. A similar pro-
vision authorizes the county committee
to appoint an executive committee of
seven. The chairman of a county COM
mittee may be removed from Office
either by his own committee or by the
state committee at any time during a
campaign and an acting chairman APP
pointed to act during the campaign. but
no longer. All committees for the cam
paign Of 1894 to be chosen as usual,
their terms to expire when the commit
lad In in, hn NtarA oala
The committee adjourned to the even
ing of Sept. 4, the day before the state
convention.
Comment by sIr. SmalIey.
P. j. Smalley last evening had the
following to say Oh the subject:
The motive of the plan sis apparent
from the synopsis. Its aim is to begin
building the organization on the broad
est possible base, the rank and file of
the party, making the precinct the unit
This is Democratic. On this founda-
ton the superStructure is built up ward.
The committeeman at large in the
county and state committees are de I.
signed to represent those political
divisions. The plan is designed to de-
velop leaders and discourage bosses.
The committeeman are all selected
deliberately at time when leisure can
be given to the task, and when no cam
paign is imminent, not, as now, in the
closing hours of convention, when
delegates are weary and when many
have gone away, leaving to few the
work.
These committees are what they
should be-commttees of the party, and
not of. as now. generally one or two
candidates on the ticket. Their duty
and responsibility is 10 the party as a
whole, and not to the man or men who
may manipulate their selection.
The committee take Office after the
biennial elections and hold until after
the next one. This gives them time
and opportunity for preparation for the
coming campaign instead of as now.
being given charge at the very opening
of the battle. With the opportunity
comes the duty to prepare and the re-
SponSibility of preparation for the
campaign they must manage. This
feature obtains IN Massachusetts, Wis
conSin and Indiana.
Now committee makes the best
effort it can, works during the campaign
and then throws off all responsibility
and ceases all effort. Committees chosen
as proposed would keep up the work
between campaigns, and this must be
done if the Democratic party in this
state expects ever to overcome its op-
ponents.
do not care to notice the insinuations
of the committee as to the motives of
Mi. Cutcheon or myself. The plan itself
Is the best refutation of the motives
ascribed to Us. Under it no man could
gain control of the organization. or a
place in it not freely given by his fell
lows.