New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-25
REPUBLICANS ONE
FOR PARTY REFORM

Continued from first page.
convention, if it is necessary TO hold
| one. until next year.
There is little doubt that the national
committee will provide for the change
| in the basis Of representation and the
recognition of state primary laws.
| There was even a disposition at 90
| days meeting TO go further and COM
ply with the demands of the Chicago
conference and provide some way by
which national committeeman might
assume Office prior TO. rather than
after, the convention. In a receptive
mood the committee asked for sus-
gestions. desiring some practicable So
luton Of the problems presented. one
suggestion was made that contests be
| decided by a sort of committee of elder
statesmen. Republicans who had
served in high public Office and would
| never be candidates again. such as eX-
President Taft. Colonel Roosevelt and
! ex-Vice- President Fairbanks.
The meeting of the executive commit
tee was attended by Charles ID. Hlles.
chairman; John T. Adams, Iowa: Fred
W. Estabrook. New Hampshire; James
p. Goodrich. Indiana; Ava II. Martin.
Virginia; Thomas X. Niedringhaus,
Missouri: Newell Sanders. Tennessee;
Charles h. Warren. Michigan; Roy o.
West. Illinois. and the following
| proxies Ex-Congressman Charles w.
Pray for Thomas A. MARROW. OF Mon
tana: United States Senator w. l..
Jones for Samuel A. Perkins. Of Wash
| ington. and Congressman W. G. Haw-
ley for Ralph K. Williams. Of Oregon.
Also Secretary James b. Reynolds,
| Treasurer George r. Sheldon and Ser
geant alarms William F. Stone.
First Shot in Battle OF 1914"
THE first shot in the battle of 1914"
said Secretary Reynolds, when the
| nashlight picture was taken.
Chairman Hiles explained the pur-
pose of the meeting as being. The es-
Inauguration Of a publicity campaign;
| cooperation between the national and
| Congressional committees. and the cor
rection OF inequalities. a setting in prog
ress OF the party machinery all along
| the line Mr. Hillcs said that Michigan
and Maine had asked FOR early action
| through their state committees. and
that requests Of this character had
come from Republican clubs in oregon.
Massachusetts. New Jersey, New York.
| Iowa and two or three other states.
( Chairman Johnson Of the Georgia state
! Committee wanted action. There was
a request for action also from National
| Committeeman II. +. MacGrcgor. Of
Texas. ana Victor Loisel. Of louisiana;
also from state Chairman Geissler Of
| oklahoma. Mr.. Hilles said there was a
general demand for recognition Il state
primary laws.
Little Discussion Of Primaries.
The question Of choosing delegates BY
state primaries WAS not discussed AT great
length. Chairman Hillcs and some others
contended that a Congress district should
be allowed 10 choose It's own delegates
I'm any way It saw NJ. Notwithstanding
provisions for state primary.
THE party has insisted upon the right
OF Congress districts to select their own
delegates. and n reversal Of that policy
would foist the unit rule upon u.s. said
Chairman Hillcs This was the point AT
issue in the California case. in 1872 The
right Of a Congress district 10 vote In a
Republican national convention FOR the
candidate of it, choice has never been
denied II was affirmed IN the conven-
ton Of 1876 and again IN 1851. The latt
convention rejected the unit rule This +
the fundamental question. and not TO b.
confused with the recognition Of dele
gates I'm primary elections
Secretary James b. Reynolds Of the
national committee will be In charge of
the headquarters here. Chairman Hilles.
Senator Jackson and former Senators
Crane and Sanders were appointed Ia plan
the details.
The letter OF the cancellation commit
tee. presented TO the meeting. signed ny
Senators cummins. Jones ind Crawford
and Representatives Cramton and Roses,
and Joined in By Representative Anderson
and Ex-Governor Hadley Of Missouri set
forth a report II the Progressive Repub.
lican conference ia Chicago. and asked
for "a meeting OF the Republican Nation
al Committee Ia the near future to act
upon the suggestion made by great
many Republicans that there be held dur-
ing the present year Republican nation
al convention"
The Committees Letter.
Setting forth the reasons for this re-
quest. the committee said:
I'VE believe that an Overwhelming
majority Of the Republican party have
reached the conclusion that the basis of
representation I'm our national conven-
tions is rot only unjust, but contrary 10
the fundamental principle OF representa-
tive government. Assuming that the will
az the majority I'm any organization ought
10 prevail II must he a real not hcti-
tiOus majority. An actual majority VIII
not long submit 10 an actual minority
The present system enables a minority