The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-11-19
Proper rIoNAL REPRESENTA-
TON APPLIED TO PARTY
ORGANIZATION.


Correspondence of the Progressive Farmer.
In this article I propose to show that
it Is possible for a very small faction of
any party to control any party, if they
(the f~action) arightly situated geo
graphically, under present party man
agement; and I propose to suggest in
lieu of present methods of party organ
ization a method which l think will
vouchsafe to the members of each party
the certainty of the party being always
controlled by the majority thereof, or
by their consent. With the method
which I shall suggest, it will be an i'm
possibility for less that a majority of a
party to control it by gerrymandering
or by being more f%avorably situated
geographically than the rest of the
party.
AS is we'll known the national con
vention of a party consists of delegates
chosen by the several State conven-
tions, each State sending delegates in
proportion to the number of voters of
the party in question in the State. And
each State convention is composed of
delegates from each county, each
county sending delegates in proportion
to the number Of the party's adherent's
in the county. And each county con
vention is composed of delegates from
each township, each township being
entitled to delegates in proportion to
the number of the party's members
therein. And each township conven-
tion is composed of all the members of
the party in the township or at least
oil are etitled to be there. Such is a
brief outline of present methods of
party organic alton.
1t takes two thirds Of the delegates
of the National Democratic conven
ton to nominate a President. Now, if
a man wishes to secure the Democratic
nomination for President, he will have
to get two thirds of the delegates, who
must reside In the States containing
two-thirds Of the Democratic voters.
But in order to get this quota OF dele
gates it is not necessary that all the
members Of the party IN the States
which they represent, should vote for
these delegates. A good majority Of
the members of the party IN each of
these States, you know, can elect all of
the delegates therefrom. SOa majority
of two thirds, which is a little more
than one third; consequently, you al
ready see how a little more than one
third of the members of a party can, if
they are rightly situated geograph-
icaGly, control the party.
But, as Gideon orc9 reduced his
army from 80, 900 to 800 when he was
about to attack the Midianites, who
we're as thick as grssshoppers, and yet
gained the victory over them, so can
this candidate for the presidential nom
~ination lessen his army and yet gain
the victory.
10 the States which two thirds Of the
delegates Of the national convention
represent. two thirds Of the members
OF the party reside. And in the coun
ties Of each OF these States which has
two thirds Of the delegates OF each
| State convention represent, two thirds
OF ~twC-vhirds, or our ninths Of the
party reside. And in the townships Ct
each OF these counties. now ia consid-
Grafton, which two thirds of the Gele
gates Of each county convention repre-
sent, two thirds Of four ninths. or eight
twenty sevenths Of the party reside.
And two thirds of eight twenty-sav-
enths is 16 81-for two thirds OF each
township convention cau control 1t. So
Is 81, which is some less than DIG fifth
OF the voters Of a party can, if they
are rightly situated geographically,
control the whole party, when present
methods Of party organization prevail,
and in every convention which they
control they will have a two thirds
majority.
If you were to allow for a majority
of only two per cent in each conven-
ton, less than one fourteenth of the
party could control it through this
principle Of gerrymandering. And
such a small majority, I believe, can
control all the conventions except the
national. So it is actually possible for
one tenth of the party to control it, by
being favorably situated geographic
1t is very easy to show you that a
faction of a party large enough to con-
tain fort- nine per cent of the voters
of the party could fail to send a single
delegate to a single county convention
in the United States. if they should
have the misfortune to have an unfa-
vorable geographical situation. If