The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-14

sequemt democratic convention. Wi.
republican conventions remit. vs4
ity only. This majority rulss L.
ed by the whig convention n ,,m
tie else seems to have bssn ~ sas
by that party to the perfection nv. =
organization. That they scarrslv =.
cepted the convention as 4 natlo,. 'ss
tuition is shown by their rspsat.s ~
slons as to the expediency n hols S a'
convention even as late a. ia,
The Unit Rule.
The first democratic coryentIon \.
a rule which, though somewhat v,,~s
been understood to give to tbs nat, 49,
the delegation from any State n. w
cast the vote of the State. This dsrs,,
the wishes Of the minority In any ~
lar State and at the same time ,r,,.
possible for candidates to be nomls'
who are approved by minority o.,.
the party voters Of the country ny
tending TO exalt the rights Of the III.
such, the unit rule has been mueh n,
by democratic State conventions X,
have often Instructed their dsler,t,,
national conventions to vote ~.
Under some circumstances the n,..}
convention permits individual yotIu,
never oyerrides State instruction,
The whig convention Of 1898 sdo,l.d
cumbrous form OF unit rule, but Il NJ
became part of the regular wblr a
cedure. 4
In republican national conyentioo, /,
unit rule never gained a foothold thsq
efforts have been made to impose h n
the party. In 1880 a rule was sdcst
which has since been in force. II rscri,
that in case any delegate objects "a 4
announcement made by the chalrmss
his delegation. "the president Of Ia !.
vention shall direct the roll Of members
such delegation to be called and Inc !,
suit recorded in accordance with the vi
individually given"
The Platform.
In the national convention Of the NJ
ent the platform" occupies conspcu,
place. 1t also has history aud gov
along with the development Of The u
vention itself, and especially in connect
with the growth of the idea Of the auiAl
ity of the convention. Three ideas |
now seen to enter necessarily into
litical platform. There is drsy ID
ment of the general fundamental rrls
pies for which the party stands n
having been once formulated, and al
changing from year to year, may be at
ly referred to or assumed in subsNa
documents. Secondly. there Is cousd
effort to set forth specific pcllci Ia
pursued under existing circumstances
conditions. And, third, the platform !
ries with it pledge. stated or imp!
that the party will be true 10 It's hlli'
principles and will carry out the ppl
outlined. A modern platform does not
pear in convention history until 1871
its development will be traced in co1'
ton with our further study OF party
tory. Before that time there were
deed. many long popular addresses
forth by local meetings containing q
ments of party principles many crt7'
upon administrative acts, upon ps':a
qualities and conduct; much expressn
miration or reprobation OF men
things: but nothing earlier than Ivy
be found to contain the three eens
now deemed essential. The doiga
which Mr.. Bryce calls our FIRST pcau
platform" sets forth a specific poHy
vocated by the national republlcaai
demanded by the time and the dFe'
stances. but neither formulstes uuf
plies the party's basal PRINCIPLES nci
fers any pledges to the people.
The Convention Esta hllshee'
Until the national nominating COW
ton had become sclf-perpetuatlng,
a. could rot be regarded as an es'sol''
institution-a permanent parry ol'
This completion of national parry
ganization may be conveniently as'U
ed with the year 1852, when the vnls
vention appointed national central
mittee with power to call the lsn
tional convention. Similar action nsu
viously been taken by the democrats
For nearly half a century no ssa'a
alteration in the procedure Of nsg
nominating conventions appears
slant criticism has followed ths co,,
ton and it's rules of action, as J "
ed the congressional caucus, put ne
tenn at all likely to be successiui 80
Il has yet been proposed.