New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-21
DRASTIC CHANGES MADE
IN RULES OF PARTY
Boiling National Committee
Members To Be DepoSed-Pri-
mary Elections Recognized.
PRESENT CONDITION FACTOR
improvements, However, Had
Been Planned Months Ago
Roosevelt Element to Offer
Minority Report.

CHICAGO June 2o-Bolters in the national
committee from the party nominee will re-
osye short shrift hereafter. by reason Of
an amendment 70 the rules governing that
committee made by the rules committee of
the Republican convention to-day
The change provides that the national
committee in the future may sUmmarily
remove and appoint q successor 10 those
who refuse 10 support the nominee The
change Is said 70 have been inspired by the
situation in which the national committee
finds itself az the result Of the Taft-Roose-
welt battle
Another radical change was the recogni-
ton Of the direct primary plan Of electing
members Of the committee.
The Roosevelt members of the committee
5ld not oppose either. They will however.
introduce a minority report to the conven-
ton. insisting on a reduction of Southern
representation in the convention and on the
right Of the various states to dictate the
method and manner under which their rep
resentatlyes on the national committee
shall be elected. In other respects the
rules that governed the Republican conven-
ZION of four years ago were adopted. o. to g.
The more radical amendment provides
that when any member Of the committee
bolts or refuses 20 support the nominee of
the Republican party, he shall be sum-
marily deposed. The committee then is
empowered 10 name his successor. In the
past the successorship was dictated by
the state central committee of the state
affected.
MIGHT Name Another Rebel.
The rules committee. however. held that
this would give to state the opportunity
10 name 10 the vacancy a man holding
precisely the same views as the member
deposed Therefore, it was decided that
the power OF appointment should be dele
gated solely to the committee itself.
Recognition Of the primary system OF
election OF members Of the committee was
contained in an amendment providing that
when state laws provide for the election
OF a national committeeman such election
shall be considered a nomination to be
carried into effect by the delegation from
said state" Under this change, a state
eecting it's national committeeman by d.
rect primary vote would take from its con-
vention delegation entirely the right to
name any other nominee. The adoption Of
,tAis amendment. however was not accom-
,plished until the primary system had been
severely criticised in debate.
4, Il want to say that Arkansas has the
primary SYSTEM" said H. L. RENAL. of
Arkansas "and to It is to be attributed
the disgrace we bear by having as a rep
resentative in the United States Senate the
Hon JEFF Davis. The law is a disgrace,
and some day we will wipe IT off our
statute books"
Ex-Governor Carroll Of Iowa said the
only difference between the old system IN
Iowa and the new primary plan was that
the present leaders were more bossy
bosses" than their predecessors. Ezra
Elliott, of Colorado, was equally vigorous
IN his attack on the primary system, but
he found time 10 put in a good word for
woman suffrage.
No Sop to the ProgressiVes,
II was denied emphaticaly that tho
changes were made either to prevent any
further serious Instruction in the national
committee or to throw a sop TO the So
called Progressive states.
The national committee realized that It
vas proceeding with rules that were not
official" explained d. J. Lake, Of Con-
necticut "As a result IL named sub
committee of three members several months
ago 10 consider necessary changes, long be-
fore the present controversy in the con-
veutlon was foreseen. Therefore the
changes are non-partisan.
Marshall Stimson, of California, sought in
vain to commit the committee 10 the propo-
sition Of permitting the states 70 dictate
the manner in which they should elect their
representatives on the national committee.
He submitted three amendments to this eff
feet. all Of similar tenor. and each was
voted down
The rules rs adopted will govern the
business Of the present convention, but the
changes in that section Of the rules affect
ing the national committee will not become
effective until the new committee is named
by the convention.