Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-08
Believe Reorganization Will Be More
Successful Later.
CHI APATHY APPARENT
|
Progressives Also Show Opposition.
Hadley Would Change National
Convention Representation.

steps toward q reorganization Of the re-
publican party. and realignment of it's
working forces are practical within
year.
Opposition from progressive republicans
whom it was desired to bring into the
movement and apathy on the part of men
who have been identified with the partys
greatest activity have helped to convince
the leaders in the reorganization move
ment that no concerted plans should be
undertaken until late next year.
a conference planned by Cows. Hadley
of Missouri and Tener or Pennsylvania
and presided over by Gov. GOidsborOugh
of Maryland. brought together at the
New Willard Hotel yesterday afternoon
the republican executives from states
covering the entire area where the pro-
gressive-republican fight was most Sc
we're during the recent campaign.
Views Merely Exchanged.
The conference was called for an "ex-
change of views" Nothing further was
attempted by those back of the move
ment.
AS the result of the conference how
ever, it became apparent that any gen.
eral plan of reorganization will embrace
reduction of representation from
southern states and an adoption Of pri-
mary systems for the selection of dele
party.
Prior to the conference of governors
Gov. Hadley of Missouri had canvassed
the republican and progressive forces of
the Senate to ascertain the feeling toward
proposed action to strengthen the party
1t is understood that progressive SEN
ators who still maintain their alliance
with the republican party gave little
support to the proposal for reorganiza-
ton. and that many regular republi-
cans declared emphatically that they
believed 1T too early to attempt any con-
certed effort toward party rehabilitation.
Those at Conference.
Those present at the conference were
Cows. Hadley, Tener and Goldsborough;
Eberhart of Minnesota, Carroll of Iowa,
Pennewill of Delaware. Oddie of Nevada,
Vessey of South Dakota. Spry of Utah,
Glasscock of West Virginia. McGoyern
of Wisconsin. Carey Of Wyoming and
Gov.-elect Hanna of North Dakota.
Gov. Hadley made a personal state
ment later, with the explanation that
he undertook to speak only for himself.
He declared that the detection Of 4,OOO.-
600 voters from the republican ranks in
1912 requires careful consideration
and urged that a national convention be
called in 1914 before the beginning of
the, next national campaign, to redraft
party rules SO that no question could be
raised over the representative char
acter'' OF the republican national con-
ventions.
Vessey With Progressives.
Gov. Vessey Of South Dakota, one of
those present, is progressive national
committeeman for that state, and an
nOunced that he would attend the pro-
gressive gathering at Chicago next
week. He remained in the conference,
however, and participated in the dis
cussiOn.
Gov. Tener of Pennsylvania stated
last night that there had been a free
exchange of republican views and a
general expression of hope that the re-
publican party could be strengthened.
Gov. Hadley's Statement.
Gov. Hadley's statement was as fol-
lows:
II have felt and acted upon the theory
that the republican party has not out
lived it's usefulness as an agency Of good
government. but / do not agree with
those who contend that all that is neces-
sary for us to do is to sit still or to stand
pat in the hope and belief that demo-
cratic mistakes and general business de-
preston will restore the republican party
to power.
81 believe that the fact that 1000, 900
voters who voted the republican ticket in
1903 refused to vote it in 1912 requires
the careful consideration as to the reason
of their action and as to what may be
done to correct conditions to which they
have objected.
Basis of Representation.
Zone Of the conditions which has been
the cause of objection within the party
for years. has been the present basis Of
representation from southern states. An
other is the party's attitude toward direct
primaries for the election of delegates to
national conventions. 1 believe that such
changes should be made in the existing
rules for the conduct of party affairs in
both of these matters, that there can be
no question but that the will OF the ma
Jority will control both to policy and
as to candidates.
I'VE republicans who believe in pro-
gressive policies cannot ask that those
who are conservative should change
their opinions. But We ought all be able
to agree that the conventions that settle
these questions shall be truly representa-
tive of voters. but not of political or Off
cial authority, and that they shall ex-
| press the wishes OF the majority.
AT what time and In what way such
| changes should be made IT is, in my opin-
| ion. too early to say. There should be
| ample time for the prejudices and feel
| ings aroused by the recent contest to
subside. I believe that prior to the be-
| ginning of the campaign of 1914, prob
| ably within the next year there should
be called national convention of the re-
| publican party to consider these questions
| or any other matters that 1t might then
seem advisable to consider
Bourne's Criticism.
| In connection with the project Of reOr-
ganizing the republican party, the Ma
tional Progressive Republican League is
calling attention to a statement Of its
president, Senator Jonathan Bourne. jr.,
critcizing the existing plan of appor-
tionment of convention delegates. The
statement was made by Senator Bourne
| two years ago. and reiterated for the con-
sideration of the national convention in
Chicago this year.
| Senator Bourne said:
THE present plan of apportionment of
delegates to the republican national con-
ventiOn is misrepresentation, unjust and
un- American. The salient facts are that
AS republicans in Louisiana have as much
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