Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1896-05-14
Vol. XXXVIII.
FEAR TWO-THIRD RULE.
Gold and Silver Democrats Afraid 1t
Will Cause Trouble at the Chicago
Meeting Must be Repealed
Before Business Can
Be Done.

Before Business Can
Be Done.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May 1T will
he impossible for the Democrats at
Chicago to nominate any candidate or
adopt any platform unless the vener-
able two thirds rule, that has always
prevailed in Democratic conventions,
is repealed. 1t is absolutely impossi-
BILE for the gold bugs to secure two
thirds of the delegates. 1t is equally
impossible for the free coinage people
to do so. Mr.. Cleveland undoubtedly
commands a larger support than any
other sound money candidate that
could be named, but the delegates
from most of the Southern and all of
the Western States would not support
him under any circumstances and they
will compose more than one-third of
the convention. Hence under the
two thirds rule his nomination is out
of the question.
The gold bugs may not get major
ity, but they will surely have more
than one-third of the delegates, and
will prevent the nomination of a sill
yer man at the head of the ticket.
Therefore a deadlock seems to be in
evitable unless the rule is repealed.
In the opinion of the best authorities
on parliamentary law this can be done
by majority vote, because it is the
almost invariable rule that the major
ity is allowed to decide questions in
deliberative bodies. Democratic Ma
tional conventions are almost the only
exception.
When the convention meets, ac-
cording to the usual custom, COM
mittee on rules will be appointed.
That committee has usually reported
a recommendation that the rules of
the previous convention be adopted
and the recommendation has been ac
cepted without debate. II the COM
mittee on rules at Chicago concludes
to depart from this custom and amend
the old rules so as to give majority
instead of two. thirds of the delegates
the right of control the chairman will
be perfectly justified in permitting
majority to decide the question. This
is the opinion of disinterested Repub-
lican parliamentarians. Very few
Democrats, however, care to discuss
the question, because they do not
think it prudent to commit themselves
at present.
Senator Hill of New York or Sena-
tor Harris of Tennessee is likely to
preside over the Democratic conven-
ton, the former being the candidate
of the gold men and the latter of the
silverites. If Mr.. Hill is in the chair
when the question comes up he will
decide that a majority should rule al
ways, although Jha is not willing to be
quoted on this subject. Mr.. Harris
prefers to meet the question where it
arises. Mr.. Harrity, of Pennsylvania,
who will call the convention to order
is supposed to be inclined to take Mr..
Hills view, although he will not dis
cuss it as freely as one would like to
have him. 1t is going to be matter
of politics, and neither side thinks it
prudent to commit themselves. If the
silver men get majority of the con-
vention they will insist that the ma
jority shall rule. If they do not get a
majority they will insist upon a two
thirds vote, and can therefore defeat
every proposition.
The two-thirds rule and the unit rule
are as old as the Democratic party,
and in no respect do the Democratic
and Republican parties differ more
than in these two points of parliament
tary procedure. In Republican con-
ventions each delegate is recognized
as responsible representative of his
constituents with full authority to
vote as he thinks proper on all
questions, and majority of such votes
is sufficient to nominate candidates
and decide all questions. In Demo-
cratic National conventions, however,
| the delegations from the several states
are recognized as units, and two thirds
of the delegates are required to effect
nominations. These rules were adopt
ed at the first National Democratic
convention, which met at Baltimore
on the 21st of May, 1882, where reso-
lutions were passed providing "tha'
two thirds of the whole number OF
votes in convention shall be necessary
to constitute a choice, and, second
that the delegation from each State
shall select a delegate by whom the
vote OF the delegation should be cast
These rules were adopted for the
purpose of preventing the nomination
of John G. Calhoun as candidate fol
the vice. presidency. Andrew Jack
sons nomination for President hat
been originally made by the legisia
ture of Tennessee and confirmed b,