River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-05-29
REORGANIZATION IS
HOPE OF LEADERS
REPUBLICAN SENATORS URGE
CAUCUS FOR THIS
PURPOSE.
BOTH WINGS REPRESENTED
Regulars and Progressives Get To
qether on the Proposition
Reconciliation Is Also
Under Way.

w dSAiASCOh, Mdy Z4s-HiI I'm AeOPuD
lican senator's urging joint senate
and house caucus for immediate re-
organization of the congressional cam
paign committee to seek the reclama-
ton of Republican power in congress
next year, with Progressive Republic
cans comforting on plans OF reconcilla-
ton Of the divided party, and men,
bers of the national executive commit
tee assembling for a meeting here,
Washington has become beehive of
Republican activity.
To Clear Away Differences.
Most significant of recent party de-
velopments since the defeat at the
polls last November was the confer
ence of Republican and Progressive
Republican senators to institute reor-
ganiZation of the congressional CAM
paign committee, which house leaders
futilely have attempted for several
weeks. Thirty-one senators attended
the conference, presided over by Sen
ator Gallinger, and with almost unan-
imous approval, a committee of five
was appointed to confer with house
leaders with view to holding joint
caucus as soon as possible to clear
away the party differences.
1t was the prevailing opinion of the
senator's conference that the congress
sional campaign committee should be
organized at once with representation
from the senate as we'll as from the
house, following the suggestion from
President Wilson and adopted by the
Democrats, that headquarters should
be established, publicity campaign
inaugurated, and a definite campaign
policy outlined as early as possible.
Leaders pointed to the personnel of
this consulting committee as an indi-
cation of the general effort being made
to reunite the party, its members con-
sisting of Progressives and regulars
as well. The committee members are
Senators Gallinger, Townsend, Clark
of Wyoming, Norris and Jones.
These five will consult with the
house Republicans and expect to find
no opposition for joint caucus, the
house Republicans having found trou-
BILE already in trying to reorganize the
congressional committee to choose the
successor to William B. Mckinley as
chairman. Representative Gardner of
Massachusetts recently announced his
candidacy for the craftsmanship on a
liberal policy and an attempt of his
champions to hold caucus failed to
bring out a quorum. Since then moth
ing has been done and the senators
hope to bring about definite action.
The conciliators appointed as a re-
suit of the Chicago Progressive Re
publican conference a few weeks ago,
have been called to meet with Sen
ator Cummins to plan for presentation
of their plan to the national executive
committee called to meet by Chairman
Hilles.
The conference will outline to the
executive committee the desires of the
Progressive Republicans for a party
convention this fall to reorganize the
party and reform it's machinery relat-
ing to the selection of delegates and
conduct of contests. In line with
these ideas, Senator Sherman of Illi-
nois introduced in the senate a bill
which would provide that delegates to
national conventions of all political
parties be elected at primaries.
The bill introduced by Senator Sher-
man of Illinois provides that all par
ties shall hold their national conven-
tions simultaneously, beginning on the
gates and alternates be chosen by
popular vote. The law would go into
effect for the campaign of 1916.