The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-06-17
REDUCE DELEGATES CUMMINS IN LEAD
QUESTION COMES UP BEFORE RULES COMMITTEE.
All Southern Representatives Claim
 Step Would Ruin All Chances of c. o. F. Below Mason and Dixon Line


 Chicago, June ie.-The question of whether or not there shall be reduce ton in representation in future Ma tional Republican Conventions was dis cussed for two hours today by the Committee on Rules and Order of Busi- ness, witho result. an adjournment being taken until morning
 The basis of the discussion was the resolution offered on the floor of the convention by Representative James of Pennsylvania. providing that here after each State shall be entitled to four delegates-at-large and one deier gate for each 10000 votes or majority fraction thereof cast at the last pre- ceding Presidential election and two delegates from each of the Territories.
 At times the discussion was warm The opposition came entirely from the Southern States. H. H, Myers of Arr kansas, ". H. Lucas of Florida, Sam uel Davidson of Texas and R III. An- gell of Virginia attacked the resolu- ton, claiming that the Republican par ty in the South was working under adverse circumstances in order to bring that section into line. They were agreed that the resolution if adopted, would work great hardship, and would discourage their organiza- ton. They begged that the question be deferred until the morning. They argued that the same questions had been brought up before. and had been defeated at Philadelphia, and they an adverse report.
 The suggestion was voted down whereupon the request that the whole matter go over until tomorrow was granted. Against their contentious however, Representative Burke and c. W. Guthrie of Indiana. George H. Sullivan of Minnesota and c c. Daw. son of Colorado. maintained the propo- sition was fair. Delegate Dawson strongly urged the resolution, insisting that if the South wanted an incentive 10 build up It's organization, the resoiu- ton offered 1t. for by the larger num- Der of votes cast for Republican elec- tors. the greater would be the represen- tation in the convention.
 In explanation of how the South will be affected by the resolution Representative Burke said that taking into consideration the delegates-at- large. South Carolina would have a vote for every 500 votes cast, whereas Pennsyiyania, Colorado and many other States, would have but one vote for every 10000 votes. North Carolina, he declared. would have one vote for every 800 votes, while New York would have but one for eevry 10000 votes. The representation from the State of Mis- sissippi would be practically un- changed.
 While the committee was in session Representative Herbert Parsons of New York was outside with a substitute res olution which he thought should bs adopted. Representative Burke took a copy of 1t in with him to be offered in the event that his own resolution was voted down. The Parsons resolution follows:
 Thereafter the National Convention shall consist of four delegates from each State. two delegates from each of the territories, two delegates from the District of Columbia; two delegates from Alaska, Porto Rico and the Phil ippine Islands. and from each Congress sional district one delegate for ever 10000 voters. and the majority fraction thereof cast for the Republican party candidates for National electors at the last preceding Presidential election; provided, however, that no Congress sional district shall be without at least one delegate, and that in States where all members of Congress are not elect ed from separate districts, there shall not be elected a greater number of delegates than would be the case If all the members therefrom were elected from such separate districts. For each delegate elected an alternate delegate shall be chosen to serve in case of the absence of his principal"
 Mir Parsons was not afforded an ops portunity to address the committee but in an interview said his resolution was in line with what had been done in the State of New York.
 Eighteen States and Territories were not represented at the meeting on ae- count of absence of their delegates as follows:
 Alabama, Georgia, Illinois. Kansas. Louisiana. Massachusetts. Mississippi, Montana. New Hampshire. North Dako- ta, Oklah oma. South Carolina, Tennes- see. Alaska. Arizona. New Mexico and the Philippines and Porto Rico.
 The committee, with the exception of Rules 1 and 12, adopted the rules of the last National Convention. The rules reserved for further discussion tomor- row have reference to the number of representatives and the manner of pro- cedure in the election of delegates to the National Convention. This lat- ter proposition was placed in the hands of a subcommittee composed of Messrs. Sullivan of Wisconsin Burke. Pennsylvania; Moore. Iowa. and Gilbert of Tennessee. who will submit their report tomorrow.