The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-07-30
CONVENTION REFORM

Whatever else the political man
ayers, the political experts and
the practical politicians may do.
they will no doubt try to take some
action that will prevent the recur-
renee of another such convention
as that which has just closed in
New York if such thing be pos
sible.
Political managers are. of
course, like other people, some
what the creatures of circum-
stances. Perhaps the circumstan-
tes of the convention were to some
degree foreseen, but could not be
fcrestalled; but, however that may
be, they were undoubtedly unde-
sirable both for the party and for
the public.
When national convention
marks the ending of long chase
after presidential nomination
there is likely to be friction and
antagonism in it from the fall of
the gavel. This is because such
chase is not chase by the people,
hut Of the people. People, it would
appear, are rather inclined to re-
sent the determination of any man
70 be a party candidate for Pres
ident whether or no.
Whether the Democratic two
thirds rule should be abrogated
will no doubt receive the careful
attention of the party leaders. In
inN1 of hn nnnn-
cratic National Conventions when
it did not seriously delay the re-
suit. and when it even, at times.
improved the result, 1t will hardly
do to place on it the whole blame
for the New York complications.
The unfortunate situation that
held the convention in session for
more than two weeks was not the
result of rules. but of human am
bition and human antagonism. and
that is something that Is pretty
hard to regulate either by party
laws or party foresight.
With any other convention the
finish is generally rather of the
pell-mell kind. and the longer the
convention is, the worse this con-
dition is.
The delegates are tired, broke"
and want to go home. They are
not in deliberation state of mind.
They merely want to finish the
job. In this condition almost any
man selected by the bosses can be
named for Vice : President - the
conventions last Official duty: or
it may be that without the bosses
approval some name will be
sprung on the convention. and &C
ton will be- taken with a whoop
and a hurrah before anybody
knows-or. in fact, anybody cares
- what the after effects will be.
This kind of thing has undoubt-
edly accounted for some of the
Vice-Presidents whose names are
written permanently in the eoun-
try's history. The candidate for
wee president should, Of course.
be as deliberately and carefully
selected as the candidate for Pres
ident, but should be-" is one
thing and delegate WEAKNESS is
another.
And it is possible that in a con-
vention unduly protracted, the Sc
lection of a presidential candidate
will be made in the same temper.
In all the discussion that will no
doubt take place in regard to con-
yention conditions and their i'm
rrovement, the country may learn
much about what has been and
perhaps more about what should
be. Some plan may be devised
that will improve conditions.
But whatever is done, it should
be constantly borne in mind that
reform, when its ramifications are
rot foreseen and provided for-or
recognized as impossible-is some
! times worse than che old method.
Some rather tenacious deadlocks
have occurred in Republican Ma
! tlonal Conventions, where only a
majority is necessary for choice.
Indianapolis News.