New-York tribune., 1908-02-09
CONVENTION CONTESTS.


II is rather astonishing TO find our usually
we'll informed contemporary The New York
Times. falling into so serious an error as 10
attribute TO the temporary chairman or Repun-
I;can National Convention the power 10 make
IN The committee on credentials our Iofmef
nejgbhor seems to fear that undue partlaiits III
preparing the roll of delegates will result from
the vesting Of arbitrary authority IN the hands
OF \ Temporary chairman named pv an expiring
national committee. aud II cites me experiences
of the New York Democratic State Convention
,bich nominated Mr. Hearst for Governor in
1905 to rrove that the principle of majority rule
mar easily be uullified BY the exertion OF brute
nolitiral force Fortunately Republican national
conventions not conducted uncer 1afnHahs
rules which exalt the will of a hierarchy OF
leaders and consider the average delegate as
mere puppet TO do the bidding Of an autocrauc
master.
Said The Times yesterday in commenting
on the complications which may arise If, follow
ing Floricas example, numerous rival ana con
testing delegations to- be sent TO Chlcago
from the other Gulf States in which the Repub-
Iican marty has lost definite and valid organ
ization:
r. this is TO go on if there to be boltins
and rival delegations interest will at once cenTe
upon the temporary ORGANIZATION Al 0 onioasp AZ,
Upon the resignation of MI CortelSou MI
Harry s New of Indianapolis. became chairman
Of the national committee. He Will have some
thing say about the choice OF temporary
chairman of the convention. and the temporary
chairman will make I'D the committee on Gre
dentals. That committee will pass upon Ine
questions presented by rival delegations Tie
results achieved at Buffalo when Mr Hearst was
nominated for the governorshp through the
hardihood of the committee on contested seats
will enable all who recall the history OF that
Democratic convention to understand the deep
interest OF the aspirants for honors at chicago
in the makeup of the committee
L-1
ated a one-man power which does not exist and
cannot exist under the rules which govern Re
publican national conventions 1t is true that
majority of the national committee can propose
a candidate for temporary chairman But this
designation must be approved by the convention,
and a substitute candidate can be elected If the
delegates prefer to make choice Of their own.
The temporary chairman moreover, has no voice
whatever in naming the committee on creden-
tials. Each state or territorial delegation names
its representative on each Of the commit
tees and majority Of the states and territories
thus controls on every question Of contest No
Republican national convention would ever
dream of accepting committees appointed by a
temporary chairman who had been named by
body outside its own membership and jurisdic
tion.
A real power in dealing with contests is
vested in the national committee body
not in its ch3irman--by the regulation requiring
it to make up a temporary roll of delegates.
When contests filed the national committee
makes preliminary examination and is sup
posed 10 put the provisional list of members
the delegates from contested state or Con
greSS district who have the better primd fGcte
claim TO regularity. These delegates cannot
vote in the convention on their own cases. and
have TO pass the further scrutiny of the
rlittee on credentials 1t is. of course, conceiy
able that the national committee may make mis-
takes or exhibit certain amount Of bias 1t
made q mistake in 1904 when il excluded the
La Toilette delegation from Wisconsin, for the
courts subsequently held that the La Toilette
organization the regular Republican organ
ization in Wisconsin. But it is inconceivahle
that the national committee will fail TO be
guided by general rules in determining primo
fdcic titles Every committee for years back
has been called upon TO decide such questions.
Southern contests are not new, and the frivolous
character of most of them is generally recog
niZed- National committees in the past have
done substantial justice in disposng of these
disputes, and there can be little doubt that the
present committee will deal with this years
problems satisfactorily and fairly.