The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-11-04
HOW BOURNE
PLAN AFFECTS
THE SOUTH
Few Northern States Might
Easily Dominate Proceedings
Of National Convention
3peclal to the pallv Leader.

Special to the Daily Leader.
Washington, ID. G.. Nov. six
weeks hence the Republican Nation.
al committee will meet in this city
to issue the call for the Republican
National convention TO nominate can.
didates for president and vice presi-
dent. and the vexing question Of the
Southern representation in the con
vention will again be broached
Senator Jonathan Bourne has serv-
ed notice that he will ask the commit
tee to base the representation in the
national convention on the Republic
an vote cast for the national ticket in
1908, thus materially reducing the
voting power OF the Southern states in
that body.
1t is not believed by well-posted
politicians that the ommittee will sane
ton the proposed change but the
fact that a similar proposition pre-
sented TO the last Republican Nation
al convention was defeated by ma.
jority of only 50 in total vote OF
$50 does not warrant the subject being
treaty lightly.
Sen ator Bourne's Argument.
his plan these contentious:
no party convention except the
national convention has its delegates
selected on any other basis. The
greatest system viii give the Southern
states, which never elect Republican
electors, 252 delegates in the next con
yention, which is almost half of the
number necessary to nominate, 1t
gives the national administration.
through its ccntrol OF federal office
holders in the South, unusual oppor-
tunities at all times to perpetuate it
self, Sc far as the party is concerned.
Specifically citing all illustration, it
will give Texas. which never elected
a Republican elector, forty votes in
the next convention, as against twen.
tysix for Iowa, which has always elect
ed Republican electors.
In FlCrida' senator Bourne
claims, 1888 Republicans have as
much voice in the selection Of national
candidates as 10000 Republicans in
Colorado. 1t takes 1000 Indiana Re
publicsns to balance AS Louisiana
Republicans. Mississippi Republicans
to the number zlS have as much rep
ton as have II geo Republicans in
Michigan
Senator Bourne's plan proposes to
allCw each of the fOrty-eight states
to elect four delegates at large. This
will account for l02 out Of the possible
1912 in the convention. The balance
he would have apportioned among the
states on the basis of 1895 votes. or
major fraction thereof, cast for Pres
ident TAFT in 1908. This plan would
make some striking changes in the
representation OF the various states.
1t would reduce the representation
OF the Southern states approximately
as follows. :.
Alabama, 25 to Z; Arkansas, IS to
10; Florida. 2 - 8 Georgia, 2S to
8; Louisiana. 20 to 5; Mississippi, -
to ) North Carolina, "a to III Okla
homa 20 to IS, South Carolina, Is to
f. Tennessee, "a TO IT; Texas, 40 to
Ii; Virginia. "a to 30
Kentucky. Maryland and Missouri,
all border states, would receive in
creases as follows: Kentucky, 26 to
81; Maryland l6 to II; Missouri, So
to AZ
among the Northern states would be
as follews; Illinois, So to 10; Indiana.
30 to 43; Iowa, % to 35 Michigan, 80
to AZ; New Jersey. 2S to "a; New
\ ork. 80 to l02: Ohio, As to SO; Penn
sylvania IS to SO; Wisconsin, 26 to
80.
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.
Under this plan it can readily be
seen that a few Northern states might
easily dominate the proceedings OF
the entire convention The great com
mercial states Of New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Illinois. Ohio Indiana, Massa
husetts and New Jersey would con
troll among them AS votes. Michigan
Missouri and Iowa would have 120
mere votes and the ten big states to-
gether would have 565 votes, or 2S
more than a majority of a conven-
tion in which forty-eght states are
represented.