Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-18
Local Democrats Pleased at the In
creased Representation.
METHOD OF The SELECTION N
Mr.. Norris Says He is Not a Can
didate.
S o M E OF PIN 10 n S

fact that the District will be represented In
that body by six votes and will be made a
more important factor than it has ever been
in the past. Delegates to the national con-
ventions when they went from the District
with but two votes We're frequently made to
feel that they welded but small influence
There have been cases where the District
delegates upon being introduced to other
members of the convention have been re-
ceived with this greeting:
"Oh. you are from the District. You only
have two votes here"
With power to WELD six votes they are
placed on an equality not only with the ter
ritories, but with the smaller states of the
Union. When states are made up six votes
make an important addition to the strength
or any aspiring candidate. There are DEM
ocrats here who believe that the strength Of
the District will from first to last be cast
for candidate other than Mr.. Cleveland
and that the wishes of Mr.. German of Mary
land will be very influential in determining
the way the vote will be used. Mr.. German
has exceedingly strong friends in democratic
circles here and while the District demo-
Gratis have not in any way formally indicated
condemnation of Mr.. Cleveland, it is well
known in democratic circles that there is no
Cleveland enthusiasm in the District of
Columbia among local politicians.
New Men.
The fact that six delegates are to be
elected is especially interesting to demo-
Gratis for the reason that it will permit the
advancement of new men. So long as the
representation is limited to two delegates
1t has not been difficult to fix upon the
names of the men who were to be honored.
There are twenty-five voting districts
within the District of Columbia. and it is
likely that the six delegates will be chosen
from various points within the District, so
that there may, as far as possible be
representation of all sections.
Nothing has been done yet for the pur-
pose Of making final arrangements for the
elections, which will be left to the central
democratic committee, of which Mr.. Will
liam E. Holmead is chairman. This COM
mittee is made up Of one representative
from each Of the twenty-five districts
each member being the chairman of his
district committee. A meeting of the CEN
tral committee will be called within
month or six weeks, 1t is expected, and all
arrangements for the primary elections
will then be completed.
The Method.
The form of electing the delegates will
probably be about the same as has hereto
fore prevailed. in each of the twenty-five
districts three delegates will be elected,
and the sixty-six men so selected will
meet and elect six delegates to a national
convention. In most instances the men
elected to select delegates to the national
convention will be pledged, or will, at least,
be chosen because they are known to favor
particular man or set of men.
1t is not believed that there will be any
difficulty in conducting the primary cleo
tions so that the will of the democracy of
the District can be fairly expressed. In
each voting precinct, one of which will be
in each district there will be three judges,
with power to deny any one the right of
voting. A man who is not known as
democrat, or who is not known as residing
in the particular district in which he
wishes to vote, will have to be introduced
and vouched for lry some democrat known
to the judges. Unless satisfactory proof is
given that the would-be voter is entitled 10
cast a ballot he will have to step aside. 1t
is not thought that this authority which
the judges will doubtless have will create
any unfavorable results. 1t Is not thought
at all likely that any one not democrat
will attempt to vote, because they would
compromise themselves within their own
party by so doing.
Generally Favored.
There is very general approval Of Mr..
Norris course in securing action by the
national committee on his motion to give
the District six votes in the convention.
Democrats everywhere say that the stand
ing of the District is raised by this in
creased representation, not only within the
convention, but everywhere. Even republi-
cans think that Mr.. Norris made a splendid
move, and in some republican quarters
there is an inclination shown, even at this
late day, to elect six delegates to the re-
publican national convention, and to send
them to the convention with the hope that
they may all be received Republicans
think that the national republican conven-
ton would probably be influenced by the
action of the democratic convention, and
that the six delegates would be received
The fact that the national republican COM
mittee has not adopted a resolution in
OF m
six delegates is not looked upon as neceS-
sarily forecasting defeat of an effort to
have such increased representation in the
convention. In 1892 New Mexico sent six
delegates to the national convention with
out previous authority to do so, and al
though it was an increased representation
for territory the committee on creden-
tials passed upon the delegation favorably
and the six men were given the right to
vote. The fact that the election Of republi-
can delegates will take place in less than
ten days makes it very doubtful whether
republicans will make any serious effort
to be represented at St. Louis by six votes
But it is thought that the seed for increas-
ed representation has been sown, and that
the fruits will be reaped in the future.
Not n Candidate.
A Star reporter called upon Mr.. James l..
Norris today, and found Mr.. Norris eX-
tremely gratified over the manner in which
his action in the national committee had
been received by District democrats. Mr..
Norris said he was surprised at the number
Of men who called upon him to extend their
congratula tons for his move for increased
representation in the convention.
II am not a candidate" said Mr.. Norris,
"to be delegate to the national convention.
The democracy of the District has heaped
upon me every honor within its power.
have been made a member of the national
committee, a member of the congressional
committee, among many other evidences of
the good will of the democrats of the Dis
trict toward me. I do not think 1t is right
for one man to have everything, and feel
perfectly willing to stand aside. and see
other men elected delegates. I am perfect
ly satisfied to abide by the wish of the Dis
trict democracy in this matter.
II think it is only just that the District
should be given an equal representation
with the territories in the national conven-
tion," said Mr.. Norris, when his action to
bring about this result was referred to-
1.-The District of Columbia is really the very
center of political life in the United States
and there is every reason why it should be
influential in our conventions. Every one
who has spoken to me on this subject has
expressed approval Of my action
Mr.. John Boyle's Views.