The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-03-29
IT RESTS WITH THE people

of the delegates to the democratic ma
tionaI convention. 1t must. however,
be acknowledged that such a result is
possible. 1t is high time. without re-
gard to partisan consideration, that
conservative democrats all over the
union should begin to discuss the ex-
pediency of abolishing the two-thirds
rule at st. Louis. lest the selection OF
a candidate likely to command the SUI
frages of sober-minded citizens be We
toed by a populistic and sociallstic NIL
nority.-New York sum-
The question of abolishing the two
thirds rule should be aAen up and act
ed upon in the democratic state and
/, district conventions which appoint dele
gates to the national assembly. Every
such convention should either instruc.
it's representatives to vote for the es-
tablishment of the majority rule or, at
least. SHOULD adopt a resolution advo-
eating it. The success OF Il demo-
cratic party in the coming election will
depend as much on this as on any thing
the convention a do.
OF course the Hearst men who will
| try to control the state n district
| conventions will oppose this move
ment. Their strength lies in retaining
the two-thirds rule-that is the men
who are pretending to be favorable to
| Mr.. Hearst's nomination. They Know
that under this rule it will be almost
certain that the convention will have
to make a compromise nomination
will finally be forced to select a man
not the choice of the majority Of the
convention. While men called Hearst
delegates are being chosen in several
sections of the country. we believe there
will be an effort made after the con-
vention meets by MI. Bryan's friends
to attempt a coup to secure the nomi-
nation for him. Either his nomination
or that Of Mr.. Hearst would bring GER
tain defeat pon the democratic party. |
The majority rule would prevent the
nomination of either. 1t would insure |
the nomination Of a man who would
receive the support Of those democrats |
opposed to Organism and of those
Bryan low who prefer party |
success at the polls to factional victory |
in the convention.
There is only one way for the party
to protect itself against the attack of
Hearst and Bryan. and that Is to abol- |
ish the two-thirds rule. If these men |
go into the convention with a third Of |
the delegates-and it is pretty certain |
from present indications that they will
have them-and this rule is kept in
force they will throttle the party II
there will be no hope for it. With Mr..
Bryan or Mr.. Hearst for the nominee
or a man forced upon the party by
them the election of Mr.. Roosevelt is
as certain as it is that night follows
day.
The election Of MT. Roosevelt would
be a fearful calamity to the south.
There is no other member of the repub-
lean party whose selection as president
would mean so much to our section in
the way of return to sectional strife
and awakening Of racial animosities
which for so many years retarded in
duStrial growth in our section. Mr..
Roosevelt hates the south and with a
hate which yearns for opportunity 70
humiliate our people. With his return
to the White house the south will have
four years of annoying and oppressive
federal Interference such as we suffer-
ed years ago before the white people
secured absolute control in these states.
If these conditions are again brought
upon our people they will ave no one
to blame but themselves. They AVE
the means of prevention in their own
hands. Let the people realize the dan
ger that lies in letting the Hearst
Bryan element get control of our dis
trict and state conventions. and, rea-
LIKING it. let them determine that such
shall not happen and then prevent il
by attending their township and ward
meetings Inc voting for true democrats
as delegates to county. district AMI
state conventions who will not coun-
tenance any attempt to place followers
Of Hearst n Bryan on the delega-
tons. Every democrat should feel it
his duty to attend his party meetings
this spring. They should not leave this
business to the few who generally run
the affairs of the party in their neigh
borhood. There must be no apathy
among the democrats this year. The
success of the party. and in that sue
cess the salvation of the south depends
on the rank and file of the party. This
is not a time when party affairs should
be turned owe to the Management of
politicians and wire pullers for candi-
dates. 1t is the people who must save
the party. With them is the power, if
they will only exercise it. and upon
them devolves the duty which they
should not shun. There is a grave re-
s~ponsibility resting upon them. Let
them remember this and be up and
doing. With them is the fight and
theirs will be the glory Of the victory.
Republicans are combining all their
talk to what has been done by the