El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-05-24
ARE
AFTER HlRM0H5
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consider changes in the basis Of rep
/ resentation-
The session of the executive commit
tee was devoted almost entirely to a
discussion Of a need for a national con-
ventiOn- Committeeman Warren, Of
Michig gan, made the motion TO call
meeting and practically every member
I Joined in the debate that followed
] There were no expressions Of disap-
( proval, the only questions were those
of detail.
state Primaries Not Discussed.
The question Of choosing delegates
by state primaries was not discussed a
great length. Chairman Hiues and
/ some others cOntended that a congress
siOnal district should be allowed to
choose its own delegates in any way
IL saw fit. notwithstanding provisions
for state primary.
THE party has insisted upon the
right Of congressional districts TO Sc
l lect their own delegates and a rever-
sal Of that policy would fOist the unit
rule on u.s." said chairman Hilles. This
was the point at issue in the CalifOr-
{ nit case in 1912. The right of a con-
! gressiOnal district TO vote in a Repub-
I lican national convention for the candi-
I date Of its choice has never been de-
MED.
at was affirmed in the convention of
! 1876 and again in 1880 The latter con-
veutiou rejected the unit rule. This is
| the fundamental question and not to
/ be confused with the recognition Of
delegates in primary elections"
PrOgressives Urge Harmony.
The letter from the Cancellation com
mittee signed by senators Cummins,
Jones and Crawford and representatives
CramrOn and Rogers and Joined in by
representative Anderson and former
governor Hadley. of Missouri, sets
forth a report Of the Progressive Re
publican conference in Chicago. and
asks for meeting Of the Republican
national committee in the near future
to act upon the suggestion made by a
great many Republicans that there be
held during the present year a Repub-
lcan convention.
Must BE Real Majority.
Setting forth the reasons for this re-
quest the committee says:
we believe that an overwhelming
majority of the Republican party have
reached the conclusion that the basis
Of representation IN our national con-
venuOns is not only unjust but con- .
trary to the fundamental principle OF
government. Assuming that the wiz of
the majority of any organization ought
to prevail, IL must be q real, not a fic-
UtiOus majority. An actual majority
VIII not long submit 10 an actual mi
nOrity. The present system enables q
uonal conventions, dictate party nom
nations and determine party declara-
uons, and, however, praisewOrthy may
have been the motive for its original
adoption, IL is no longer defensible.
We earnestly desire the restoration
Of the Republican party's principles
Its principles are sound, wise and pa
trIOtlc and If the body viii apply those
principles Of modern times in an en-
Hghtened, unselfish way they have a
fair opportunity to do So To give them
this fair opportunity is the sole object
of our request So long as the voting
Republicans in certain sections Of the
country have from so to so times great
er representation in national cOnven-
#amHn d 80. o. To-
other sections Of the country il cannot
be said that the act Of the convention
IS the act of the majority and discOn-
tent followed by revolt are natural
results.
Would Revise Rules.
THE existing rule promulgated by a
committee held more than 80 years, re-
lating to the manner Of selecting dele
have passed primary laws and others
will pass them, that are not in har-
mOny with the rule and, some pro-
vision must be made that viii remove
the conflict. We content ourselves by
an obvious conclusion; that we must
either accept these primary laws or we
shall have no Republican following in
the states which have enacted them
Seek to Avoid Contests.
1--WE believe that it is more logic that
Republican national committeeman
subsequent TO future Republican ma
tiOnal conventions. We believe that
some methods should be devised and
put into effect before the next regular .
Republican national convention where
by the unhappy contests which have :
marked the seating OF delegates in past .
Republican national conventions should T
be reduced to a minimum and settled I
without heat and partisanship which T
have so often marked them.
I'VE have pointed out these matters {
in order to show how essential it is F..
that there shall be readjustrdent prior Z
to the call for the convention Of 1916, /
indeed prior to the campaign Of 1914 I
The country ought to know before I
there is another alignment that these [
changes have been made.
I'VE cannot hope that Republicans I
viii agree upon every question, but we 1
can hope that they will agree upon the Z
vital doctrines of government and that I
the will of a majority of the primary
voters, fairly expressed and faithfully
executed. will establish such policies !
and install such leadership as win
command the confidence and list the I
support Of that great army which has
so long marched under the Republican
Ia