The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-25
PROPER REPRESENTATION.

The Republican natlOnal cOmmlttee
at it's next meeting will consider the
question of basis of representation
for the next national convention. Tn
der the present system the Republicans
in each state are allowed TO select two
delegates for each representative in
congress, and two for each United
States senator. The system is not al
together satisfactory. If the Republic
cans had voting privileges in every
state and could thus maintain an eff
ficient party organization, there would
be less objection to the plan.
The present plan, says the Syracuse
On. " Post gives undue representation
in the national convention to the Re-
publicans of those Southern states in
which party organization is practically
wiped out. There is no pretense OF a
fair vote in North or South Carolina,
in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Mississippi, Florida or Texas,f and in
a great part Of Louisiana. In some
of those states Republicans are per-
mitted to vote, their total number is so
small compared with the total number
of voters in the state that it is no factor
at all in the election.
Notwithstanding the virtual suppress
sion of the Republican vote in these
states, the present plan Of representa-
ton gives to Southern Republicans ex
actly as many representatives in a
convention as Northern state having
the same congressional representation
would have. Thus Georgia is given
twenty-six Delegates, just the same
number as Iowa: Alabama has twenty
two delegates, Minnesota but eighteen;
Mississippi is given eighteen delegates.
and Nebraska but sixteen; and so right
through the South delegates are appOr-
toned on the basis of the states rep
resentation in congress, regardless of
the fact that the Republican party is
almost wiped out Of existence in that
section.
The injustice Of this plan OF repre-
sentation appears when the Southern
delegates are permitted in national con-
vention to Offset the vote Of the states
in which the solid Republican MAORI
ties are found; thus Georgia, that will
not give a single Republican electoral
vote, can veto the choice of Iowa.
which thirteen Republican votes il The
electoral college every four years. The
men who make the fight for the party
and carry the burdens and RESPONSE
bilities of the party, should be given
proportiOnate representation in deter
mining what shall be its standard
bearers.
1t is urged that the Southern Republi-
cans would be glad to vote if they could
and that it would be unfair TO abandon
them by taking away their representa-
ton in the national convention. But
it is not necessary TO deprive them or
all representation, and it is more unfair
to give the handful of Republicans in
the Southern states, who cannot cast
4 single electoral vote. the same repre-
sentation in national conventions as the
great mass of Republicans OF the North
and West who have to elect Republl-
can presidents.
Under the present system there is the
temptation as well as the tendency to
maintain a party organization in the
South only for the Federal patronage
il can secure. The Southern Office
holders are thus often committed in
advance to the choice OF the admins
tration. That is hot true in all parts
of the South, for there are some South
ern Republicans who fight Loyalty for
principle and sacrifice more for their
party than is ever demanded OF any
Northern Republican. The question
is certainly worth careful considera-
ton. and is likely to receive ii at the
next meeting of the National commit
! tee.