Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-23
ONE DELEGATE EACH
Is Likely to Constitute the
New Ward Representation
FOR COUNTY CONVENTIONS
Republicans in BOrOughs and Town.
ships to be Similarly Fixed.
SOME PROBABILITIES IN RULES.
Sub-Chairman Gripp Tells Why no Meeting
Was Held Last Night
FOR COUNTY CONVENTIONS
SOME PROBABILITIES IN RULES.
EX-JUDGE FETTERMAN ON THE PLANS

The subcommittee of the Republican
County Executive Committee, appointed at
the last meeting 10 revise the rules for rep
resentation in the county convention, was to
have met last evening at 80 o'clock. The
committee consists of John Gripp, Walter
Lyon, William Germon, and William Finn
as ex-oficio member, he having been the
last County Chairman. Owing to the ab-
sence of Mr. Lyon and Mr.. Germon, no
meeting was held.
Chairman Gripp. sticking out his head
from the second-story window at No. 10
Montour way at IL o'clock last night,
said: 1--WE didn't have a meeting, because
we couldn't get quorum. If we make any
change at all in the rules, it will be that
there shall be 367 delegates in each con-
vention."
That was not the idea that ex-Judge Fet-
terman, for several years Chairman of the
County Committee, had when he talked to
reporter of The DISPATCH yesterday after
noon. 1.-THE county conventions have be-
come too cumbersome, and change is abso-
lutely necessary said he. "When L was
Chairman of the County Committee 1 tried
to get a change made. With one or two
others drew up a set Of rules, by which
there should be two delegates from each
ward in the two cities and two from each
borough and township, and that they
should
VOTE AS INDIVIDUAL DELEGATES.
Nothing was done with it at the time,
but the necessity for cutting down the num-
Der Of delegates was fully realized by every
one. There are now 367 election precincts
in Allegheny county," continued Judge
Fetterman, land in a year when most OF
the county officers are to be nominated there
are nine conventions. Some delegates are
elected to two conventions, but it is safe to
say that there are over 10, 900 delegates. That
makes big draught upon the people, and
considerable drain upon the pockets of the
candidates, as legitimate election expenses
must be paid, and In addition the delegates
expect the successful candidates to pay for
their meals. The County Commissioners
have refused to allow any room in the
Court House to be used for county con-
vsntion, and, therefore, outside halls
must be rented. 1t wouldn't make
much difference, anyhow, that the
rooms in the Court House cannot
be used, for there are few of them large
enough for convention with S67 delegates
and the many other persons who attend. 1t
costs 500 to $50 to get the use of one of the
theaters or big halls in the city, and yet
such place is necessary when there are so
manv delegates.
''The plan adopted at the first meeting of
the County Committee had some objections.
1t was to have two delegates for each men,
Der of the Legislature, to be elected by
Legislative district conventions. That gave
50 to Pittsburg, 10 for the Southside and
So for all the districts north of the ALLIE
ghenv river This made total of so dele
gates making Al enough to nominate. The
objection was that either side which would
be able to obtain six of the Southside dele
gates could gain control of the convention.
The Northside people objected to that, and
i don't know but what the objection was
legitimate.
ONLY ONE DELEGATE EACH.
''Now the plan is to elect only one dele
gate from each ward, borough and township,
and let that delegate vote the Republican
vote that he represents. There are in Pitts
burg 35 wards, in Allegheny 13 wards,
there are 25 boroughs and,,53 townships, max
ing total of127 delegat-F in the convention.
/ think it is the best and fail est plan that
could be devised, and is the best compro-
mise in the Crawford county system that
could be made. Ever since Ben Morgan
ran for the nomination for Mayor Of Pitts
burg on the Crawford county system, the
city it has had no faith in the Crawford coun-
ty system. Mr.. Morgan had more votes for
the nomination than there were Republicans
in the city. and yet his opponent had sew
eral thousand votes besides, all supposed to
be Republicans. That settled the Craw-
ford countysystem here. Itwas never tried
again.
''It is true that the primary election
laws now are more stringent and the penal
ties more severe than for general election,
but it is much more difficult to enforce
them Subterfuges of all kinds are resorted
to, and it is extremely hard to detect them.
"Under the plan of eleeting delegates by
Legislative districts, L can see that there
might have been much hard work to little
good The delegates were to deposit the
Republican vote of their districts. Suppose
Tom Jones and John Brown, were running
against each other? Jones would set up
delegates in five or ten districts, which had,
say, total Republican vote of 20, 600.
BROWN WOULD LAY Low
until he found where Jones had put up his
delegates, and knowing that three districts,
like some of the big ones in Allegheny,
had, saw, total of q, 600 Republican votes,
be would concentrate all his energies there,
and although he might have only 6, as
against the 10 or 20 delegates Tor the
other man, he would gain the election
''The system OF eleeting one delegate for
each ward, borough and township, cuts
down the number OF delegates in each con-
vention one-third, and gives a fairer show
than by the Legislative district plan. Sup
pose put up delegate in a ward which
is or me, but where the delegate is person.
ally unpopular, aud the voters defeat my
delegate, then the responsibility rests on
them. Or, suppose they elect man to
represent their views, and he does not, then,
still the voters are responsible lor him. The
system requires the selection OF the best and
most responsible men in ward. The dele
gate will have the same responsibility as a
member OF the Legislature; if he does not
carry out the views o his constituents he is
responsible TO them, not to the candidates
nor to the system.
"Such plan will require candidates to
select men who are widely known. There