The Penn's Grove record., 1908-08-07
Democracy discussed
An Open Letter to The Democrats OF
Salem County.


bers of each party at a primary election,
l wish to submit for your consideration,
what l believe would be a wise course
for the Democratic party to pursue.
Let those who favor or oppose these
suggestions, likewise declare their opin-
ions through these columns, over their
real names, that we may know the
man that is back of the argument; for
the convincing power of an argument
is sometimes largely influenced by its
source.
Although the law provides for the
selection of candidates "without the
intervention of delegates or conven-
tion," l do not understand that these
are prohibited, OF that can constl-
tutionally, be prohibited, Certainly
the people have a right to assemble
either in mass or by their representatives,,
for any lawful purpose, and a phrase
ology which in~ferentially might seem
to forbid conventions of delegates,
must really provide that conventions
are not necessary to ecure nomlna-
ton, and if held, their action must be
endorsed at the Primary election to be
legal.
If untrammeled, and free from the
maniplations of men interested more
in their OWn personal profit than III
their party's success, political conven-
lions are a satisfactory method of
choosing candidates. Now that a con-
vention's action if unsatisfactory to a
majority of those it repudiated, and a
candidate satisfactory to that majority
can be substituted, through the pri-
mary election, there seem no good
reason why its manifest advantages
should be discarded. More especially
since no other plan, possessing equal adj
vantages, has been formulated. Would
it not, therefore, be wise for the Demo-
Gratis of this Cou nty to continue to
hold conventions, at which they can for
mulate their platform, and select their
candidates to be placed upon the ballots
at the Primaries, the Party's action in
convention to be there endorsed or
amended as its voters shall determine.
But such conventions should be held
under conditions differing somewhat
from those of recent years.
Several years ago, at a convention i'll
Elmer, Il resolution was unanimously
adopted, that at least two weeks notice
should be given voters of all caucus
meetings to elect delegates to conyen-
tiOns. That resolution, passed with out
a dissenting voice and by a strong
affirmative vote, has been a dead letter.
The call for caucus meetings Except
through one newspaper) is VIGOROUSLY
late, and the posters are so small as to
be liable to escape public attention,
even Where issued, and i'll many, if not
in a majority of the townships, they
are not issued at all, the township com
mltteeman being expected to see that
a caucus is held. The inevitable
result has been, that public interest in
the caucu is dead, and in the Demo-
cratic party here, the very heart of
Democrat ic institutions has lost its vi.
tality. For it is at the home caucus that
policy of a party and the character of
its candidates ale determined. .
The conditions that exist are prob
ably due to no II individual, and no
more to those now prominent in The
party than to Others in the past. The
rank and file, through their apathy and
through their neglect to realize the val.
ne OF the blessings of Democratic gov
eminent ill reality, mot the name only)
may have been as culpable, as the lead
ers have been in awaiting themselves of
such effective means to compass desired
results. 1t is a sad commentary upon
the intelligence of this generation, that
many of our most cultured citizens. if
the forms but be preserved, are willing
that inimportant respects, the substance
OF the our free institutions, to secure
which has cost unknown generations in
the past, rivers of blood and mountains
of suffering and misery, shall be stolen
from them, without casting their bal
lot prevent or to rebuke; and that some
otherwise good citizens, let us hone
with an unrealized deviltry, tempt
their poorer brethren to sell their ines
Unable birthright for a few messes of
pOttage.
What is needed is that the common
people should exert amore direct control
IN public affairs. Ample notification
should be given of all caucus meetings
n voters urged to send their ablest
men as delegates to their conventions
The issue which are vital in any an
preaching campaign should be broacb-
ed and discussed by the Press. previous
to the caucus. 1t is useless to urge men
TO go where nothing of moment is to be
done when they arrive, but let them
know that questions in which they are
intensely interested are to be settled
there, and that they will be given a cor.
dial hearing and fair treatment. then
they cannot be kept away. AT the con-
vention, means can be taken to secure
the one hundred names necessary to
place the candidates there selected. be-
fore the voters at their primaries. IF
such candidates are satisfactory to the
party, no other will be put in nominal
ton; II they are not satisfactory, those
dissatisfied can secure the nomination
OF n or more candidates by petition.
AND the voters can make their choice