Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-09

PROPER BASIS Of APPORTIONMENT.
The republican city committee is cred
tied with the intention of making an APP
"portlonment for the coming city pri-
maries on the basis Of one delegate for
every fifty votes cast in the city Of
Omaha for the republican candidate for
governor in 1902. On broad lines the
principle Of representation apportioned
according to the number of votes cast
by the party is eminently sound, but in
adopting that principle the committee
should be governed by the fundamental
idea that the apportionment shall repre-
sent the full vote of the party, without
reference to faction or the individual in
terest Of any particular candidate or set
of candidates.
An apportionment on such lines would
be fair and the distribution of delegates
in proportion to the muster roll of the
party would make the convention truly
representative of the rank and file. The
proposed change from arbitrary and in
equitable representation to an appOr-
tionment based ON the relative strength
of the party in each ward and precinct
has for years been advocated by this
paper, and any move in that direction
will meet its cordial endorsement.
There is, however, cogent reason for
opposition to the selection of the vote
cast for governor at the last election as
a basis for the ap~portionment in the
nomination of candidates for the city
ticket. 1t is an open secret that the
vote for governor does not fairly repre-
sent the rank and file of the party in
Omaha, and the manifest aim of the ad.
vocates of this basis is fractional and
purely personal. What they are aiming
at is to ~disfranchise the republicans of
wards that are liable to prefer one can.
didate for mayor in the interest Of other
candidates for mayor. This would be
wrong from every point of view.
Committees are organized to promote
party harmony and success rather than
party discord and disaster. Political
experience shows that it is never safe to
perpetrate~ wrong in the interest OF
any candidate or faction. Curses, like
chickens, come home to roost, and Chi
canery and trickery in the long run are
liable to prove a boomerang.
Established precedent would have die
tated that the basis for nominating q
mayor and city ticket should be the
vote for mayor and city officers at the
last city election. If this basis is lop-
sided because many democrats voted fol
Frank E. Moores and many republicans
voted for w. S. POppleton at the election
three years ago, the vote cast for presi
dental electors would not be open tc
that objection.
1t is safe to assert that all republicans
voted for Mckinley and all democrats
voted for Bryan. At any rate, the per
centage of republicans who voted FOL
Bryan in 1900 and the percentage OF
democrats who voted for Mckinley thai
year is ininitesimal. An apportionment
on that basis would therefore be as
nearly fair as 1t could be made. AID
portioned oil that basis, the Fourth and
Sixth wards would doubtless be giver
many more delegates than the First ant
Second wards, or the Third and Fiftl
wards, etc.
Should 1t be deemed best that a basi.
on a more recent vote than that of tn,
presidential election is desirable, ther
some candidate on the state ticket t.
whom there was no special opposition
should be selected as the standard. If
however, the city committee attempt,
at the very outset of the municipal cam
paign to bar out me set of candidates
and force the nomination Of another Sc
Of candidates 1t will simply lay tn,
foundation for disaster in the sprin.
election.