The evening times., 1896-06-05
He Wants The Republican States
to Rule the Party.
JEALOUS OF TIE SOUTH
An Attempt VIII Be Made at st. Louis
10 Have the Delegates AppOrtioned
According to tue PrOportionate he
publican Vote in Congressional Dis
tricts-PMn Favored by Mr.. Quay.

gauon at st. Louis VIII take the Initiative
ineffectinga reform in the representations
future national Republican conventions. 1t
IS proposed to have the delegates appor-
toned according to the proportionate Re-
publican vote in Congressional districts.
This propositions is not ne W one. but since
the last convention. at Minneapolis, where
the denomination OF President Harrison was
accomplished by the delegates from the
States winch did not cast an electoral vote
for the Republican candidate. the matter
has been more earnestly advocated.
Representative Acheson, of Pennsylvania,
who was one of the prime movers to have
the State conventions composed of dele
gates based upon the Republican vote I'D
the various districts. is taking deep in
tcrest in having the same system extended
10 national conventions.
He has been in consultation with Senator
Quay. who is thoroughly in accord with the
proposition made by National Committee
man n. b. Scott. OF West Virginia, and sub
mitted to the national committee three
years ago, 10 have delegates elected upon
the basis of 900 Republican votes for each
delegate. and additional delegates for a
fraction exceeding half that number.
A JUST SCHEME.
After consulting with Senator Quay MI.
Achcson has prepared statement and ta-
bles showing the changes that would be
made by the adoption of the new basis
Of representation. 1t is proposed, when
the delegation reaches st. Louis, TO have
a caucus and act upon the new scheme.
If II is ndorsed, then Gov. Has iDgs, as
spokesman for the delegation, will present
it to the convention The matter will come
before that in regular shape, and can be
acted upon.
The justice of the scheme appeals to all
Of the Republican leaders. Representa-
tive Acbeson, who has given this subject
much thought, says in explana tioD of the
new proposition:
This subject was brought before the
convention of 1884, by Judge Ewing, of
Uniontown, who proposed that representa-
ton thereafter in national convent ions
should he based upon the Republican vote
cast in each district.
1T was bitterly opposed by the dele
gates from the Southern States, who
claimed that it was not fair, because the
Republican vote in the South was sup
pressed. Ex-Congressman John R. Lynch,
| Of Mississippi, who was temporary chair
man of that convention, made the prD-
cipal speech against the measure.
JEALOUS OF THE SOUTH.
However, the subject has attracted the
attention Of leading editorial writer's of
the country at times ever since, and es-
pecially since the national convention of
| 1892, in which the delegates from South
1 +nfa ,,h
! termining the result. 1t was alleged at
Minneapolis that the denomination of Presi
dent Harrison was effected by the delegates
froIa Southern States, which could not give
nim an electoral vote.
"A the meeting OF the Republican nation
nj committee, held during the succeeding
summer, n. b. Scott of Wheeling, the mem
Der of the national Committee from West
| Virginia, offered n resolution providing that
! representation of the various Congression
al districts in future national conventions
be based upon the Republican vote polled
therein, one delegate being allotted 10
each district for each 1000 votes, with an
additional delegate for a fraction exceed
ing half thereof, each district to have at
least one delegate.
This resolution was faverably consid
cred, but action thereon was postponed
1t was favorably received by the press OF
| The country generally
1T is understood that Mr. Scott will
| bring the matter up again at the meeting
of the national committee, preceding the
opening of the convention at st. Louis
and will ask that his proposition be favor
ably recommended by the Committee
PREVAILS IN SOME STATES.
The same principle prevails in nearly
every State. Indeed, representation il
almost every State and county convention
N the country is based upon the Repub
icau vote. This is as it should he. n,
good reason can be given why the sam,
principle should not apply to the suprem,
council of the Republican party, the ma
uonal convention.
''If Mr.. Scott's proposition be adopted
the representation of all but three State
would be affected. The representation o
fifteen States would be decreased, tn,
representation of twenty-six would bt
increased and that of Kentucky, Missour
This estimate is made upon the basis O
the vote cast for Congress in each distric
in 1894. That is taken because the vot
OF 1896 is more likely to approximate
the vote of S94 than that of S92.
"In many districts, doubtless, the vot
In 1896 will exceed that polled in 1894