San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-06
REDUCED DELEGATIONS.

, interests Of political decency and
honesty, agitated for the republi.
can conventions OF this state, will
be greatly furthered by the adop-
ton OF such regulations as will
curtail the numbers participating
in the conventions. Proxies should
be ruled out entirely, or confined
to citizens of the county repre-.
sented thereby. This would pre-
vent any one member of the con-
vention representing more than
any one county and W ould go far
towards preventing undue exercise
OF power in the hands of any one
man. But it is equally important
that the numbers represen ting any
county in the state convention, be
no greater than the number of
votes In the convention to which
that county is entitled. This num-
Der should be settled upon the basis
of the actual number of votes cast
by that county for the candidates
of the party at its last election.
In the regular nominating conven-
tions of the state, it should be
based upon the vote cast by that
county for governor; in the con-
ventions to choose national dele
gates, it should be based upon the
number of votes cast for the presi-
Dental electors. No more men,
bers Of any county delegation
should be seated in the convention
to participate in its deliberations
than there are votes allowed to
that county in the apportionment.
All others in attendance from
that county should be given
seats among the spectators
Of the proceedings. 1t is a
notorious fact that the conventions
are overriden by numbers of COL
ored men from the black belt of the
state, sent there and paid for going
by those who are interested in using
them, that by force of numbers
alone they may make it appear
that the sentiment of the conven.
ton is overwhelmingly in given
direction, whereas, were no voices
heard but those of actual delegates,
each representing one vote in the
conventions, the result would be
directly different. Such restriction
would directly tend to lessen the
confusion, remove the power OF
corruption from the hands of de-
signing bosses in large degree, and
in every way tend to promote the
order and propriety of the conven-
tious. AS it is now, and has been,
the colored men from a few
counties, claiming all colored
residents as republican voters,
when there is no truth or justice
in such claim, come up to the con-
ventlons in hordes, their car fare
and hotel bills paid by the bosses
who employ them and the true
voice Of the convention is never
heard on account of the actual pam
demonium which they raise. II
the conventions OF the party are to
be conducted,Iwith that regard to
general decency and the accom-.
plishment of business that is de.
sirable, then must they be purged
of this unseemly horde of men who
represent nothing, except the pur-
chasing,power Of those who sum-
mon their attendance at the gath
erings Of the party. Restrict the
delegations in their representations
to the number OF votes actually
returned as cast for the last candl-
dates Of the party state or national;
then permit only one delegate to
each vote, and none but delegates
to a seat in the convention to par
ticipate in its work. and long step
has been taken in the direction OF
more orderly conventions. At the
same time an important check
has been put upon such attempts
to override the convention by a