The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-25
CHANGE PLAN OF
REPRESENTATION.
DIR. Mckim Heads Movement for
New Membership for Episcopal
House of Deputies.
PRESENT SYSTEM is UNJUST
Virginia's and Other Large Do
ceses Are Greatly Discrimi-
mated Against.

| New York, September o4.-The Cen
cral Convention of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, which meets In New York
on October S, will be the occasion OF
determined effort on the part of the
larger dioceses in the country to
change tho plan OF representation In
tho house of deputies. The change
| will be advocated on the ground that
the present plan of representation is
unjust inequitable, undemocratic and
un-American.
One of the leaders in this movement
is the Rev. DIR. Randolph II. McKim
of Washington. now the president OF
the house of deputies.
Agitation In Started.
At the annual convention of the Do
ccse of Washington, which was held in
May OF this year, DIR. NicKlm intro
duccd resolutions, which were adopted
and which have served to start the aEi-
tation that mag come before the con
vention
In the preamble TO his resolutions,
DIR. McKim set forth that under the
system OF representation now existing
i'll the church. dioceses that have less
than 5000 communicates have as many
representatives and AZ many votes In
the house OF deputies as those dioceses
which contain $4,000 or even 10000
communicates.
Mny Not Reflect Sentiment
Legislation adopted under these
conditions" said DIR. Mckim yesterday
may utterly fail to reflect tho mind
OF the church, and may, therefore, fail
to command tho loyal support of the
several dioceses. Moreover. should any
vital issue of Christian doctrine or
ritual. or ecclesiastical polity, upon
~ it,EI nf oh,
sharply divided, be decided by IL tech
meal majority OF votes which really
represented a small minority of com
inunicants, the peace and unity of the
church is seriously imperiled.
There is 4 widespread demand that
our present undemocratic and un.
American system, which IS travcsty
upon representative government, shall
he changed.
EHunI Representation.
by agreeing upon certain num-
Der OF clergymen in IL diocese az the
unit, in vote by dloceses and orders,
and by adopting the fractional system
of voting in the smaller diocescs, 1t is
possible to approximate equality OF
representation without reducing or
increasing the present number of dep
uties from the dioceses. The represent
tation in the House Of Bishops, as it
GENTLY the principles OF the equality
of the diocescs, after the analogy Of
the United States Senate.
The case has beeu cited time and
time again OF the diocese OF Lexington,
which has twenty-five clergy and 1887
communicates. and has the same vot-
ing power as the diocese OF New York,
for example, with 4J2 clergy and 5000
communicates.
Discriminate Against Virginia.
Under our present system of repre-
scntation. tho two dloceses Of Virginia
and Southern Virginia. with 19S clergy
and 3l,2OS communicates. have in the
general convention sixteen votes, while
the six dioccses of Kansas City Indian
apolis. Springfield. Dallas Delaware
and Duluth, with 1Sa clergy and 24.29S
communicates, have weight votes.
| do not think it is necessary for me to
refer to any other examples to show
the injustice and un-Americanism OF
the present system OF representa- zion
The diocesan convention at Wash
inGton. by resolution. authorized a COM
mittee of three clergy and two laymen
To prepare a memorial 10 the general
convention, asking that body 10 take
immediate steps to remedy defects A
few weeks later the diocese OF Mary
land passed similar resolutions, and
these were quickly followed by rcsolu-
lions of tho diocese of Southern Nir-
ginia
The convention meets for three weeks
in the grounds OF the Cathedral OF St
John the Divine. and during those
weeks the men who want the plan Of
representation changed will work con-
stantly to carry out their wishes.