The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-12-12
National Republican Committee
May Take q Shot at Wiscon-
sin Primary Election Law
DELEGATES TO Be NAMED
Wisconsin Politicians in Washington
Greatly Disturbed, and Send Pc
tition to the Committee to
Save Primary PrivileReg

It is virtually settled that all dele
gates at large to the Republican
National Convention must be elected
by conventions. Therefore, if Wis
consin is to have representation in
the convention of 1908, steps must be
taken at once to provide for the call
ing of state convention. The call
for the National Convention will be
issued today or Saturday.
The announcement probably will
cause more excitement in Wisconsin
politics than anything else that has
occurred in recent years. When the
Wisconsin Legislature passed its
sweeping primary election law it was
thought the state would never again
see political convention. That law
not only covered the nomination of
state officers, including members of
of the Legislature, but provided also
that delegates to the National Con
ventions should be elected by direct
vote of the people.
In making this provision the Wis
consin Legislators did not take into
account the p1enary power of the Re
publican Convention to determine the
election and qualification of it's mem
bers. Neither did they consider that
the Republican national committee is
vested with full authority to prescribe
the method by which the delegates
to the convention shall be elected.
No doubt the cry will go up over
the state that this is stalwart trick
to rob Senator LIE Toilette or some
body else Of political rignts. But the
fact remains that for mer Representa-
tive Babcock, Wisconsin's member of
the National Committee, has opposed
and will continue to oppose making
it necessary that convention be held
in Wisconsin to elect the delegates at
large. Even Mr.. La Follette's most
ardent supporters will not deny tina
Mr.. Babcock is a stalwart.
The Wisconsin congressional dele
cation became greatly excited Thurs
day night. Senators La Toilette and
Stephenson had several conferences
and Col. John Hannah, Mr.. La Fol-
lette's secretary, had several inter-
views with Representatives Cooper
and Kustermann.
When the Republican Representa-
tives reached their hotels in Washing
ton Thursday night, they found the
telephones buzzing with calls. The
message that came to them was that
Senator Stephenson was anxious to
meet all member of the delegation
Thursday night at 8do'c1ock in the
library of the Willard hotel. Repre-
sentative Stafford wasssthe only mem
Der of the delegations who did not
show up at the appointed hour. He
had prior engagement and could not
break it to meet Mr.. Stephenson.
Few of the members knew in advance
the purpose of the meeting.
On arriving at the hotel the mem
bers were presented withia petition
addressed to thebRepub1ican National
Committee. This petitions..set out the
provisions of the Wisconsin primary
election law in reference,to the cleo.
ton of delegates at large to national
conventions and requested that the
call for the Republican convention of
next June be so framed assto avoid
the necessity of holding state con-
vention to elect delegates. All men,
bers of the delegations Signed the pc
tition. representative Cooper was
designated to present it to tthe ma
tional committee.
Several months, ago the question
was raised in the Republican National
Committee that it mig ut be desirable
that a change be made insthe manner
of electing delegates. 1t has always
been the practice that delegates be
elected by conventions. The cease of
Wisconsin was cited as anIexamp1e of
a state that had, by law, done away
with conventions. IT, appears that a
subcommittee was thensappointed to
look into this Question, Messrs.
Street, of New Hampshire, and KEEL
logg, of Minnesota, being mem bers of
this committee.