New-York tribune., 1908-06-15
prMEDY FOR CONTESTS
opvSBY MHARGS views.
uro,d Limit Representation in
National Contention.
rr,r reierrarh TO The Tribune ]

June 14.-Every political leader in
- - every man who has the interest of the
z,t.an marty at heart. deplores the hunliliat-
epN-o,tacle presented by the great aggregation
ine .os+s which confronted the national COM
- r-,er it met here on June 4. There were
IN. NTH the secretary Of the committee 229
"s os+e of which practically 219 materialized.
-. member Of the committee has expressed
-, over this situation, although in the
60 and hustle OF convention conditions few
-. so,nd time TO evolve anything approaching
Hsv one man. however. Ormshy Mcdars.
-, nalota and Washington. the attorney
-enresented the Taft delegates before the
--i,,ee. has given serious consideration to
.,,r,ect. and to-day consented 10 express his
.o- publication in The Tribune. In this
o,+ion II may be said psrenthetically that
,.,-1-e-Jilze methods. the cleanness Of his evil
- and the husinesslike manner in which Mr..
-, b-ouCht out his testimony and conduct
"a. a-gun1ants have won the admiration 5f
-. ie-re majority of the national committee.
.,.,eqrirv in The election of delegates to the
.,onaI convention be obtained by attach
=, honest value TO each seat. treating 1t
I.n the same respect. irrespective of the part
!. +na country from which the delegate comes
= tben refusing TO barter the seat Of any dele
.a for partisan purposes said Mr.. McHarg
a. affirm Il as an obvious proposition that as
- as the Southern delegate knows that his
nov ba 2Ised 10 trade with for partisan ed
,on-age he cannot respect it as does the delegate
So, +ba North. and that only when his rights
- absolutely respected will there be removed
s-,- ,be selection of delegates from the Southern
..s.ss that element Of hazard and gambling that
-..,1ts in the multiplicity of contests which con-
A PROCESS OF ELIMINATION
81 srn proceeding. you will see, by process
.. elimination. First, therefore, submit that
. * essential that the Southern delegate entitled
. seat in the convention should have every
assurance thar II is only necessary that he prove
his title in order 10 secure 1t. Any other condi-
-, Is potical anarchy. In the next place.
,-o convinced that all testimony considered by
=. national committee should be in the form OF
s.,-n depositions, the evidence to be taken in
.be loca1irv where the contest arises, in due legal
4,--n This would eliminate one of the most
,ursrf1l incentives TO the institution Of con-
tests hv irresponsible persons. the opportunity
- conoa 10 the convention city. with expenses
nsi6 and win q certain form of cheap notoriety
ny an oratorical display before the national COM
-ni+ree As things are now conducted, men who
never by any chance could secure publicity in
tbe metropolitan press can. by making stump
speeches before the national committee. secure
snotoriety which is TO them the essence Of graf
ifcstion,
81 now come 10 the definite steps which. from
vide observation. believe should he taken by
The national committee TO remedy the defect in
me present system. I submit that the responsi-
hfty for sending regular delegates TO the ma
rola on he
r-ganizations: that the national committee
spuld prenare simple code of laws governing
rsselecrion Of delegates. which should provide
If conditions under which the state central,
y state executive and the district committees
rould be recognized as the regular representa-
nTes Of the party in state or district tnat an
accurate record should be kept Of the chairman
and secretary Of each state and district commit
tee: that credentials signed by these officers
should be accepted as prirna faCie evidence Of
yegUlarity-in a word. that the local organiza-
tion should be invariably recognized as conpe-
tent 10 prove its own acts: that the delegate
possessing credentials so attested should be
placed on a prima facie temporary roll, and that
any who sought 10 invalidate such credentials
should bear the burden Of the proof. Finally,
do not believe the national committee should
attempt TO 20 back Of the acts OF the state
and district conventions. The only question
which the national committee should consider
should be how far from the prescribed party
procedure had been the conduct Of those con-
ventions. I would make the local organization
responsible for the calling Of the convention ana
limit the inquiry Of the national committee TO
questions of fraud in the convention You ask
this would not operate TO build UP and per-
retuate political oligarchies in certain states.
believe not. In any event, IL is an essential
Of business and Of all system that reliance must
be placed on committees and directorates. and
what reason is there to assume that greater
evils would result from the Republican party's
pursuing such g course than arise from thou
sands Of stockholders intrusting interests worth
Untold millions Of dollars TO committees OF their
own choosing?
CONTESTS FOR PERSONAL REASONS
I must now revert TO what said at the start
apropos Of attaching an honest value TO a seat
II the national convention have travelled Tor
months IN the South, investigating polltlcaI con-
-dions and securing the evidence L have been
Ialed upon 10 submit TO the national commlttee'
50 an perhaps. competent to speak inteli-
gently on the question Of Southern representa-
ton and the conditions as they prevail in the
Republican party in the Southern states IL
must be evident 10 every thinking man that
here was cousidera bly, less than a public de-
nand for such extraordinary activity as has at
Tended the selection Of delegates 70 this con-
fenton The country is threatened with no ma
uonal crisis. There is only one explanation OF
ne great number Of contests this year III Is
that untoward conditions were utilized for per-
flal purposes. and that what should be
Sscfed responsibility. the selection OF the men
Vho are 10 choose the President Of this great
fspublic was prostituted for private purposes
Nov, Al the bottom Of conditions when MAKE
saeh programme possible. there is the ieeiiiis
uat Southern delegate does not represent
constituency. that such value as attaches 10 MS