Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-01-06
Congressional Nominations.

Congressional No limitations.
As the-meeting of the Committees
appointed by the different Counties
of this Congressional district is to
take place at New Castle on next
Tuesday, 10th inst. We have been re-
quested to cay few words more rel
ative to the new plan or change de-
sired in the mode of making district
nominations.
Much discussion is going on and
much interest is manifested in all four
counties of the district on the subject,
and all express the same desire for a
deliverance from the old Conferree
System. We believe that the meet
ing at New Castle next week will
not disappoint this general desire, but
give the Republicans of the district
the best change it can. No change
could make matters worse than they
have been.
The first question that will of
course come up is the kind OF change
to be made; whether the popular vote
system, throughout the whole four
counties, or the elected delegate sys-
tenn, for these two are the only ones
spoken of. The popular vote has had
many friends, but from the fact that
a mere plurality under it would make
the nomination it has been thought
not the best. A majority is desired
in whatever new form is proposed
This can be got by the system of elect
ed delegates.
If then this system is determined
upon at the meeting on the 10th, the
next question to be determined is, ,ho'c
shall these delegates be elected, and IN
what proportion to or among the diff
ferent counties. The proportion cen
not be matter of any dispute or
trouble, as it is agreed upon all hards
that it should be based upon the Re-
publican vote of each County, as ex-
pressed at either the last Presidential
or Congressional election. as may be
thought fairest. TIE number OF del
egates from each county will be de-
termined by the ratio or number OF
votes that may be agreed upon as
necessary to elect single delegate.
This number is generally spoken OF
as 500. We think it should not be
less than this ratio, as by it the dis.
trict convention of delegates would
have upwards of 40 members in it
when it assembled to nominate the
candidate.
Taking this then, as the number or
basis for representation in the district
Convention, the remaining question
Is, how shall these delegates be elect
ed; whether by the couEties as
whole, or by sub districts ofthe coun-
ties. This is the most interesting
question in the proposed new plan.
Some are of opinion they should be
elected by q county being divided up
into sub districts of townships and
boroughs each containing 500 Repub-
lican votes or as near as may be.
Others are of opinion that the matter
would be simplifed, and as well OBJ.
tanned, by the Republicans of the
whole county voting for them. The
sub district idea has the advantage of
keeping up the general district idea
of making q nomination as distin-
guished from the county idea. On
the other hand their election by the
whole county would be in accordance
with the manner in which we nomi.
nate all other delegates and candi-
dates, as for instance the delegates to
National and State Conventions. We
do not regard this point as of really
much importance, as in either way it
will remain for the different County
Conventions, that result from and fol-
low the primaries, to east up the
votes received by each candidate for
delegate, the same as now practiced
for all other candidates for County
Offices. These candidates for Con-
gressional delegates in either way
should be announced like all other
candidates are. and in this view 1t
would look as if electing them bv the
whole county would be the safest and
best. Candidates for Congress will
of course announce themselves as
heretofore. There is no way of pre-
venting that But how the delegates
when in district convention shall vote
on or for the candidates before them
from each of the Counties will have to
be determined at the New Castle meet
ing on the 10th. Ifelected by the sub
districts of the counties the candidate
carrying any one such would of course
20 into the Convention with that del
egate and of all such be had the lead
ing vote in. If elected by the whole
county the candidate for Congress
having the largest vote in a county
would seem to be entitled to the whole
of the delegates, at least for time,
say for three ballots, and then if sue
cess for him was out of the question,
their votes could be transferred to
second highest in voteiin the County,
and 80 on. One rule necessary to be
provided for in either case will be the
dropping of the lowest candidate of
all the counties after a certain mum.
her of ball0ts This in order tn se