Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-08-25

nation OF cRnuiuuLeS lOr SnerlHt CUT
on1r, county treasurer and clerk OF |
tho peace by county convention aud
OF candidates for State Senator, Rep
rosentatires and Leyy Court connie
plan of making nominations ia ,litfer-
ent from that recommended by the ad-
visory committee recently appointed,
which was in favor OF nominations by
the direct vnte of the Democrats OF the
several districts.
In thus adhering to nominations by
convention. tho executive committees.
in the opinion OF the Deiawareap, made
q mistake. 'The nomination Of these
candidates by direct vote. it be-
lieves. would not be only fair and
equitable, but of advantage from
party standpoint. There would bu no
opportunity for delegates to be set up
in the interest OF candidates who are
not the choice OF the Democratic
ye5ers. Every candidate and every
voter would have a fair chance. Then,
1t would bring the party closer 10 the
people DiHtrust of the People is not
| Democratic and is not good politics.
There has been, We know, difference
OF opinion on thia, subject. and this
action of the county committee may be
merely the triumph Of ultra oonserya-
| tism.
| One of the rules adopted tho Dola
warean holds to be very had one. and
as party paper it interposes an en-
phatic protect. ut WILL" it says,
"tsnd TO draw the party further away
from tho people than it has ever been.
We refer to the rule providing that in
casa of Disagreement among the dele
gates the county committee shall maks
the nomination. This power is likely
to amount to far more than at first
sight appsars. Almost every Repre-
sentative district has two election dis
trict, each Of which will have three
delegates. Every Senatorial district
consists OF twu Representative dia-
tricts, each Of which is to have six
delegates. There are likely, in mum
her of cases to Ee candidates for Rep.
resentatiye from both voting places in
Representative diatriet. It ia still
more likely that in Senatorial district
there will be one or more candidates
from each Representative diHIrict. The
result is likely to be a number of nonii-
nations by the county committee. in.
stead OF by the people themselves or by
| lala tIhtu ,s q
cratic. and it ia not right II takes
power out of the hands of the people
and contralizes it in committee for
which the people do not even have q
chancs to vote. We trust this power
will never he exercised, though We fesi
there will be approximations for its exer.
! else. IT is likely to cause dissatisfao.
tion and do much harm"
The Dslawarean ia clearly right il
its opposition to a rule that goes tc
such an unwarranted extent in deegat
I ing to tho county COMMITTEES the powei
: TO make nominations. The chief func
ton of the county committee is t,
manage and direct the campaign, ant
a do everything possible to secure til,
8 election OF candidates, and it require
q no diagram to aee how the COMMITTEE
a will be seriously handicapped ia thi
important work if it ia, in addition, Il
a assume the task of selecting the part,
ri nominees. This latter duty is fire.
n quently associated with contention
!. and Dissatisfaction. and it is no smal
ii part of the committees duty to diasi
- pate these contentious and smooth th
"a dissatisfaction before tie day of cleo
, tion, iu order to bring the full supper
a Of the party to the candidates place
" in nomination. No committee can sur
ID csssfully perform this work IL 1t has /
assume the duty of making ths nomi
nations, thereby, in many cases, Great
= ing the contentious and diasatisfHctio
n that it ia expected to subsequently rs
~ moys.
,e In New CASTLE county, under th
nj amended party rulas, both plans I
a nomination-by direct vote and by cor
Ia yention--are TO be followed this. yea
"a and the result will be awaited wit
ia interest, as the convention plan will
10 an experiment not tried in this count
IA since 1876. Candidates for sheriff, CO..
4. onar, receiver OF taxes, comptrolle
ia State Senators, Representatives anu O
ne district and hundred offices will
A. nominated by ballot, on the Hecor
.. Saturday ia September and ut the san
al election will be chosen delegates to
"a county convention to be held on Il
be following Saturday, at which will
N nominated candidates for prothonotar
ar clerk of the peace, register of will
in recorder of deeds, register in chance
e. and clerk of the Orphans Court.
inn auch Of these offices 40 may be electi
nj at the ensuing elsction.
While nominations by ballot have n
been gratifying success In New Cast
80 county in the past. this result was ii
IL. due to the system, but to the CORFU
10 manner in which the elections we
on conducted. Now. however, they a
~ regulated by law. and only thoae "
ia ara registered may vote at them. Wi
tle absolutely honest primaries, nomin
ho tious by ballot will sursly give t
an most satisfaction, and it would
. a doubt be we'll to adopt this plan in
hi three Of the counties. provided eve
~ safeguard OF the law is thrown abo
,tv the primary elections. Fl
of -