New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-25
NAY URGE MAJORITY.
Hill Men Talk of Opposing Tzro-
thirds Rule IN Contention.

The lieut. ,nants OF ex-senator Hill are ear
restly discussing with conservative Democrats
OF other States the advisability OF repeating. or
disregarding. the historic two-thirds rule in the
next Democratic National Convention. The Hill
men are afraid that Hearst and Bryan will have
more than a third OF the delegates and that
there will he A prolonged deadlock unless the
traditional two-thrds rule IS displaced by one
simply requiring majority 10 nominate.
The Hearst Bryan combination stands pat
on the traditional twO-thirds rule. and if the
Hill-Gorman men upset Democratic traditions
to the extent Of disregarding the two-thirds rule
they may use it $ sufficient grounds for boiling
the convention and organizing radical De-
mocracy. whose ticket and platform viii appeal
to tho Independent labor vote in all parties.
The first Democratic National Convention was
held IN Baltimore on May 21 1892. and from
that time 10 the present the Democrats have
nominated their national ticket by the two
thirds vote, rather than by a majority. 1t has
become an established fact that no convention
can bind succeeding convention. As matter
Of record. the Democrats make it. a rule 70 in
dorse or approve the national platform Of the
preceding .ampaign. but this is not obligatory.
Each convention may be law unto itself
The committee on rules of the 1882 convention
at Baltimore reported this resolution:
Resolved. That each State shall De entitled. in
the nomination to be made of -andldlte for the
the number to which it viii be entitled in the
electoral colleges under the new aPp5rtionment
IN voting for Pre- sideDt and Nice-Prt sident. and
that two-thir1s Of the whole number Of votes in
the convention shall be necessary to constitute
choice.
In Its original form this rule applied only TO
the nomination of Vice President. In this con-
vention there no opposition TO the nominal
ton Of Andrew Jackson for President but there
were many candidates for the second place on
the ticket The rule was not made 10 apply 10
the nomination OF President as we'll Vice
President until 1874. which convention also me.
IN Baltimore. In that convention Martin Van
Buren, was the leading candidate. He had a ma
jority of votes on the first eight ballots Jack
sons friends opposed Van Buren,. and they were
bring about the TeddOptiOn Of the twO-thirds
rule and its extension TO the nomination OF
President. Van Buren, did not secure the neces-
sary two-thirds vote, and on the ninth ballot
House, received the entire vote Of the conven-
ton. Polk had not been a candidate
In the Democratic convention Of 1S36 there
reference to the two-thirds rule. When
lied in 1S4S the convention adhered to the two
thirds rule, and the same course was followed in
1872 The rule that year resulted In the defeat
Of Lewis Cass the leading candidate and the
ninth ballot Pierce did not receive a vote until
the fortieth ballot. In the convention which
nominated James Buchanan. in 1856. there was
no opposition to the two thirds rule The
tional convention in Charleston &. c. in 1860
reaffirrned the two-thirds rule. Since then there
has been attempt to repeal II. If the Hill
German men attempt IL this year. In order 20
crush the Hearst Bryan combination. IL would
charge Of being dsorganizers instead Of re-
organizers.