The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-05-22
G. 0. P. PLANS MEET
REPUBLICANS MAY CALL NATION
AL CONVENTION TO REHAelL-
ITATE PARTY.
TO GET IN FIGHTING TRIM
Those Favoring the Convention Are
Anxious to Take Action Such az
VIII Bring the Progressives Back
Into the Fold.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEOR0G tltN ON.
Washington tie 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 a 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
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 view OF con-
siderlng the question OF party rehabil-
itation and to establish tentative
plans for approaching the national ex-
ecutive committee with view to Sc
curing its sanction for a Republic
an convention in the fall. Such con-
vention must be 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
If 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 if convention Is held and south
ern representation In future conven
lions Is cut down, and Il 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 mum.
Der Of their party men will be found |
ready to go back to Republicanism, |
even II 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
a 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.
IL the Republican convention is call
ed the delegates will be obliged to
lake into consideration a number OF
things other than those enumerated,
( they are to succeed in winning the
back. 1t is held in Wash
ngton that there Is bare chance that
he Progressiyes might accept fellow.
ship once more in the old party If the
proposed convention should adopt an
actual platform of principles like the
me which was adopted at the Progress
1--WE convention in Chicago last Aug
Ist
Must Be Converted.
The progressive Republicans who
ire chiefly instrumental In trying to |
secure the calling cI convection, find |
themselves today under the necessity
IF discovering ways and means OF con.
verting their conservative brethren
20 their way OF thinking on the con-
gention plan.
Some OF the conservatives look
Kindly on the convention plan, and |
4 they join with the progressive Re
publicans 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 |
~ III patu9 Win Tue convention pan |
say the Republican party has much ,
to gain and nothing to lose by con.
yenton 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.
ly enthusiastic about 1t. II the Re.
publicans are going to wait for the
Democratic party to make mistakes
which will bring the old organization