Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-05-25
The Craftsmanship of the Democratic
State Convention.

For many years the Iowa demo-
cratic State Committee has consisted
Of twelve members, one committee
man for each of the eleven congress
sional districts and the Iowa mem
Der of the national committee.
1t so happened that the committee
was evenly divided on the question
as to whether Iowa should or should
not instruct for Mr.. Hearst, and a
few anti-Hearst fire-brands, who
have more interest in democratic
than in Democratic sue
cess, attempted to prevent Mr..
Walsh, the Iowa member Of the ma
tional committee from acting as
member Of the state central commit
tee. The object Of the attempt was
to give the anti-Hearst forces control
of the committee, but it failed. The
committee refused to disfranchise
Mr.. Walsh, but this only Scotched
the schemers. They openly an
nounced their Intentions to keep up
the fight until they deprived Mr..
Walsh Of the usual and customary
rights Of the Iowa member Of the
national committee. This was the
condition in which the late state
convention found dts state commit
tee. The convention did not know
what the newly elected members of
the committee might attempt to do.
ALL that was known was that the
committee would on many questions
be evenly divided.
When q state convention is in
session, it is all powerful in party
matters, but when not in session the
interests Of the party are in the keep
ing Of the central committee. OF
course both convention and com
mittee are expected to observe party
customs and presidents, but when
new conditions arise which require
determination, or when changes are
deemed advisable. the state con-
vention is the party's supreme legis-
lative body in state matters. 1t
would be quite within the province
Of a state convention to provide for
state committee to consist Of one
member from each county, as is done
in some states, or of one member
from each district, with a chairman
elected by the convention outside of
the district committeeman. The
power Of the convention in such
matters will not be questioned by
any thoughtful person.
The only chance for any reason
able difference Of opinion, in relation
to the action Of the recent democratic
state convention in electing a COM
mittee chairman, is whether the
conditions which existed fairly and
justly warranted the convention in
doing what was done.
From a party stand point it is
quite desirable that the member Of
the national committee should also
be a member Of the state. committee:
acting f N Such dSaf capacity he be-
comes a necessary connecting link
between the two organizations. The
attempt on the part of a few to
break this link, SO that they might
gain a temporary partisan advan-
tage, called for action from the state
convention. The convention reaf
firmed the customary rights of the
national committeeman, and to re
move all doubts on the subject made
the national committeeman mem
Der of the state committee. Thus
far the convention action only con.
firmed the previously existing condi.
tons. The committee still stood sia
and six and there was danger Of {
dead lock in its organization. This
was a condition which called for ac
ton from the convention and the con
vention elected chairman for the
committee and in doing SO it was
not alone justified but was within
the lines of a plain duty.