The Daily Missoulian., 1913-05-23
REPUBLICANS AND PRoaREs.
s,vE REPUBLICANS or BOTH
HOUSES MAY CAUCUS.
SENATE LEADERS confer
ea'';ns.r, Townsend, Clark Of Wyo-
ming, Norris and Jones Form Com.
nittee to See House Members as to
. Meetins-cu.,tion Of Apportior-
mont in Convention is Serious One.

Washington, May 22--With repub-
lican senators urging a joint senate
and house caucus for immediate reor-
ganizatiOn of the congressional com
paign committee to seek the reclama-
tlon of republican power in congress
next year; with progressive republic
ans comforting on plans to reconcile
the divided party, and members of the
national executive committees assem-
bling for meeting here Saturday
Washington became today a center OF
republican activity.
Most significant Of recent party de-
velopments since the defeat at the
polls last November was the confer
ence of republican and progressive re-
publican senators early today to in
stitute reorganization of the congress
sional campaign committee, which
house leaders futilely have attempted
for several weeks. Thirty-one sena-
tors attended the conference, presided
over by Senator Gallinger, and with
almost unanimous approval commit
tee of five was appointed to confer
with house leaders Wita view II
holding a joint caucus as SC on as pos
sible to clear away the party diff
culties.
1t was the prevailing opinion of the
senatorial conference that the congress
sional committee should be organized
at once with representatiyeS-from the
senate as well as the house, following
the suggestion from President Wilson
adopted by the democrats, and after
headquarters have been established a
publicity campaign be lnaugurated and
definite campaign policies outlined as
early as possible. rs.
The COMMITTEES.
Leaders pointed to the personnel OF
this committee as an indication of the
general effort being made to reunite
the party, its members consisting of
both progressive and regulars. The
committee members are Senators Gal
linger, Townsend, Clark of Wyoming,
Norris and Jones. These five will con-
suit house republicans, and expect to
find no opposition to joint caucus.
The conference will outline to the
executive committee the desires of the
progressive republicans for a party
convention this fall to reorganize the
committee and reform its machinery
relating to the selection of delegates
and conduct of contests In line with
these ideas, Senator Sherman of Ill.-
nois introduced today in the senate a
bill which would provide that delegates
to national conventions of all political
parties be elected at primaries. In
der it's terms the delegates would be
chosen according to the vote cast at
the preceding election for candidates
of the respective parties
The progressive wing of the party
favors a convention for rearrangemen.
of the apportionment with view te
strengthening the apportionment
among the republican states! A post
ponement is urged of the plan arbi-
trarily to increase the representation
In the north and to reduce representa-
ton in the southern states. There ii
a difference of views among the com
mitteemen as to the necessity Of wis
dom of convention for this purpose
and some Of them contend that the ma
tional committee itself has power t
change the apportionment.
sherman's Bill.
| The bill introduced by Senator
Sherman today provides that all par
ties shall hold their national conyen-
tion simultaneously, beginning on tht
third Monday in June; that delegates
and alternates be chosen by popular
vote; that there shall be one dele
gate and one alternate for each con
gresham and each senator and tW.
(COntinued On Page Four