New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-05
THE INIT RULE.

The unit rule continues 10 play an active ana
vexatious role in Democratic politics Already
there has been a serious protest against It's en-
forcement. on the ground that IL stiles the free
and natural expression Of party sentiment But
that the Democratic bosses" VIII not Wiling
iv surrender a weapon capable OF being turned
by them 10 such enormous personal advantage
is also evident The Pennsylvania Democratic
State Committee met the other day at Harris
burg and issued a call for State convention
This body. according 10 custom, will choose
sixty-eicht delegates to the Democratic Ma
tional Convention 10 be held on July next
in ST Louis After the meeting Of the commit
tee its chairman, Colonel James NJ. Gufey, the
recognized leader and master Of the State OF
SANITATION. announced this programme; The
Democratic State Convention viii adopt the
unit rule and the delegates from Pennsylvania
'.to the Democratic National Convention VIII go
''to St. Louis unrestricted
Colonel Guffev speaks with true military au-
thoritv and precision. He knows the uses TO
which the unit rule can be put and does not
pronose 10 forego those uses. lie viii have TO
secure q bare majority in the State convention
TO nominate four delegates-at-large and 10 ap-
nlv the unit gag. Then he will need TO elect
only thirty-one OF the sixty-four Of the dis
trict delegates 10 capture and WELD the whole
mower Of the State delegation on any issue
arising at St Louis. Alleged Democratic dele
gates from great Republican strongholds Ike
Philadelphia and Pittsburg will dominate the
State convention. Through their aid Colo
mel GufTey can take TO St Louis body Of sup
porters rejecting I'm no way the sentiment OF
tbe Democratic sections Of the State. and cast
the votes Of those sections-if he wishes 70 do
so-for policies 70 which they may be abso-
lutely hostile.
Colonel Guffey's determination TO appropriate
TO his own purposes the whole vote Of Penn
sylvania naturally excites the resentment OF
Democrats who cling to Jeffersonian theories
Of equal party rights and equal party repre-
sentation. The Philadelphia Ledger" speak
ing for this element in Pennsylvania, hercely
denounces the Gufey programme. il justly
says:
The unit rule gives 10 one man, who. In this
case win be James N. Guffey. the chance 10
dominate absolutely and arbitrarily the entire
State delegation which will not declare the VIII
and choice OF its several members. but solely
the viii and choice Of the reigning Pittsburg
boss . The rule - oppressive and tyran-
meal; Il allows the minority. no matter how
numerically strong Il may be, no freedom OF
action. Il is a rule which may be not only I'M
wisely. but dishonesty, used 81 the boss TO
whom the authority TO use 1t is given be neither
wise nor honest
The unit rule IS, In fact. a mere bulwark OF
''bosssm." II is an evil Inheritance from the
days when party action was directed through
the intr1gues and Vaccinations OF State lead
ers and not by the wishes and sentiment OF
the actual voters. IL gives undue opportunity
TO trickery and eXalts the power Of the trader
and go-between. II is one Of the curious aber-
rations Of politics that a practice so undemo-
cratic should have survived I'm the party OF
Jefferson and JacksOn-a party which boasts
its allegiance 10 democratic theories and demo
cratic principles. The only justification for the
employment Of the unit rule I'm Democratic
conventions is its distant kinship TO the ex-
IRENE doctrines Of State sovereignty I'm vogue
before the war. But most Of the Southern
States which proclaimed those doctrines have
i'm recent years wisely abandoned Jnis ObnOx-
iOus practice and il has been left in the main
10 Democratic bosses in Republican strong
holds like Pennsylvania. Massachusetts and
Minnesota 20 apply the unit gag for their own
personal and political ACKNOWLEDGMENT The
Republican party has never tolerated the unit
rule abuse. II is rfme for the Democratic party
10 come TO a realizing sense OF fits unfairness
and its inexpediency.