The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-16
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
1t Refuses to Recommend Any Change
I'm Ratio of Representation.

Ii Refuses to Recommend Any Change
I'm Ratio of Representation.
ST. LOUIS. June 15.-The national COM
mittee, by vote OF 81 TO 4. to-day decided
that II was inexpedient for the committee
to make any recommendation to the ma
tional convention regarding a change Of
the basis of representation. The four neg
ative votes were cast by Wilson, of Della
ware; Scott. of West Virginia: Payne. Of
Wisconsin. and Hatch, OF Alaska.
When the committee met Mr. Payne in
troduced the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the national committee
after the basis of representation from the
several States shall be fixed at four dele
gates at large and one additional delegate
for each seven thousand votes or majority
fraction cast in each State for the Repub-
lican electoral ticket at the last preceding
election; that each Territory and the Dis
gates, and that the delegates be appor-
toned to the several congressional dis
tricts Of each State upon the same basis"
Mr.. Payne made a speech in support Of
the amendment. saying that the States
which cast Republican votes should have
an increased representation at the conven-
tion. and that the representation ought to
be on the basis of Republican votes. IT."
he said Nevada casts $1,000 Republican
votes and Mississippi. for instance, casts
the same number, Nevada should have the
same representation in the convention that
Mississippi has, but that cannot be under
the present system" He declared that the
Republicans of the North were emphatic in
their demand for reform in this respect.
the Republicans of the South would be able
to cast an increased vote, and have IL
counted, but under existing circumstances
he thought the proposed change necessary
would m q nd
the change to the convention.
Mr.. Clayton opposed action on the reso-
luton by the committee, coutending that
the question was proper one for the con-
yention to deal with, but not for the COM
mittee. He. however. would vote for con-
He did not believe the national committee
had any power TO consider IL. His good
friend. Mr.; Payne. seemed. he said. to
licans had been told that they must work
out their own salvation, and they had been
trying TO do that Furthermore. he de-
clared, growing very earnest, they should
have succeeded If they had been let alone.
If Northern money had been kept out
the charges now made" a Southern mem.
ber interrupted to say.
Continuing, Mr.. Clayton said he referred
to no special candidates efforts to control
In that section. but that all influence from
the outside was pernicious; yet bad as
were affairs in the South, they were no
worse than had been shown here to exist
which the resolution proposed to give more
representation.
resolution, saying he hoped to never again
see presidential candidate nominated by
Southern votes and defeated at the polls.
Mr.. Hill. of Mississippi. complained of
Mr.. Payne's want of consistency in propos-
ing to take three votes from Mississippi
and add six to the District of Columbia.
He denounced the plan as one calculated
TO disfranchise the South on the Demo-
cratic plan.
Mr.. Sutherland supported the PROPOSE
ton, saying he never wanted to again have
TO hear the recital of such dsgraceful
scenes as had been detailed here during
committee should be instructed TO require
the certification Of all delegates by the
State committee
sensationah though a very brief speech
in opposing the resolution I'VE will be all
right in the South, he said. IF you will
only keep your noodle and the emissaries
Of your candidates from the North at
home. 1t is just as well TO be plain about
IT, TINS is the influence which demora.izes
South is overrun by the emissaries who
come among us, get men out and give
them money TO FIX things for their candi-
dates. The money seldom goes further
than to the first man to whom 1t is handed
but II has q oernicious influence all the
same. Now. / repeat. you must keep your
corruptionists at home and your Doodle
Also Continuing. he said that the South
ern Republicans conducted themselves with
all due decency until 1850. when men were
sent through the South TO corrupt the vote
in favor of Blaine against General
Grant. and he asserted that the man who
was responsible for the inauguration of the
system now held seat in the United States
Senate He said the adoption of the reso-
luton would merely open the doors for
fraud.
Mr.. Scott. of West Virginia. the origina-
tor of the plan proposed. declared. as
Southern man. that the present system
was wrong. and asserted that but for the
10 txrnfn nf off Fl rl i'm he linn
apolis convention. many being from the
South, General Harrison could not have Sc
cured the nominal ton.
Ex-senator Carey. of Wyoming. opposed
the resolution on the ground that it wou d
give the large States an undue interest in
national affairs
AT the conclusion of the debate Mr.. Claw
ton. OF Arkansas. moved substitute. an
amendment 10 the effect that the commit
tee shall disciaim jurisdiction to make any
such recommendation TO the national con-
Sentiori. 7f s-
Al the request of Mr. Fessenden. of Con-
necticut. the resolution was. modified to
pedient to make any recommendation
whatever 10 the national convention on
this subject"
The resolution as modified was adopted
by a yea and nay vote-5l to L.
The national committee refCsed to Increase
the delegation from the District of Coum-
bia from two TO six The proposition for
an increase was bitterly opposed by COM
mitteeman Perry Carson. on the ground
that IL would give an undue advantage TO
his opponents.
Chairman Carter stated that the national
committee had received reso iutions from
chambers OF commerce. boards OF trad
and other organizations on q variety OF
subjects, and II was promptly decided to
refer them all 10 the committee on rules
and order of business OF the convention.
Mr.. Carter then stated that the rule OF
the Republican party requiring that the na-
-tional committee shall give six months no.
uca OF = meeting OF a national convention