Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-28
SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS
kicking Because the Party Wants 20
Reduce Their Representation.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., February 81
The Republicans Of the South, accord
ing TO the statements of their represen-
tatiVes in Congress, will strenuOusly
oppose the proposition Of Chairman
Carter, Of the Republican National
Committee, 70 change the plan Of organ
izatiOn for the next national convention.
Two plans we're discussed at the recent
meeting of the executive committeeman
in Washington as the elimination Of the
agitation which has been going on for
some time among northern Republicans
based on the idea that as the South
gives Republican candidates no electoral
votes, il is allowed undue influence IN
the nominating convention. One OF
these plans is 70 allow one delegate 70
the convention for every 1000 votes
cast for the Republican candidate IN
the preceding presidential election; the
other proposition is 70 continue the
present representation Of two delegates
from each congressional district, and
allow an additional delegate for every
every 1000 votes. Either system would
materially reduce the representation OF
the Southern States.
The arguments against the change
were succinctly expressed to-day by
Representative Thomas Settle, Of North
Carolina, the only Republican member
from the South now 10 ths city, who is
prominent in the politics of his State,
and whose father was a leading South
ern Republican. Said Mr.. Settle: The
Southern Republicans will be unaltera-
bly, opposed 20 the change, aud / think
90 very unwiss and impOlitic 10 agitate
the matter 40 this time. Il is an unjust
and unfriendly blow aimed at Southern
Republicans by their Northern breth-
reu. Just at this time, when
the Democratic party has repudiated
It's pledges made through the medium
of its State platforms in every southern
State, for the last fifteen or twenty
years 20 enact q law for the free and IN
limited coinage Of silver as s9On as they
came into power nationally, and while
they are waging war on southern inter
ests snd resources, In their proposed
tariff legislation, it seems that wisdom
would suggest 10 was time 20 extend
hell ping hand TO southern Republicans
rather than strike them a blow. We
fight against odds 90 which northern
Republicans are strangers. The enforce
ment or unjust election laws, dis
eniranchises tens Of thousands Of Re-
publican voters Ia the South Ii would
be a strange proceeding, one not in
keeping With the history and traditions
of tue party, TO endorse these election
laws aud Democratic methods, by deny
ing these disiranChiSed Republicans a
voice in the nominating conventions.
This is dOue If we are only accorded
representation upon the basis Of votes
returned or actually cast. The Repub-
lican party has always protested
against Democratic suppression of
Republican voters TO the South
yet some of it's leaders pro-
pose to deny US representa-
tion in party councils, justin proportion
as We are denied the right of voting by
Democratic chicanery and fraud.
acting under the advice Of northern
leaders We ran no electoral ticket in
Alabama az the last election, that the
Populists might, II possible, overpower
the Democrats. There are other in
stances Of the same sort yet II the pro-
posed plan is carried out such a course
when taken for the interests OF the
party would cut down our representa-
ton in conventions. Another argument
against the change proposed by Chair
man Carter is that IL would increase
the number Of delegates in convention,
while in the past the weakest point in
convention has been that they we're too
large 90 be practically working parlia-
mentary parties"