The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-05-09

FORAKER ought TO nave enough IN
terest in the people Of Ohio to be con-
cerned as to the great question, whether
the people are to be disfranchised in
the coming State Convention. Usurp-
ing committees and party bosses are
plotting to nominate our officials, by
trampling under foot the rights OF the
people. How do you stand on that,
Senator? We are for the people and
representation of the people. If you
are not for US, you are against US. 1t is
not Mr.. Hanna alone, that we oppose,
but the man whoever he is, who says he
will run us and the Government too,
without our assent or consent. And we
will marshal under no mans banner
who does not fight against such bOssism.
Since the above was put in type the
following has appeared in the papers
as declaration of Senator Foraker:
sT am in favor of the primary or con-
vention plan, every time, and always.
The Republican party can not afford to
turn the selection of these delegates
over to the committees. The precedent,
If it became general, would culminate
in ultimate disaster. It is not Republi-
can. It is denying to the people what
is their right. 1t is turning the party
over to the very few and taking its
organization and control out of the
hands of the very many. Heretofore
it was in isolated cases, where there
was universal acquiescence, that the
practice was engaged in; to make it
general, to force committee selection
on counties, in opposition to the wish
of section of the party, would be a
grevious wrong which would plague
and annoy US and tend to sunder the
party more than any other one thing |
can speak of. It is unfortunate that
the committee plan is being encour-
aged; our candidate for Governor
should be nominated by the whole
party through delegates deriving their
power from the party, not fraction OF
| It in each county, but the party in its
entirety as represented at primaries or
| in convention. This is my conviction
now, as it has been always. I regret
there is any controversy on the subject.
Committee, simply because they may
should not name delegates to the State
convention; they are justified in so do
ing only in instances where 1t is an un
challenged fact that the party as unit
practically, is content to defer to the
action of the committee. 1t was in the
convention of 1896 that a resolution was
adopted which clearly expressed the
sentiment of the party as being agains
the committee. 1t looked as it thii
would be accepted as rule of the
party until repealed by a similar pro
ceeding; but when the State Centra
| Committee met to arrange for the 189
convention General Grosvenor appear
ed befored the body and made speecl
against the resolution, holding th'
committee and not the convention wa
supreme, and succeeded in having tn
resolution ignored in the call. and |
has been ever since by subsequen
committees.
This is sound; but there is system
ic effort being made to capture tn
convention by the appointment OF dele
gates by central committees and hold
ing the sentiments he does in the sut
ject, Senator Foraker should take ot
his coat and help defeat this attempt q
organized usurpation. The people dc
mand leaders who will lead.