Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-21
oUTF OF coNeREssIoNAL coMMIrrrr

DUTY OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.
The republican committee for the
Second congressional district will meet
next Saturday for the purpose Of calling
the convention that is to nominate the
candidate to represent this district in
the national legislature. Under estab-
lished usage the functions Of the con-
gressional committee are limited to
making an a-pportionment of the rep
resentation to which each of the three
counties in the district is entitled on
an equitable basis, fixing the date when
the convention is to be held and desig-
mating the place where It will be held,
leaving to the respective county organ
i~zations the detail of arranging for pri-
mary elections and the selection of del
egates to represent the rank and file of
the party in the congressional conven-
ton.
1t is a matter Of notoriety that the re-
publlcans Of Washington and sarpy
counties have already selected their pro
rata of delegates to the convention on
the assumption that the apportionnent
would be the same as that made by the
state central committee for delegates to
the state convention. and on the pre-
sumption that the congressional COM
mlttee would legitimize this action.
While the election of delegates to the
congressional convention prior to the Is
suance Of the call by the congressional
committee is irregular and establishes
a questionable precedent, the congress
sional committee may deem it expedient
10 ratify the action of the two counties
in order to avoid the contention, expense
and time loss incident to holding Of
special primary elections and county
lecting delegates to the congressional
convention through county conventions
is accorded to the republicans of Wash
ington and Sarpy counties it must also
be accorded to the republicans of Doug
las county.
Although the last congressional con-
vention authorized David 81. Mercer to
name the members of the committee
that was charged with conducting the
congressional campaign in this district,
Mr.. Mercer has no right to ask, or *
pect, the committee to pursue an arbi-
trary course in his personal interest as
a candidate. In other words, the con-
gressional committee Of this district rep
resents the rank and file of the repub-
lican party and not any particular indi-
vidual or candidate. Its manifest duty
is to treat all factions and every section
of the district fairly and without dis
elimination against or favoritism for
any candidate or county.
Should the committee deem 1t best to
adopt the Crawford county system, or
nomination Of a candidate for congress,
to which The Bee can see no serious OBJ
lection providing 1t requires a majority
vote to nominate, the new departure
would have to apply to the entire dis
trict and not to Douglas county only.
The same principle should govern If the
committee decides to call a delegate con-
vention to make the nomination.
The republicans of Douglas county
furnished more than flve-sixths of the
votes polled for Mr.. Mercer in the year
1900 and Douglas county republicans
are entitled to their full proportion of
the representation in the next congress
sional convention. If it is conceded that
the republicans Of Sarpy and Washing
ton counties had a right to make pro
vision for the selection Of the delegates
to which they are entitled through their
county committees and county conven-
tons, the republicans of Douglas county
are entitled to the same privilege.
Mr.. Mercer enjoys the advantage of
fixing the time and place for holding the
convention, but he has no right to AFRO
gate to himself the supervision and con-
troll Of the primary elections and con-
ventions so as to prevent a fair and free
expression of the party sentiment
through the ballot box.