New-York tribune., 1912-01-28

| ing considerable outlay FOR hotel bills and
railway fares. on account of tho much
greater distances involved. these expenses
are much greater i'm the ease OF those at
tending the national conventions some OF
whom must travel not only across the conu-
nent, but from Alaska. Hawaii, Porto Rico
and the Philippine Islands. Although FOR
tho most part paying all expenses out OF
their own private purses. many bring along
their wives and some other members OF
/ their families. Adding TO this outlay the
| tremendous press expenses, the total cost ot
a modern convention has ben estimated AT
/ from two TO three millions OF dollars, not
one cent Of which is shared by the federal
government
! Each state will send 10 Chicago and Raj
timore two delegates for each OF its Sem
ators and Representatives in Congress and
one alternate for each delegate. Each
territory, including our insular possessions
also has its delegates and alternates, the
number differing somewhat In the separate
I parties.
| Uenceforth. while the convention mana
/ gers are making their arrangements the
campaign for the selection OF delegates VIII
excite the local communities and the nation
: as a whole. In six states-New Jersey Me-
! braska. Oregon, Wisconsin and the two Da-
| kotas-the delegates Of the two parties VIII
! he selected by direct primaries, but else
! where the delegates at large. representing
national Senators and Representatives az
/ large will be chosen AT state conventions
and those representing congress districts
BY district conventions.
There is an essential difference hotween
the Republican and Democratic methods ot
voting upon the floor of the convention.
! Governor Wilson Speaker Clark, Governor
Harmcn or whoever ii may be must re-
, ceive tho votes OF two-thirds OF his partys
/ delegates before he can be declared 'he
nominee. while President TAFT need poh
only A majority of the parV's delegates u
win a denomination.
| Few amateur politicians have observed
that the recent primary laws have party
nuIlifed the old unit rule" which, Ike the
aforementioned "two-thirds rule" has been
/ n time-honored feature CT the Democratlc
| party's organic law. Under the unit r"'
a majority OF the delegates In any Demo
4 cratic state convention NlihHt "'N''N -
| the vote OF their dclesGtes In the ns'oh''
| convention should be cast az un't io' Guy
| one candidate for the nomination OF lo'
any question OF orgaslzation or piauo'nh
But in the states with primaries eseh de'e-
/ gate is elected by direct vote. is respon7'e''
only TO his own constituency and can De
under no instructions whatsoever except
f, vote Of preference" for President ana N'e'-
President Thus in delegations from these
states there will be no way OF invoKhs "
enforcing the old unit rule ana ,he oe'e
CATION will vote soidly or will spht wne"
the individual poll Of delegates Is taAe"
This individual method OF voting mas a.
WAYS heen the uniform procedure IN nepuo.
,,ean rational conventions which have
never recognized the unit rule Inc ysn,
ocrats have always regarded the unit RUE
as a necessary complement OF tne W.
thirds m rule: but with the growth of tn' ~,
rrmarv system oi choosing delesa'es ~
rsc,,y the "two-th,rds" and unit ,,,. tu'us
woald seem 10 be doomed to common n'"''
| fcation.
,copyright. 1912 By John Elfrsth wa'k'hA'