New-York tribune., 1907-10-09
DEMOCRACY ~ AcrION.

We commented yesterday the remarkable
exhibition Of the beauties of majority rule"
given at Springfield, Mass, the other day by
Democratic state convention. To all appear
ances majority OF the delegates elected favored
the nomination of Mr. Henry NJ Whitney. Yet
the state committee, n hold-over body was con
trolled by the friends OF General Charles w.
Bartlett, and when the committee named a tenn
porary chairman for the convention the battle
was as good as over. The delegates chosen at
the primaries by the Democratic voters never
reached the point of anSv ing 10 Il single roll
call. All the work which they were TO do was
thoughtfully done for them by proxy, and there
are no inconvenient records left 10 show what
representatives of the people participated or 10
what extent they participated in what is now
expected to pass untrammelled expression
of the will of the Massachusetts Democracy.
Some OF the mysteries OF this peculiar refer
endum are just being revealed. Surprise has
naturally arisen that majority should have
allowed itself 10 be outvoted by a minority with
olT some show of strenuous remonstranoe. The
Massachusetts newspapers report that there was
no physical violence whatever In the convention
hall and that epithets were the only damaging
things hurled by one faction at the other. In
this respect own Tammany meetings. at
which eggs are thrown, red pepper Is sprinkled
on the floor and assafGtda freely dispensed,
present far more creditabe exhibition of true
Democratic spirit. Why did the Whitney ele-
ment submit so tamely to unrighteOus suppress
sion? If the Hon Daniel T. O'Connell is to be
believed. the reason was that the Whitney man
ayers intellectually outclassed and dis
gracefully outgeneralled Mr.. O'Conner holds
with Napoleon that battles are won by being on
the right spot at the right moment with the
heavier battallons. Preparedness and Ceerity
of movement can easily nullify the advantage
Of superior numbers. While the Whitney lead
ers were celebrating at their leisure the victory
indicated by the results of the primary elections
the Bartlett strategsts were assembling their
little Spartan band and planning to use 1t to
the greatest advantage. Scorning expense, they
brought their delegates to Springfield on Friday
night, while the Whitney followers loitered over
for Saturday morning trains, fOollshly taking
chances that they would be late for the opening
of the convention Says Mr. OConnell:
We Of the Bartlett forces used more foresight
and were more solicitous for the comfort and
wellbeing of our loyal self-sacrihcng dele
gates. We asked them to take no chances with
the wretched railroad service and when they
arrived at Springfield used system and care
in making they found a place to sleep,
though In one one large parlor room
was occupied by more than twenty men. and
did without the blast of trumpets and conceited
claims to superiority of dignifed leadership.
realizing full well that politics Is not a pastime,
but a serious undertaking.
The serious" O'Conneltes, being on the spot
and taking control Of the temporary Organiza-
tion and the theatre entrances, found 1t easy to
have their forces massed for action at II m.
Saturday, while the Whitney 'pastlmers" reach
ing Springfield at 10 80 a. M. failed for the
most part to align at all on the field until the
real battle was over. A supposed minority
the firing line became three-fourths majority
and transacted all the business of the conven-
saGely concludes
The well drilled company put to route a
mob OF thousands. We victorious
Springfield because went there thoroughly
prepared Weighing carefully every obstacle that
might be placed in way by railroad service.
etc We won and the Whitney forces lost,
mainly because their train late.
on such accidents turn the fates of parties
and OF nations. Democratic politics is war and
everybody knows what General Sherman said