The evening world., 1894-05-14
DIRECT REPRESENTATION
The Philadelphia System Adopted After
Years Thinking About
the Matter.
SHERIFF BUTTLING 4 REFORMER.
History OF a Little Political Deal Which
Did Not Come Out Exactly rs 1t Was
Intended II Should.

Republicans throughout the city are
delighted with their representatives, in
the General Committee for having on
Saturday evening adopted the system OF
direct district representation In conven-
ton, This is the system which pre-
walls In Philadelphia and which was
favorably reported upon over II year
< by the committee sent to Philadel-
phia. of which Naval Officer Theodore
Il. Wills was Chairman.
Thc main governing body, the lem
eral Committee. at that time was not
in sympathy with any sort of movement
hat tended to change the then existing
system. and the majority, led by Elec-
tion Commissioner Jacob Worth m
William j. Buttling. in an
emphatic that they would con-
tinue the old system because II was
good enough-and the only defect in
the party was the presence of the then
Secretary OF the Navy. benjamin l..
Tracy. with his Civil-scrvicc theories.
The Republicans. however, were re-
solved to have Il change, and thu Young
Republican club, which has been "A
source of great good for municipal re-
form. started in to ~reorganize the party
without reference to the men in the or
ganizatlon who were running II for
their own ends.
Jacob Worth quickly foresaw that II
he did not get into the wagon he would
he left to travel on foot along with Ernst
Nathan, Collector of Internal Revenue.
whom he cordially despised. So he II
Ipat tlt.-. 80. I- ~ a.
matter. after which they decided to
revise their opinions and to become
apostles of reform. They gathered in
were the leaders In the Young ltcpub-
liCan club movement. m arranged Il
scheme of re-cnrollmcnt which Buttling
was to manage. 1t was Il great Inn
provement on the old system. but it
left out the direct representation.
Under IT Worth and Buttling expected
TO control the party just as they had
to hoodwink and to destroy Ernst Ma
than.
Their plan worked well so far as the
put in It's outcome 1t also overthrow
Jacob Worth. who found. even with IA
modified system of representation. he
could not control the delegates to the
ling had prepared "A fine plan whereby
the Democrats were to name the Re
publican candidate for Mayor and in
return were to elect Quitting Sheriff.
The history OF this is Wen known.
The friends OF reform permitted Butt
ling to be named for sheriff, preferring
to make their contest In the City Con
Vention. The Idea was that by 80 do
ing they would lead the Willoughby
street machine into renominating David
A.. Body. their weakest man. The
scheme worked well, and to-day Brook
lyn is enjoying a municipal reform
government by reason OF II.
After election Republicans began to
clam2r for direct representation, They
hau ~lscoNered how much power Ii gave
them. and they decided they wanted
all they could get of 1t. Worth had be-
o9ne thoroughly Disguised with It and
who he felt had not treated him
properly. SO he decided to quit poll
tics altogether and went out West to
matism at the Hot Springs.
Buttling devised n system OF direct rep.
resentation and offered 1t as an amend.
ment. Upon lnvestigation 1t was found
dictricts would control the nominations
and Buttling. with his friends, controlled
the Democratic districts. 1t was a neatly
arranged scheme to make Buttling the
BOSS. When this was brought to ligh,
IN n very exhaustive set of tables IRE.
pared by Col. Charles b. Morton, Il start.
ed up several new schemes. and the onc
nnally adopted was based upon the act
-, WV ~ 'iNh 'l''Nl'I
district. so that all Republicans will he
represented in the nominating ronven.
lions II they take part as hey should in
Voting at the district primrrics leIl tc
select delegates to conventions.
The proposed amendments required a
two-thirds vote, and selfish political lead
ers have been trying to defeat it. They
were assisted by men who are looking
for nominations next fail AMI who hr.
lieved that they could better con'Iol the
nominations under the system N vogue
last fall. Early in the week 1t looked as
though these men had won out. but al
the Saturday night meeting the reform
was carried through.
Under the system OF last fall. only 2
little more than half the voters III u ware
were represented, or, in other words, the
majority faction ruled the selection ,.
the delegates to the nominating Conv6h,
tons. Under this system the factions
are all represented in convention. and II
thus allows "A full and fair expression on
the part of all shades Of Republicans. II
is an absolutely fair system. Its only
danger lies in dummy district organiza.
lions. These, however. can only exis,
when the Republicans living in a district
neglect to attend to their political duty