The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-05-27
6. 0. P. PLANS MEET
REPUBLICANS MAY CALL NATION
Al CONVENTION TO REHABiL-
TATE PARTY.
TO GET IN FIGHTING TRIM
Those Favorlng the Convention Are
Anxious to Take Action Such as
viii Bring the Proeressives Back
into the Fold.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

e. BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-In the keeping Of the
executive committee of the Republic
an national committee is the answer
to the question as to whether or not
the Republican party shall hold re-
Mobilization convention in the near fu-
ture. The executive committee has
been called by Chairman Hilles to
meet here on May "a, to take such
matters as may be properly brought
before It." The chief matter is that
of ordering a regular national party
convention for the purpose Of con-
sidering ways and means to put the
old organization back on its feet and
to make 1t able to present fighting
front to the Democratic enemy one
year from next fall, and three years
from next fall.
Senators Cummins, Borah, Bristow,
and some other progressive Republic
ans of national note recently con-
ferred in Chicago with a view Of con-
sidering the question of party rehabil-
itation and to establish tentative
plans for approaching the national ex-
ecutiye committee with a view to Sc
curing it's sanction for a Republic
an convention in the fall. Such con-
vention must be a regularly ordained
gathering, called as all party national
conventions are called by the national
committee, and with full representa-
ton of delegates based upon the al
lotment made for the different states
in the past.
Above All Other Things.
The Republicans who are in favor
of a national convention want one
thing above all other things. Their
desire is to get the Progressives back
into the party. They say they believe
that II convention is held and south
ern representation in future conven-
tons is cut down, and if the princi-
pie of presidential primaries is en-
dorsed, many Of the new party men
who voted the Roosevelt Johnson tick
ct last year will come back into the
Republican fold. The leaders of the
Progressive party in Washington say
that there is not the slightest fear on
their part that any formidable num-
Der of their party men will be found
ready to go back to Republicanism,
even IL the convention is held decides
to change the southern representa-
ton, to declare for presidential pri-
maries and to do other things for
which the Progressives have stood
from the first.
When one talks with the Progressive
leaders here he finds that they think
Republican convention is bound to
fail Of its purposes. Not only, they say,
because the Progressives cannot be
brought back into the fold, but be-
cause of the lukewarmness towards
the convention idea of large part
of the old party's conservative mem
bers.
If the Republican convention is call
ed the delegates will be obliged to
take into consideration a number of
things other than those enumerated
if they are to succeed in winning the
Progressives back. 1t is held in Wash
ington that there Is a bare chance that
the Progressives might accept fellow
ship once more in the old party if the
proposed convention should adopt an
actual platform of principles like the
one which was adopted at the Progress
sive convention in Chicago last Aug
ust.
Must Be Converted.
The progressive Republicans who
are chiefly instrumental in trying to
secure the calling Or d convection, find
themselves today under the necessity
of discovering ways and means of con-
Verting their conservative brethren
to their way of thinking on the CON
vention plan.
Some of the conservatives look
kindly on the convention plan, and
If they join with the progressive Re
pubhcans their influence may out
weigh that of the others, and the con-
vention probably will be called. Those
of the old-line Republicans who are in
sympathy with the convention plan
say the Republican party has much
to gain and nothing to lose by con-
Vention, and that the condition of the
party can be no worse after "get to-
gether" gathering than it is at pres
ent
The Republicans, therefore, seem to
be split into three factions on the con-
vention plan, the progressive breth-
rem who are urgent in approval of the
plan, the old-liners who prefer to wait
for Democratic mistakes to bring
about salvation, and the other old
liners who think the convention can
do no harm, but who are not perfect
1y enthusiastic about it. If the Re-
publicans are going to wait for the
Democratic party to make mistakes
which will bring the old organization
back into power, they must focus their
attention on President Wilson, for to-
day it is said in Washington he is
the Democratic party. Other Demo
Gratis may think that they are leaders,
but the trend OF events during the
last two months makes most party
men say that the Capital IL" Leader
is Woodrow Wilson
Society and Politics.
The wife of . United States senator
said to some friends the other day:
Washington is more interested in