The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-05-15


record Of achievement, and It's pro
gressive spirit which enabled 1t tc
adapt itself to new conditions and tC
solve every problem in the interest OF
the people. Why does the party which
Ionly few months ago drew from the
|senator such eloquent encomium now
stand In such pressing need of reor-
ganization?
Is 1t necessary to reorganize the
party in order to change the basis Of
representation In the national conven-
ton? That Is merely matter for the
national committee to handle. That
has long been vexed question, and
: it has not required the foresight of q
prophet to see that some time the
large number of delegates from states
which cast a small republican vote
would have to be reduced. When
Roosevelt was nominated for the Sec
ond term he had the solid support of
the southern delegates and four years
later the colonel lined them up in
solid phalanx in support of Taft The
iniquity OF the system of representa-
ton from the south did not occur to
the colonel until he failed to swing
them to his support for a third term
Then he, assisted by Senator Borai
and other reorganizers, demanded
that the rule OF representation be
changed and most of the southern
delegates to the Chicago convention
be thrown out. There has never been
any division of opinion In the republi-
can party on the southern representa-
tion question. The difficulty has been
can president In the White House
seeking denomination, or one deter
mined as Roosevelt was. to name his
successor. Now. thanks to progress
ives both in and out of the progressive
party, there Is democrat in the
White House, which makes It easy to
change the rule of representation
from the south in republican conven-
tions. which will doubtless be done
regardless of the action of the reor-
ganizers In Chicago.
Another reform to be accomplished |
by reorganization. according to SEN
ator Borah, is to permit the people to |
choose their delegates to the national
Again the senator is do
ing violence to his former utterances
Hampaign after campaign. with TIN
exception Of one when he was silver
he has appealed to the
people to support the republican party
rs the only party that responded to
heir will and now he demands re.
organization of the party in order to
give the people IA chance to be heard.
Evidently the senator would have
delegates to the national convention
selected by preferential primary
Many delegates to the last convention
we're selected in that manner and
here is nothing to prevent the people
n any state from adopting that plan
The national committee apportions
he delegates and 1t is then up to the
tate to adopt the plan of election.
up there seems to be moth ,
ng in this Chicago conference more
han scheme of few "progressives" 5
Who stayed In the republican party. {
'ut VINO refused to assist the party ,
uring the campaign, TO intimidatc the I
ational committee, just as they tried [
do at the national convention last
ear. :
The republican party viii respond .
D the demands of the people now II
hst as 1t has done in the past. Me- /
essarily as time goes on new leaders i
ill come to the front and new meth. r
DIS of party procedure viii be adopt o
q in response to changed conditions d
nd sentiment. But these do not in 4
olive reorganization. They are sim n
~ In line with the record Of the par d
to keep step with the steady ad- c
ance of patriotic and progressive n
eople. j