Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-01-16
Delegates TO National ConVen-
tiOnS.

The question Is frequently ashed d.
to how delegates to the National Re
publican Conventions are now to be
chosen. Until four years ago. 1880,
they had generally been selected by
State Conventions. Out of this prac-
tice grew what was known as the
"Unit rule" that was, to Eave the
State delegation to the National Con-
vention a unit or solid for one man for
President. Great opposition arose to
this, from the fact that it deprived the
people of any particular Congressional
district in a State from having their
choice, or being heard in the matter.
Hence the last National Convention at
Chicago, in 1850, distinctly recognized
the right Of tho Republicans Of any
single Congressional district to select
their delegates, two in number. to the
National Convention. This right has
since been recognized by the Republi-
can National committee At "a meeting
of that Committee on December -,
last, the following was therefore order
ed:
"The Republicans of the various
Congressional Districts shall have the
option Of electing their delegates at
Conventions, held in the district at any
time within fifteen days next prior to
the meeting of the State Convention;
or by subdivisions of State Conven-
tions into District Conventions; and
such delegates shall be chosen in the
latter method if not elected previous to
the meeting of the State Conventions. "
From this it is clear the Republicans
of any district have the right to select
their two delegates to the National
Convention. We see nothing to pre-
vent their being designated by direct
vote of the people of any district, or the
different counties of district. But
the trouble is, they will not have the
time necessary or opportunity to do
80, unless they hold distinct and separ-
ate primaries for that purpose. The
coming National Convention is called
for June 3D. The time for the State
one, in this State, has not as yet been
determined, but the fear is that it may
not be fixed later than May Sd, and as
the delegates to National one, if se.
lected by Congressional district, have
to be selected Fifteen days prior to the
meeting of the State Convention" this
would require the districts to act by
the middle of April; and this date is
earlier than county primariers are gen.
orally held, at which all delegates
might be chosen without the inconven-
fence to the voters of holding separ-
ate primary and Convention for that
sole purpose. Then, if not 80 chosen.
the rule, as above quoted, says they
may be chosen "by subdivisions of the
State Conventions into District Con-
ventions." By this we understand
that the delegates in q State Conven-
tioa from the different counties of dis
trict may form themselves into Sub
or District Convention" and
choose the two district delegates. This
has sometimes been done in this State,
but was liable to objections. A better
way, perhaps, would be for the County
Committees of the different counties of
q district to meet early enough and
select conferees, to meet similar con-
ferees from. the other counties of a dis
trict and thus choose the two delegates
to represent it in the National Conven-
ton. This would be the most direct
expression of the people upon the sub
ject, and while being committee work
might in some respects be not a true
expression of the people, yet it is
feasible way and under existing cir
cumstances and rules seems to be al
most the only way left district to have
direct represention in the National Con-
vention. In this Congressional dis
trict, and in all others, the County
Committees can be called at time early
enough to choose such conferees, who
would have no difficulty in meeting at
a date earlier than fifteen days before
the State Convention, as the rule re-
quires. We see no other way out of
this matter only through the conferees
thus chosen, unless we let the matter
90 to and into the hands of sub-com-
mittees of the State Convention.