The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-11
Republican National Committee Dis
cusses q New Basis of Representation.
Il Would Materially Reduce the Voting
Strength Of 5olidly Democratic States
in the Next Convention.
Meeting of the League of Clubs Auspi-
ciously Opened at Louisville.
General Clarksons Speech-GOSsip About Off,
cers-Futile Effort to Induce the Indi-
ann Delegation TO Mix In.
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
Carter Made Permanent Chairmsn-Bssis Of
Representation-Out of Debt
STAFF Correspondence of the Indianapolis Journal
LOUISVILLE, May 10.-The Republican
national committee. at it's session to-day.
had much moro important question for
discussion than the tweedle-dee-and-
tweedle-dum point as to whether OF not
Chairman Carter held his position regu-
larry or not. and nearly all day was spentin
discussing it. This question was rad
ical change in the method and basis Of rep
resentation at national conventions, sug-
gested in q resolution By u. B. Scott, of
West Virginia. that delegates be elected
by States, each State being allowed one
delegate for each seven thousand votes
cast for Republican candidates at the pre-
ceding presidential election. There were
votes enough in the committee to carry
this proposition as amended by Henry
G. Payne. OF Wisconsin, so that no State
could be shut out, but the committee
thought 1t wiser to defer action until some
future date. after the Republican press
and people had had full opportunity to dis
cues the question.
CARTER FORMALLY MADE CHAIRMAN.
The question of Mr.. Carriers retention
was very easily determined. NJ. II. De
Young. vice chairman, turned mp this
morning. with the announced in
tention of presiding. and it was
at once determined TO let him down
easy. Mr.. Carter called the committee to
order, and the following were present:
Scott. of West Virginia; Youngblood, Of
Alabama; Clayton. Arkansas: DeYoung.
California; Sanders, Colorado; Fessen-
den, Connecticut. by proxy; Layton,
Delaware; Wilson, Washington; Hill.
Mississippi; Dubois. Idaho; Campbell.
Illinois; Taylor Indiana; Clarkson. Iowa;
Leland, Kansas; Bradley. Kentucky; Man.
ley. Maine; Gary. Mary land; Crone. Massn-
chusetts: Malts. Michigan; Evans. Mime
sofa, by proxy; Ksrens. Missouri; Botkin.
Montana. by proxy; Rosewater, Nebraska;
Cheney. New Hampshire. by proxy; Ho.
bart. New Jersey; Hahn. Ohio; Sutherland,
New York; Cowles. North Carolina; Mar
tin. Pennsylvania; Potter. Rhode Island;
Hill, Tennessee; Kittridge. South Dakota:
COlburn, Vermont; Scott West Virginia.
and Payne, Wisconsin.
Mr.. Carter then, pending the ratification
of the executive committees choice, sur
rendered the gavel to MIR. De Young. The
first business done with Mr.. De Young in
the chair was to accept the resignation of
Mr.. McComas, of Maryland. es secretary,
and the unanimous election of Mr.. Maniey,
of Maine. to succeed him. Mr. Carter
then gave o detailed account of
<hA 81
ment, carefully reviewing the work
In each State and showing to tho satisfac-
tlon of the commlstee the main causes of
the defeat. At the close of his address Mr.
Clay ton offered the resolution agreed upon
last n;eht, but De Young ruled it out of
order. The resignation OF Campbell was
then accepted, and. upon motion OF Mr..
Clayton. Mr.. Carter was unanimously elect
ed chairman by the adoption of the reso-
luton agreed upon. aud that absorbing
question was settled.
BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
Itwas then that Mr.. Scott offered his
resolution upon the basis of representation,
and a warm debate was at once aroused.
The resolution was the outcome of O feel
ing that has been growing in the party for
the past decade that the South, which
10 able to do nothing whatever for
the party at the polls. wields entirely
too much influence in the national con-
ventions. Out of this condition OF affairs
have grown frequent intimations of
corruption or 0tiioe-h0lding influence that
that have tended to weaken the strength
of party nominees. The plain effect of the
resolution would be to largely out down
the representation OF Democratic States,
and the Southern members of the commit
tee opposed it strongly. Powell Clayton,
of Arkansas. led the opposition In q
m w
he pleaded eloquently In behalf
of the Southern Republicans who
must make their fight against such
heavy odds. and demonstrated that such
ruling by the national committee would
almost. if not completely. shut out some of
the Southern States. Other Southern rep
rese1 e1tatives mado speeches on the same
line. and other addresses were made in be-
half OF the resolution, or something to the
same effect. The justness of the opposi-
tion was appreciated, and Mr.. Payne drew
no and offered the following substitute to
Scotts resolution:
Resolved. That the basis or representation in
the next Republican national convention be
fixed at four delegates at large for each State
and one additional delegate for each seven thou
sand votes or majority fraction thereof cast in
each State for the Republican electoral ticket az
the election OF 1892 and that each Territory
and the District OF Columbia be entitled to two
delegates provided that no congressional dis
trIct shall have less than one delegate.
This was opposed just as warmly by the
Southern members. and finally test vote
was taken. upon motion by Mr.. Clay ton.
to table the resolution. This motion was
defeated by @ vote of is TO TO- showing q
clear majority in favor OF it. Later
Mr. Fessenden, of Rhode Island,
changed, making the vote 10 TO 9.
This was far, however, as the major
ity cared to co. and a motion was carried
that further discussion of the subject be
deferred until the next meeting
of the committee, to be called
ct the discretion of the chairman. Aside
from the fact that the committeemenlde-
sired q full discussion of the snbiect by
the people the vote disclosed but twenty
eight mem bers present. eeven having de-
parted for the Derby, and they preferred
that SO important question should be de-
termined by a full meeting of the commit
tee. The vote as finally recorded on Mr.
Clsyton's motion to table the resolution
stood thus:
Yeas-Youngblood. Alabama: Clayton, Arkan-
sas Layton, Delaware; Hill, Mississippi Brad
ley. Kentucky; Gary; Maryland; kerens; Mis-
souri, Hobart, New Jersey; Cowies. North Caro-
lna-9.
Nays-De Young. California; Sanders, Colora-
do; Fessenden. Connecticut; Campbell. Illinois;
sas; Manley. Maine; Crone. Massachusetts,;
Payne Wisconsin, Maltz, MichigaD; Rosewater.
Nebraska Hahn, Ohio; Sutherland. New York;
Martin, Pennsylvania; Potter, Rhode Island;
Kittridge. south Dakota; Scott. West Virginia;
Carter, chairman--l9.
This question being disposed of, the COM
mittee gave hearing to Mrs. j. Ellen Fos-
ter. OF Iowa. who suggested various plans
for organization among women.