The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-18

Inc fSepuDlc4n EXECUTIVE COlubostteS
III it's recent session IN Washington
1klled to adopt the Payne plan for APP
psrtionmsnt of delegates 10 the next
Ektional convention. Mr.. Hanna dr.
epproysd OF q change 10 radical. and
his influence was inanifestly sufficient
to thwart tho attempt to make the great
gathering at philadelphia more distinc-
lively serreeentatiye IN character. THIS
a. matter Tor regret siAasaiueh a. the
present system Of apportionment is un-
fair and the Payne proposal was gen.
craliy commended throughout the coun-
try by both press and people.
A Republican national convention
should be made up Of delegates who
represent Republican voters. and each
delegate should act as the agent Of APP
proximately the same number Of people
as every other delegate. The Republic
cans OF the country select their stand
ard bearer through the convention. and
II there is to be q popular expression
s0f choice each state should receive
representation according to the number
! 81 Republicans within ~ borders.
! Under the present system. which al
lows each state delegation equal to
twice the number OF senators and menu
bers OF congress- without regard to the
states political complexion, congress
sssional districts which are almost solidly
4 Democratic have 4 voice and influence
IN conventions equal to that Of districts
overwhelmingly Republican. In not q
few conventions Of recent times the
selection sof the presidential candidate
has turned upon the action Of delegates
sfrom states hopelessly Democratic. That
Is to say. the question Of the nominee
Is determined by people who do not
Schoose q sinsse electos pledss4s TO ythat
nominee.
A study Of the makeup Of the st..
Louis convention, as well as Of the vote
of 1895. discloses the. glaring inequaii-
ties Of the present method Of appor-
stionment. Florida and Vermont are
i entitled to twelve delegates each in the
convention. Florida gave Mckinley in
round numbers 1000 votes, while In
Vermont he received $4,000 votes. vir-
ginia and Wisconsin each have twenty
four delegates, but the Republican can
didate In 1896 received in Wisconsin
s26S.000 votes, while in Virginia he had
only $4,000. A more astounding in
stance Of influence undeserved IL to be
noticed In the case of Mississippi. and
Minnesota. Each state had eighteen
delegates to the last Republican con-
vention, but while Minnesota had 1913, 900
votes recorded for the Republican can
sdidate, Mississippi had but 5000. Five
thousand men in mississippi had as
much to say as to who the Republican
candidate should be as $4,000 men in
Minnesota; one man from Mississippi
had a voice equal to that OF thirty
eight men In Minnesota
The unrepresentative character OF
conventions AZ made up under such a
system az that now in vogue becomes
zapparent' At 9 glance. and 1t is surpris-
] Ing that the work Of remodeling the
plan, Of superintendent was not under
taken long ago. 1t Is unfortunate that
a method on the lines of the Payne
resolution could not have been adopted
just at this time when the party was
never so free from discord. The work
M the convention at Philadelphia has
practically : been determined upon; no
rivalries exist. and an opportunity SO
favorable for reform. in the absence Of
party dissension, 10 not likely to present
Itself again for many years. Mr.. Hanna
has made mistake In not graspins that
opportunity