New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-18

|
the evening session directions were adopted
for district representation.
THE VICTORY OF THE BOSSES.
THE PLAN OF ADDITIONAL REPUBLICAN REPRE-.
| sENTAlIoN DEFEATED BY VOTE OF % TO 10
GBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE warnin gs sent out in
| THE IRiBUNE's dispatches for some days past of
the probability of failure the part of the Nation
al Committee to provide additional representation
for Republican districts in the next National Com
ventiOn have been verified. The National Con-
mittee, bya vote Of 90 to 10. decided to-day that
the present rotten-borough system of represen-
| tation shall be maintained
| This was accomplished by the votes of the Dem.
ocratic or doubtful States. many of them in the
| South and the Territories. There were exceptions
to the rule, Of course. both sides but the States
which will have no electoral votes to give to the
| Republican party in 1884 practically decided how
tho convention of next year shall be constituted.
| The final vote on the present system of represen-
| tation was taken shortly before O'clock this
afternoon, after the Committee bad been in session
| for nearly six hours. All this time had been oc-
| cupied in desultory and good -natured discussion
of the questions at stake. The only symptom of
unpeasantness appeared at one time in an earnest
| coiloquy between Secretary Chandler and Senator
Logan, but 1t was hardly more than earnestness on
| either side.
The vote stood % in favor of the present system
| to Is against. The States and Territories voting
for the present system were Alabama, California,
Florida, Georgia. Illinois. Indiana, Kentucky Min
nesota. Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New-York,
North Carolina, Oregon. Rhode Island, South Caro-
lima, Texas Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
Dakota, New-Mexico, and Wyoming. The States
and Territories voting In the negatives Connecti-
cut, Delaware, Iowa. Kansas Maine,
Maryland. Massachusetts,. Michigan, New
Hampshire New-Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee,
Vermont, Washington Territory, and the District Of
| Columbia Ex-senator Dorsey and Senator Cam
eron being absent, Arkansas and Pennsylvania
| were not represented. Ex-Governor Warmoth, the
member from Louisiana. and Ex-Governor Routt Of
Colorado, were also absent
The S;alwart influence was thrown from the first
IN favor of the preseut system of representation and
against any change. Senator Logan acted as tho
spokesman of that side, while Secretary Chandler
and Senator Frye were leaders OF the minority
One interesting feature of the meeting, according to
, number of those present. was the manifest
catering of Senator Logan Presidential candi-
date to the delegates from the South. AS one Of
| them expressed it, he demsgoging for South
| ern delegations in the Convention of 'Si. 10 need
hardly be said that this result was great dsap-
have felt that the existing situation in the party
Imperatively demanded some concession to the more
| independent element
secretary Chandler said afterward that he
thought the Committee had missed great oppor
tuniy There emergency In Republican
politics and instead of showing the wisdom peces-
sary to meet it, the Committee had been governed
by men who were grsspng for power and anxious
only TO obtain it. The members from the Southern
States had been unwilling to part with any of the
strength which their States held under the present
system in National Conventions, aud so had pre-
vented the Committee from responding to the sent-
ment of the country in favor of increased represen-
| talion for Republican States.
Chairman Jewell greatly disappointed, and
Senator Frye likewise. Senator Frye said that he
was inclined to believe that if some proposition
could have been put forward which involved repre-
sentatlon based upon the Republican vote, without
seeming o discriminate against districts which
might through some local cause have failed TO elect
Republican Congressman, il might have been
adopted. The great objection urged against the
Chandler plan was that by Dasing the additional
representation solely on Republican strength in
Congress, district which had lost its Republican
Congressman would lose its additional representa-.
tion whereas If there cOad have been some propo-
sition say for additional delegate to every
Congressional district for every 10000 Republican
votes, without regard to the fact whether It had
Republican Congressman or not it might have met
with favor. The difficulty was that the National
Convention distinctly required the National Com
mttee to provide for district representation, and IL
was impossible therefore adopt any system based
entirely upon the Republican vote without regard
to district lines.
TIE action of some members Of the Committee
was viewed with sui prise and regret No one ex'
pectsd. of course, that Senator Logan or Assistant.
secretary New would vote otherwise than they
did, or that Second Assistant General El-
mer, acting proxy for ex-senator Platt could
connt New-York on any but the side they took;
Mr. w. A. Pierce. Of Rhode Island, were unexpected
the latter especially so inasmuch as he made
% psh in the there s%S%d be 5nat
representation for Republican constituencies, aud
yet voted with the opponents Of the measure, on
S sUddbn Ubout n1 ~ 'ns BoS Gr wa.s ana N.Y.
Pierce represent States that are supposed
to be in harmony with the idea of additional
representation; aud both disappointed its friends.
Mr.. WashbuTn's feeling, II is understood, was that
he could not see his way clear 10 adjusting the add
tiona representation satisfactorily. The decision
was regarded as distinctly victory for the BOSSES
and the ele, ion of that side Of the Committee aud
among their sympatblzers outside, was not con-
ceaed.
The evening session, lasting about three hours.
was harmonious. aud resulted as was expected, IN
the adoption OF explicit directions for district rep
resenatlon. The plan agreed TO leaves &c at the
option OF the dis ricts whether they shall elect their
delegates In home conventions or at the state con-
ventions acting by districts, fixes period near the
time of the National Convention within which the
delegates must be elected, and goes 90 far
in asserting the independence OF the
district as to direct that the district
delegates shall be accredited to the National Con-
ventlon by the officers of their respective distrct
conventions, and not by the officers Oh tho otate
Convention. as heretofore: :,
The objection was raised in the informal discus.
sions after the committee adjourned that IL opened
the way TO confusion and difficulty at the National
Convention. Those who favored the provision adj
nitted that it might have tendency to stimulate
contests. and make II difficult 20 deal with
them; out that IL was urged, was one Of the evils
of district represen tationnUt to be compared with
the old evil of boss" rule. when tho
district representation was denied. Mr..