The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-15
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
Its Recent Remarkable Change of Charac-
ter-nIade UP mt Present from the Rural
Districts, with Scarcely n Representative
from the Great Industrial Centres.

| ter-made Up mt Present from the Rural
Districts, with Scarcely n Representative
from the Great Industrial Centres.
WASHINGTON. June 13.--The Democratic Ma
| tonal Committee, some OF the members OF
which havo recently been giving their views as
to the probable policy OF the next National
Convention. is composed Of one representativ
| from each State. to the number OF 45, and. by
| n political fiction. OF six additional members.
representing Alaska, the Indian Territory,
Oklahoma. New Mexico. Arizona and the Dis
| trict OF Colum bin. The National Committs OF
| political party In the United States Is usually
! OF representative character. and the Demo-
| cratic National Committee OF four years ago
| Included among its members many Demo-
Gratis OF substance, particularly from tho large
| cities OF the country.
The Chairman was n resident OF Philadelphia
and had been previously the Secretary Of the
Com monwealth OF Pennsylvania. The repre-
sentative OF New York was resident Of Buffalo
and former Lieutenant Governor OF the state
The representative OF Massachusetts, was from
Boston, OF Michigan from Detroit. Of Mime
sofa from st Paul OF Colorado from Denver
OF Kentucky from Louisville. Of Tennessee from
Memphis. Of Wisconsin from Milwaukee, Of
Oregon from Portland. and Of Missouri from
BIT. Louis. The Democratic National Commit
tee which had been In charge OF the party Or
R""'No'i'h ~ tHo pTcNI'uS anu SuCttSh1ul
Presidential election was not wholly. OF
course. made up OF city representatives or Of
those hal'nR from constituencies OF largest
influence In their respective States: but there
were n sufficient number Of such representa-
tives TO give character and weight TO the COM
mttee which further included two Influential
United States Senators. German OF Maryland
and Brce OF Ohio. and In its New England
membership. conspicuously, Democrats Of
local Importance
The 1876 convention however may be said
to have changed all that, and TO have been the
occasion OF the retirement OF the most sub
stantial members OF tho committee
The new National Committee OF tho Demo-
Gratis. which will supervise, II not directly con-
troll. the choice Of delegates to the next Dem
cratic National Convention. Ia made up
chiefly OF the representatives OF Con-
gressional districts In which Democrats pre-!
ponderate or in which control OF the
party organization is in the hands Of political
mossbacks. The Kentucky representative for
instance. comes from the town OF Greensboro,
the Missouri representative from jefferson
City. the New York representative from Bath.
Steuben county. chiefly distinguished on ac-
count of its soldiers homo; the New Jersey
representative from Brdgeton. on the Conan
sey. and the Texas representative from the
town Of Paris
Political elections In the United States are
getting to be moro and moro decided In the big
cities the increase In the voting population
OF which is much more rapid than In the
country districts Moreover the large cities.
through the press through business counec-
lions and otherwise, exercise Il large In
huence upon the politics OF the smaller con-
stituencics. whereas, for perfectly obvious
reasons. the country districts exercise no such
a ttaf iii, In M
tional Democratic Committee as now organ
lied. has Kansas representative from Pen
body. place Of 1.4OO inhabitants at tho last
census: an Oregon representative from Dalles
City. place Of 5000 inhabitants: a South Da-
kota representative from Rapid City. a place
ot2l0o population: a Colorado representative
from Durango City. a place Of 300 inhabt-
ants: a South Carolina representative from the
town of Trenton, with 1000 inhabitants; while
the New Mexico representative comes from
East Las Vegas.
In the whole Southern territory south OF
the Ohio and the Potomac. Nashville aud At
lanta are the only two cities OF importance
having representatives on the National Com
mittee. and in the great trans Mississippi dis
trict. west TO tho mountains a district in
which Democratic dependence for success in
1900 Is put chiefly. there are representatives
only OF minor towns or small hamlcts. The
Chicago platform served tho political re-
luirements OF their Democratic and Popu-
list neighbors three years ago. and it
will serve them in like manner again
next year. they think. without peril to
their control Of the party organization.
without danger Of ropulist bolt or a contest
In the National Convention. from their State or
district as the case may be. and without any
fears OF the intermeddling Of newcomers.
Immortality Undiscoverable by Science.
To THE EpIroR OF THE SuN-Sir: Your
profoundly Interesting and able editorial of
June .. entitled An Attempt TO Prove Immor-
tally by Scientific Means" should awaken in
the minds Of those who are able to think
calmly OH such subjects feeling OF gratitude
not unmngled with sadness; gratitude for tho
fearless freedom with which the searching
light Of THE Sun Is always shed upon all i'm
portant subjects. and sadness because OF tho
state OF affairs mental and spiritual which it
reveals.
In a former editorial OF May %. entitled THE
Question Of Immortality" you said that except
in Scripture or tradition, made authoritative
by religious dogma. we have no basis for any
thing marc than purely fancitul. poetic con-
copton Of a future life" And again you say:
" But what authority for future life is there
except dogma?" Allow me to suggest that
there is a wide difference between dogma and
Scripture. Scripture is the Word OF God. whlo
dogma IL mans opinion in regard to the Word
OF God. The authority Of Gods Word is I'M
questioned, whereas the authority OF mans
Interpretation Of that Word seems to he the
paramount qli"ston Of the day. and is likely to
be for some time to come.
Your assertion in regard to the authority OF
Scripture with reference to the future lilo Is
certainly correct and clear. In Jesus Christ
we find all the authority on that subject which
Is, necessary i We beIicye in Him. To those
who do not belieye in Him even He Is no au-
thority. In Matthew. xxi =, 81 -. We read His
reply TO the Saddmcees. who Were unhelieveru
in future life: but as touching the rcsur-
recticn Of the dead. have ye pot read that WHICH
was spoken unto you by God saying: am the
God OF Abraham and the God Of Isaac and the
God Of jacob God is not tho God OF the dead.
What is tho matter with the Christian Church
that many OF Its most INTEL gent followers feel
compelled to seek in scientific research for evil
dence of immortality, or else give up the sub
ject in despair? have received many letters
Of earnest pathos on tho subject. which were
ptitul enough 10 make one weep. most OF them
from persons who, like myself. were accus-
toned In youth to religious training and dis
Ciuliup.