The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-04
Proposed Change
Of Party Rules.



proposed action should receive the CON
sideration IL deserves and, in fact, such
as party interests demand.
The general feature of these rules, in
so far as 1t relates to the direct vote of
the people, is, doubtless, we'll under
stood. This feature, however. Is but
central figure around which cluster other
features which, when taken together,
form a gtOup of innovations which Will
materially handicap the Republican pacty
in Its race with the Democracy In this
county. So far as the writer is aware
no reference whatever Is made, by the
press or otherwise, to the radical changes
which the proposed rules provide, and the
political mischief to be wrought is not,
therefore, patent to the voters of the
county, nor will this become clearly ap-
parent until they forget the hackneyed
phrases of the pseudo-reformer and con-
slider these rules in their essence rather
than In their form. If so cor sidered they
would be more ir clined to hesitate before
taking action thereon.
1t is true that in the operation of The
present rules practice has never ap-
preached unto theory, and their abuse
has been outrageously apparent. This is
not so much the consequence of their
weakness as it is the lack of righteous
ness and integrity among those named 10
administer them. No matter what rules
be adopted their ends and purpose will be
thwarted by the adroit and crafty man
agement of the machine" unless the peo-
pie feel 1t their duty to more fully exer-
else their elective privileges, to the end
that their chosen representatives shall
represent them in deed and in truth. In
difference and apathy are responsible Tor
much of the political evil complained of,
| and this fact cannot be hidden by the
cry of "stop-thef" and 'boodler." So
far, indeed, has this become recognized
that efforts are now making in several
states to enforce attendance at the pri-
| marics, and it is in this direction that the
reformer should direct his energy
Revision of party rules may be desir
| able. but hardly necessary or polite, as
| the benefits to party are purely phantas-
| NAL in character. Nor will revision ex-
| tend the prerogatives of the individual
| voter or create within him a higher po-
| litical ideal. 1t simply creates new and
| fast rules which they are expected to OBJ
| serve. This latter being true. they are
| entitled to know and understand their full
| import and how far their application will
promote or endarger party supremacy.
| The promoters of the proposed change
are manifesty governed by the desire
to eliminate from our body polite those
| disgraceful and outrageous features
| which have characterized nominating
| conventions of The past and any effort
| in that direction deserves general com
| mendation, provided. however, such eff
| Tort does not commit the party to such
limitations and methods s will prove dis
| advantageous to II, and be subversive of
| the time-honored party principles and
| doctrines. No necessity can Justify the
| adoption of rules which will impair party
supre macy, and this will be the inevitable
| result of the adoption of the Crawford
| hNvt
| this county. Why?
Under the proposed rules the people
| would be master in theory only Cen
| tralized power, local favoritism, national
| or class prejudice, secret political organ
| izations or other organized influence will
| be master in fact, in so far as concerns
| the selection of candidates, and so ap-
parent will these influences become that
| the election of the candidates so chosen
| VIII be endangered. 1t may be offered
| in rebuttal that such has not been the ex-
| perience of those counties now working
| under this system. This is true but no
| county in the state has adopted these
| rules except distinctively agricultural
counties, having good safe Republican
majorities, which ordinary party dlsaf-
| lection cannot overcome. The interest IS
| OF the voters therein. too, are nea ,ly
| Identical. Neither nationality nor creed
| separates them. They do not have suf-
hcient concentration of voters in any To-
| cality to control party affairs and the
vote being chiefly rural the influence of
the saloon is minimized.
| In no county in which these rules are
| operative are found such conditions rs
| exist in Lackawanna county. AS a man.
| ufacturing county its popula ton is, ana
always will be. cosmopolitan. and the
| experience of the past has taught the
1 trfV TIT. l..
| selection of candidates, giving to the sew
| eral nationalities, from time to time such
| recognition as their strength deserved. So
| essential has this become that few con-
| Ventions of the past have ignored 1t in
| the nation of a ticket and whenever
| ignored defeat has invariably followed.
| Such recoGLiticn, however, can be dis
| creetly regulated only under proper di-
| rective fore, for which the Crawford sys-
TEN makes no provision: therefore the
| stronger element could easily poll a plu-
| rality of the votes at the primaries in the
| event of there being three or more can
| didates for the several offices, thereby
alternating a considerable body of voters
| and jeoparding party success Party
| strength is so evenly divided in this
county that the change of but few votes,
| relatively, will affect the result and that
| party which adopts the direct nominat-
| ing system will suffer greatest on account
of the conditions just stated, which can
not be obviated, and the system, in
stead of advancing party interests, be-
| comes a millstone.
| Experience has shown that centralized
power is a dangerous political device. II
| is the very thing the reformer is aimias,
TO eradicate from our political system, yet
the proposed rules are most vicious in
this respect, in so far as their operation
in this county is concerned. There is
nothing therein to prevent the strong Re.
publican districts from controlling, abso-
lutely, party affairs, irrespective of the
needs and demands of other sections
So great is the concentration of Republi-
can voters in the city of Scranton that
| all the other election districts in the
county, combined. will have a majority
or over loo to overcome in the nomi-
mating conventions, which practically
makes the around-the-county district
voiceless in party affairs. In fact the
| adoption of these rules will add pei
| cent. to the influence of the city in nomi.
mating conventions and detract per cent
from the voting strength of the balance
of the county. The inevitable consequence
of this ought to be apparent TO every or,
dinary observer.
Similar conditions will exist in the leg,
| islative districts. In the First district
| the concentration of voters in the Fourth
and Fifth wards is nearly sufficient to
control the entire district. The borough
| of Taylor, Old Forge and Lackawanna
| township, with the influences therein
will control the Third district. Carbon,
| dale will control the Fourth district. Ir
the city the West Side could easily cap,
ture everything in sight
Secret political organizations, or com
bined influences of any character car
| operate under the proposed rules with.
| FEGfr int ny aiFafa x.sftl
the conditions existing here will fuliS
| Comnrehend the danrer of an extension