St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-14
DEMOCRATS IN COUNCIL.

freedom consist ent with like measure
for all others.
DEMOCRATS IN COUNCIL.
The Democratic state committee will
meet this afternoon to select the place
and fix the date of the coming state con-
venton for the nomination of candi-
dates for the various state offices. Their
thanks are entirely due to weak
backed congress that the committee does
not meet under as hopeful auspices as
those which surrounded it at Its first
meeting or those that attended its imme-
date predecessor. Then the party was
nerved by it's declaration of high and
honest purpose, and went cheerfully
into the contest. feeling that it was right
and deserved 10 win, and confident that
if not in the first or the second battle,
its ultimate victory could not be long
DELAYED, because the American people,
when cOnvinced'thata cause is right, re-
spond to the call for its support. That
high purpose has been thwarted by the
weak concessions of the house to pro-
lection, followed by the abiect surrender
of the senate. redeemed from complete.
ness only by free lumber with wool
free, but yet subject to dicker and sale.
But false leaders cannot sell and de-
liver the rank and file of the army.
They will choose new leaders, raise
their banners still higher, and gather
fierceneSs and force from the attempted
betrayal. There will be no wavering Of
the. columns, no hating or malingering;
but with tenser muscles and frmer
stride the straight line of march will be
resumed. and the temporary check will
be but the precursor of a more sweep
ing victory. The ''clouds that now lower
on our house" may be swept away soon
by the action of the house of repre-
sentatives, as, indeed. they may be
deepened by it. If the house reject the
senate's betrayal and stand firm for its
own measure, then, in the new issue it
will give of the house against the sen.
ate, of freer trade against avowed pro.
lection, there will come brighter skies,
revived courage, restored confidence,
renewed hope. For this contamination
let us pray.
The committee will meet with a di-
verslty of opinion in its own ranks and
outside them as to the better date for
the convention. There are those who
apprehend an attempt to commit the
convention to full or partial fusion
with the Populists, and would have the
convention antedate those of the other
parties; but we regard these fears as
grOundless. the localities where the feel
ing Is the strongest being the weakest
in delegates. The fusion that the
senate has made and its effects on the
party are sufficient warning against its
repetition here or elsewhere Ill any de-
gree. Our safety lies in keeping the
middle of the road. We understand that
the subcommittee on organization has
matured plan to submit to the COM
mittee. Should they adopt it and the
convention ratify il. it might be we'll to
have the convention held early, in order
that the plan may be put into operation
this fall.
Whatever else is done. the committee
should make the basis of representa-
ton small enough to give large con-
ventlon. When two years ago certain
influences. which need not be named,
failed in their efforts to control our con.
vention and defeat certain nominations
which they dreaded as inimical to them,
they declared that there should be no
more large conventions thereafter
There are Indications that these same
influences have been busy in efforts to
prevent the committee today from re-
peating the diStasteful action. The &C.
ton of the committee will Indicate
their success or failure. We need not
make an argument for large conven-
tions. The reasons lie on the surface.
They are Democratic because they adj
nit of the largest representation of the
voters, thus keeping the organization
closer in touch with the rank and file;
and in the next and not less important
place, they cannot be manipulated or
worked. By means of passes and the
judicious use of some money conven-
ton of 300 or 400 can be managed, but
one of twice those numbers is too large
body to be thus influenced. For six
years the movement has been in the di-
rection of larger numbers of delegates,
and any reduction now would be a ret
rograde movement, aside from the sus-
plcions it would engender of the con-
troll again of those certain influences
whose purposes have never been the
welfare of the party.