Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-18
REPUBLICAN PLANS.
Probable National Committee Meeting ID
November This Time.
so,rurRx REPRESENTATION.
A Proposition to Reduce the NUM-
her OF Delegates to. the Nation"i
corxeuttou from Democratic
s,,te.-ChicrEo Convention city.

WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE Repuoh-
can National Committee VIII pfop'o''
meet in November this year lns'sao VI
December. which has been the month Sc
lec,ed for many years past Nhilc TINS
conclusion has not besn definitely reach-
oil n il one which meets the views OF the
influential members OF the committee
and little doubt is entertained mat IL VIII
be adopted The Republican leaders ne
lieye that the next national convention
should be held In May. and inasnuch as
the National Committee must give SIX
months notice II Will be necessary TOT
the committee TO hold its meeting IN NO
vember.
1t is purposed by the Republican Lead
ers 10 inaugurate campaign OF euuca-
ton. In order 10 make such campaign
effective II Is necessary that suhciehl
time should elapse between the holdlhS
Of the convention and eiection-ddy III
which 10 acauaint ths voters with al the
facts connected with the contest. III i
argued that little. II any. wCrk IS cone
during the heated term. say from the ;nid-
die of July until the lst OF September
not make its choice before the latter part
of Iune the effective work of the cam
paigu will be limited 20 a period not eN-
ceedinc three months. II the convention
should meet early in May there VIII be
two months in which much useiui WORK
can be performed before the d0g-days ar
rive. and as many more after that pc
Rod.
1t mas been suggested by some OF the
members of the National Committee VINO
are opposed 20 holding the convention In
May that the campaign shall begin ne
fore the delegates meet. To this the OBJ
lection Is made that II would be farcical
TO inaugurate vigorous political crusade
before the party has selected its standard
bearer.
So far as can he learned, the members
Of the National Committee generally favor
the May convention. which will necessi-
tate the meeting of the committee in No
vember. Washington will be the place Of
the meeting. and Chicago is the favored
place for the convention.
APPORTIONMENT or DELEGATES.
The forthcoming meeting of the COM
mit,ee viii consider one question Of far
reaching importance to the party. AZ tho
committees last meeting which was held
in this city I'm December. 1891. a resolution
was introduced by Henry T.. Payne. of
Wisconsin. to base the apportionment Of
delegates to the national convention on
the number of votes cast by the Repub-
lican party at the preceding presidential
election The better part Of one days
session was devoted to n consideration Of
the resolution. which provoked strong OPP
position from the southern members par
ticulary. and the committee adjourned.
leaving il unsettled. II will be the most
mt htfc if,ng fah h..
fore the committee when they reassemble.
The sentiment in favor OF the PROPOSE
ton seems TO have grown rather than di-
minished during the interim. 1t was con-
tended by Mr.. Payne. as we'll as by others
who supported the resolution. that the
conventions as at present constituted give
TO delegates from strong Democratic
States an influence and prominence which
is unfair TO the representatives, from other
States. whose electoral votes are always
cast for the Republican nominee. HIS
contention was that the convention should
be composed Of delegates who represent
the strength Of the Republican party in
the several States. and that this was the
only fair basis Of apportionment.
The southern members argued that the
Republican vote in their States was sup
pressed and for that reason they could
not on the face Of the returns be given
representation in the convention that
would correctly express their real
strength.
One effect Of such rule would be- TO
decrease to some extent at the next con-
vention the representation from States
like New York and Illinois. inasmuch as
both Commonwealths in 1892 cast their
electoral votes for Mr. Cleveland Such
strong Republican States as Ohio. Nassa-
chusetts. and Pennsylvania would retain
their present representation, II. in some
cases. they did not exceed It, The promo
sition Is. therefore, an interesting one.
and 1t Is predicted that the committee
will expend more time in it's consideration,
than will be given even 10 which CITY
shall secure the honor Of holding the con-
yention.