The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-06-05
that the fly is the evil agent for.
spreading the white plague.
Swat the fly.
Some Republican party Law

!
Chicago lnter-Ocean: From the be-
ginning of the Republican party its
national committee has had a definite
constitution, with fixed term of ser
vice and clearly prescribed functions.
It is composed of one member from
each state or territory and one from
the District of Columbia. 1t is elected
by the national convention. BY Gus
tom, the convention elects the man
the delegates of his state select. That
selection. however. is purely advisory.
The national convention elects, and
without such election no man becomes
a member of the committee, except tic
fill vacancy caused by death or 9TH
erwise. The committees powers are
wholly derived from the national CON
vention
The term of office is from the close
of the national convention electins the
member to the election of his success
sor by the next national convention.
As the election of national committee
men is usually the last business done
by the convention, and has always fol-
lowed the completion OF nominations
for President and Vice President, it
is correct to speak of the term of
national committeeman as extending
from the close OF one convention to the
close of the next
The functions of the national com
mittee are to represent the party be-
tween conventions. to conduct the
presidential election campaign and to
provide for the assembly Of the next
convention. For the latter purpose 1t
lis authorized to issue a call for the
next convention, fix it's date and place
LOT meeting and determine the basis of
representation. 1t is also authorized
ito prescribe rules for the election of
delegates, to determine contests in ac-
cordance with those rules. and thus 10
make up provisional roll of the con-
vention. 1t is further authorized to
select temporary chairman for the
convention and to prescribe rules I'M
der which the convention will at least
begin its work.
The convention. having thus been
duly constituted by the national COM
mlttee. can afterwards do as it pleases
It may revise or change the roll of its
members made up by the committee
II may entertain appeals By ccntestiny
delegates from the committees decis-
+ ion and reverse that decision II may
even refuse 10 accept the temporary
chairman proposed by the committee
and select another.
But until called to order BY the
representative of the national com.
r1.ttee. and until temporary chair
man is offered for the acceptance or
rejection Of the persons whose names
are on the roll made up By the national
committee, the convention does not
exist 1t comes into being only at
that moment
These rather detailed statements Of
elementary facts are here made be-
cause the statement OF them exposes
the absurdity OF the contention of Mr..
Roosevelt that mere nominees not vet
elected should be admitted to the ma
uonal committee. TO share in it's de-
cisions. These gentlemen. whatever
their merits are not yet members of
the committee The convention. when
organized. can. if it SO pfeases. reject
every one of them And the efforts of
Mr.. Roosevelt to. bully the national
committee show a desperation that
usually accompanies consciousness OF
a weak or bad cause
Mr. Roosevelt shows that his hopes
Of success are largely based on the
overthrow Of the established party
law Such an attitude is character
istic OF SIR. Rooseyeit's riotous dispo-
siticn. We hope the Republican ma
tional committee cannot be bullied,
and we do not believe it can be.