The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-03-25
THE TWO-THIl- IS RULE IN
DEMOCRATIC CONVEN-
TONS.

1t is understood that vigorous ef-
forts will be made when the Democrat
ic National Convention meets in St.
Louis next July to revoke the time
honored rule of the patty that "two-
thirds of the whole number of votes in
the convention shall be necessary to
constitute choice for President and
Vice President. This rule was adopt
ed at the convention which met in
Baltimore on May 81, 1882, says tie
Baltimore Sun, and renominated An
drew jackson for President and NOM
mated Martin Van Buren, for Vice
President. The two thirds rule has
been in force for nearly y years, and
there will be determined opposition to
any attempt to abandon it. Those
who advocate its repeal are able to
make plausible argument for nomi-
nations ly a majority. Under the
present system in a Democratic con-
vention having 936 delegates, as in
1900, 624 volts are necessary to a
choice If 3l3 delegates voted for one
candidate they could prevent the nom-
in alton of another candidate who was
the choice of 625 delegates. In adopt
inc the two-thirds rule the Democrat
ic politicians Of 1882 were guided by
the conviction that the party would
be sure, under the operation of such
rule, to nominate candidates for the
Presidency and Vice Presidency who
would be acceptable to the overwhelm-
ing majority of the voters of the party.
The principle was undoubtedly sound.
What was good for the patty in 1882,
however, may not be good now. 1t
is valid objection to the two-thirds
rule that it puts too much power in
the hands of minority. AS our es-
teomed contemporary, the Hartford
Conn. Times, pertinently OBJ
serves:
1t is possible to imagine a case
when more than one-third of the dele
gates in the national convention may
have been chosen for tho express pur-
POS of preventing the choice of any
man who is acceptable to the ma olity.
In such a case We should have dead
lock, probably followed by division
in the party. The best way to avoid
such an unfortunate result will be to
declare at the beginning of the pro-
ceedings that the two-thirds rule shall
not prevail.
There is no little force in this con-
tention. 1t is not improbable that
the radical element of the Demo
cratic party might elect delegates
with the sole Object Of preventing the
nomination of a conservative" candi-
date Theoretically the delegates
from States like Michigan, Ohio, Kan
sas, California, Minnesota, Illinois,
Nebraska, Oregon, the two Dakotas,
Washington and Wyoming are EMIT
led to as much consideration in the
choice Of Presidential nominee as
other States ofequal population which
can be relied upon to give Democratic
majorities. AS a matter of practical
politics, however, it seems to be de-
batable question whether Western and
Northwestern States which are "hope-
lessly Republican, at election times
ought, through the operation Of the
wo-thilds rule, to occupy a position
which enables them to defeat the NOM
nation of candidate acceptable to
tie Democratic Southern States ard
those Eastern States like New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut which,
under favorable circumstances, might
be carried by the Democracy. On the
same grounds, however, the radical
West might Of ject to revoking the
rule in the interest of New England
States, which are also ''hopelessly Re
publican" The matter ought to be seI-
tied on a common-sense LASTS, with the
sole oil ject Of nominating candidate
of the highest character and ability
who will stand a reasonable chance of
carrying States that are essential to
Den ocratic success.
The Republicans are WhiStlino to |