Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-12
Discussed Parry
 Reorganization
LEADING REPUBLICANS CON.
 FER AT CHICAGO.
4 CONVENTION LIKELY
Plan to Hold National Assemblage This Year Favored-Southern Rep resentation Likely to Be Reduced.

resentation Likely to Be Reduced.
 Chicago, May 11-Proposals to re- organize the republican party were discussed at a conference here today between six republican United States senators and 32 other republican lead CTS representing nine states.
 The immediate subject before the conference was aS to what action shall be sought at the meeting of the repub- llcan national committee at Washing ton May 4 looking toward .''reOrgan1z- ing the party along progressive lines and as to whether there shall be re- publican national convention this year.
 Senator Sherman Presides.
 The conference lasted for more than four hours and was held in 8 hotel overlooking the lake, in room where the seven governors last year drafted the letter urging Colonel Roosevelt to be a. candidate for the presidency. Al though the public was not admitted, Senator Albert B. CunminS stated i: was merely an informal talk q sort of round table discussion of what may be done for the best interests of the party by reOrganizing it along progressive lines"
 Presided over by Senator l.. Y. Sher- man of Illinois, the discussion was
  William l.. Borah of Idaho, C. |. Crawford of South Dakota. A. J. Gron- na. of North Dakota, William S. Ken yon Of Iowa. Congressman E. A. Hayes of California. Congressman GoOde of Iowa and many state legislators.
 A National Convention This Year.
 Did you come to q decision whether there ought to be national convention this year." Senator Cummins was asked.
 We did not decide on that, put everyone seems to feel that the cOndi- ton of the party seemed to necessiLate a convention this year. Our informal talk today will be followed by a more formal conference tomorrow. when for mer Governor HadleY of Missouri will be here. We shall then issue 2 state ment telling just what we think ought to be done in benalf of the party
 Somebody asked Senator Kenyon made to get a new national commit tee.
 Willing National Committeeman Shall
 Resign.
 That subject did not come up. but most of us would have no objection if the present committeeman resigned, v replied Senator Kenyon. What did come up was a proposition to have the next committee take office soon after its election so that it might pass upon credentials of the delegates to the 1916 convention"
 The conference brought together the largest assemblage of republican lead CTS in Chicago since last years con- vention. When Senator Kenyon mo- tlced that the room assigned for the conference was also the one used as the progressive party headquarters he said:
 'What! Are we going to reorganize the republican party in the very room where the progressive party was born"
 Radical Changes Should Be Made.
 When the meeting adjourned for the day Senator sherman gave out what he said was a synopsis of the discus sion.
 We considered" he said, whether the national committee should be as inhexible in character as it has been. The opinion was that the committee would be amenable to public opinion and keep pace with what is going on. There was no definite action on the question of calling a national conven- ton this year. A call of course. would have to come from the national com mittae. The question then arose aS to whether the committee would issue 8 call and we felt that the committee would yield 70 the sentiment of repub-
  years election was q pretty positive indicator that radical changes should be made.
 To Gut Down Southern Representation > We agreed that southern represent alton in the convention should be cut down, according to the strength of the party in each southern state. We did not take up the details as to how this should be done, but left that to be worked out later.
 Presidential primaries were not considered, but 1 think we are all agreed as being in favor of them Oar whole conference was merely informal, permitting us q free and easy inter change of views as to ways and means Of recognizing the party as some Of us progressive republicans see it.
 Ex-kinq Confe~s With Supporters.
 Paris May 11-F7orneT King Manuel of Portugal went to LuganO, Switzer- land on Friday and according to the Swiss papers, conferred the whole day