Omaha daily bee., 1912-06-03
Work of National Committees
How the Body Constituted and It's Functions in Connection
With Campaigns and Conventions Explained
in the New York Independent.
: ROsEWATER.
Acting Republican National

MY ~
the president wouls .ost s,p's I've
point, After TIL, 81. .es~W .tee' as
such, lapses into a W. manition for
almost four years. u not mean to say
that the members of the committee be-
come individually functus officio. for they
are expected to keep in touch with the
party in their states. and in some in
stances. notably in the south. wherever
official party representatives are wanting
they serve as advisors to the president in
the distribution Of patronage. Such con-
sultation. however, Is by courtesy, and
not by right; whatever may have been
done in years gone by. the committee as
such does not now undertake to award
patronage or exert the slightest pressure
upon the candidates after they enter
office. b.
The national committee has its next
function to perform when preparatioas
must be made for nominating another
presidential ticket The committee Is
convened about six months in advance of
the customary convention time to formu-
late and promulgate the convention call.
Generally rivalry is precipitated over the
selection of the convention city and the
fixing Of the convention date, the other
feature of the call necessarily conform
ing to the conditions laid down by the
preceding convention. The laws recently
enacted by various state legislatures de-
20 uyhn anti
system In some of Its vital points
and to subject presidential nominations
to primary preference votes, have intro
duced complicating factors which prom
Use to force still further changes, If they
do not eventually supplant the conyen-
tion altogether with some new piece Of
nominating machinery, 1t is enough
merely to remark that the formulation of
a call avoiding conflict with these many
divergent laws, and at the same time pro-
tecting the integrity of the party. is a
delicate and difficult task, and becoming
more so all the time. The physical ar
for the convention are de-
volved upon subcommittee, which SUI
pervises equipment Of the hall. provides
the badges and tickets, engages the en-
ployes, selects temporary offices, re-
strains the rapacity Of hotel keepers, and
holds the convention city to the terms of
its invitation.
Control of the Convention.
The preparation Of the temporary roll
of convention delegates is, then, the last
work Of the national committee In its
four years cycle. 1t goes without say
ing that II a conveption is to be an Or
derly assemblage for the transaction of
serious business, rather than mere mass
meeting or a mob gathering. 1t must have
a fixed membership, and that while the
convention, like other representative
bodies, is the final Judge of the quaiifica-
tions and credentials of its delegates, a
temporary roll is a practical necessity and
the national committee the only tribunal
provided to do the work. The contest
cases are conducted on the nature of
quasi-judcal trials-at least they were
for the republican convention Of four
years ago, and doubtless will be again
this year-with opportunity to all sides
to present evidence and argument.
Stress is, of course, laid on compliance
with the call, upon party regularity, upon
free and untrammeled participation by
the rank and file without race discrimina-
tioH, upon charges of fraud, intimidation
or violence. 1t is, of course, the privi-
Lac ~ Iafaa n q
to the convention to reverse the decision
of the committee. Along this line the
most important reversal. on record was
the seating of the previously rejected
Bryan delegation in the Chicago conyer-
ton in 1896, without which the 'cross-
of-gold" speech would never have been
made to win the nomination for its ora
tor. The common impression is that 1t
is the political conditions prevailing In
the south that alone produce the con-
tests, but this is only partially true. Con-
tests come up from the north, too, to
plague both democrats and republicans.
There are real contests legitimately
waged and faxed contests shrewdly set
up for a. purpose, and somebody must
sift them out and pass upon them. Or
by the national committee is accepted
unchanged by the convention as the per-
manent roll. Four years ago the repub-
licans were confronted with the larges.
number of seats ever contested, but not
delegate declared by the national COM
o. ~ 4laI - e-fk 9o4, a
prived of his place, although in quite
few cases the. conflicting and contra
dictory evidence might have justified a
finding either way.
Questio nof Permanency.
AS already indicated, the national
committee has no feature of perma-
nency but is succeeded every four years
by newly constituted committee. It
would be desirable to have an overlap
ping tenure similar to that Of the sem
ate, but this permanency is secured by
retention of members for repeated terms;
for here as in other public service, ex-
perience and familiarity with the duties
count for much. State and national
legislation is fast encroaching on the law
and customs of our political parties, but
so long as. we adhere to party govern
ment our national committees, or some
similarly empowered bodies, must be
constituted to serve Tor their respective
parties as the administrative authority
in the nation for the larger and less COM
pact organization, just as do the state
and local committees in the state and
smaller areas.
WAY BEING CLEARED FOR BIG
LOAN TO CHINA BY POWERS