Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-07

ton to consist Of 1909 delegates. with 66S
the necessary tFo-thirds majority to nomi-
nate.
This basis Of representation has never
been completely satisfactory. and is adj
mittedly open to serious criticism. This Is
particularly true with respect to the re-
publicans, because, In almost all the states
known as the solid SOUTH the republican
organisation is chiefly a paper organization,
maintained by federal officeholders and
those who aspire to federal office, together
with a few negro republicans, who are not
permitted TO cast a ballot In the election.
It has been mathematically computed that
the vote of a republican in certain southern
districts In its proportionate influence upon
the party nominations is equal to from ten
to fifty republican votes In the northern
states. This situation is likewise prolific
of double-header and contests, and charges
and counter-charges of corruption. which
would be largely avoided II the basis of
representation were more in conformity
with the numerical strength of the party
In the different states and districts.
Repeated but unsuccessful attempts have
been made TO remedy these defects by
changing the basis of representation. The
most serious attempt came in the meeting
of the republican national committee held
in 1883. where two propositions were pre-
scented for consideration-one, retaining the
four MISUNDERSTANDING fo- each state and
one delegate for each congressional dis
trict, and giving an additional delegate
for q certain number of votes for the re-
publican candidate at the preceding presi-
Dental election; the other, retaining the
four delegates-at-large and one delegate
for each congressional district. and giving
an additional delegate for each republican
member of congress. IT last proposal
Of this kind was submitted at the meeting
Of the committee in 1889, but It was not
pressed, and the COMMITTEES four years
later took another step toward further
o-ver-weighting the provinces by increasing
the representation of the territories and
the insular possessions from two delegates
to six ~delegates-a step which was re-
tracted by the committee at its meeting
last December.
1t should be explained that the proper
tional basis of representation thus con-
tended for prevails in both parties within
the states in the makeup Of state conven-
tions, although no party has had the cour-
age to apply 1t to its national convention.
1t should further be explained that the
defense of the present d~isproportionate
basis rests upon q plea that In those states
and districts where the party is In the
minority participation In the conventions
is the only privilege which its members
enjoy. and that in this way alone are able.
by directly influencing the selection of the
party nominee. to have anything to say
in the choice of a president.
The unit of representation in the demo-
cratic national councils is the state. and
each state is left u~ntrammeled to choose
its delegates as It pleases and to subject
them to such instruction as may be desired
The state is the unit of representation in
the republican convention only for dele
gates-at-lsrge. and the congressional dis
triet is the unit of representation for the
district delegates. The republicans, further.
more. insist that whatever method OF
choosing delegates may be adopted. the
republican electors Of each congressional
district must be permitted to choose the
delegates TO represent their district without
interference by republicans OF other dis.
49,