Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-01

venion. although steadfastly republican,
than some of the southern states. VIII -ch
have never participated in republican
victory.
Henry c. Warmoth of Louisiana cited
to the convention certain alleged out
RACES to which southern republicans were
subjected and asserted that there would
be five republican members of Congress
from his state if the House of Repre-
sentatives would do its duty. Henry L.
Johnson of Georgia held that ii was e
duty OF Congress to deal with the prob
lem before the convention, and r. III.
Angel of Virginia also asserted that dis
franchisement had reduced the republi-
can Vote in that section.
I'VE ask you not to treat us as the
democrats have treated u.s." he said
Bourne Plan Explained.
Senator Bourne cites, in behalf of his
plan. these contentious:
No party convention except the ma
tional convention has its delegates Sc
lected on any other basis. The present
system will give the southern staates,
which never elect republican electors. 252
delegates in the next convention, which
is almost half of the ma jority necessary
to nominate; it gives the national ad-
ministration, through its control Of fed
eral officeholderS in the south, unusual
opportunities at all times to perpetpate
itself so far as the party is concerned
Specifically. citing an illustration. 1t will
give Texas, which never elected re-
publican elector. forty votes in the next
convention. as against twenty six for
Iowa, which has elected republican
electors.
'In Florida Senator Bourne claims.
"SSS republicans have as much voice in
the selection of national candidates as
1O.O0 republicans in Colorado. 1t takes
11.DJ Indiana republicans to balance 4iS
Louisiana republicans. Mississippi repub-
icans to the number of 21s have as
much representation in the national con-
vention as have 11.oW republicans in
Michigan
Senator Rourn.'s plan proposes to al
low each of the forty-eisht states to elect
four delegates at large. This will ac-
count for ~. out of the possible 1,O12 I'm
tho convention. The balance he would
have apportioncd among the states on the
basis of S.Si., votes. or major fraction
thereof cast for President Taft in 1:AtS
This plan would make some striking
changes in the representation of the va
riouS states
Effect of Change in Basis.
1t would reduce the representation of
the southern states approximately as fol-
lows: Alabama. ~ to {: Arkansas, is to
10; Florida. II to ): Georgia. - to .;
Louisiana, 10 to -, MISSISSIPPI. ~ 10 ,,
North Carolina. ~ to II: Oklahoma. 20
to rs; South Carolina. IS to 1. Tennessee,
~ to II; Texas, ~ to IL, and Virginia,
- to 10.
Kentucky. Maryland and Missouri. all
border states, would receive increases as
follows: Kentucky. III to 81: Maryland,
IL to II: Missouri. &c to IL.
Some of the striking increases among
the northern states would be as follows:
Illinois, ~ To -: Indiana. 80 to Is:
Iowa. =; to 81: Michigan, ;n to ~. New
Jersey ~ To "a: New York. :1 10 .J2..
Ohio. ~ to 10: Pennsylvania, 1G to s.:
Wisconsin. 2i to 81
In the north. Massachusetts would lose
two votes under the Bourne plan, Nevada
one and Rhode Island one. compared TO
the delegates they would be entitled to
under the new apportionment.
Northern States Dominate.
Under this plan il can readily be seen
that few northern states might easily
dominate the proceedings of the entire
convention. The great commercial states
of New York Pennsylvania. Illinois, Ohio.
Indiana. Massachusetts and New Jersey
would control among them Az votes. OF
within less than 100 Of enough to nomi-
nate Michigan. Missouri and Iowa would
have 100 more votes and the ten big
states together would have SO votes. or
2S more than a majority of the conven-
ton in which 4S states were represented.