New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-08
DO 1T NOW!

1nere DelnE. as we DeneNe, no SeIl-
Gus dissent from the judgment that
the existing basis Of representation in
Republican national conventions ought
10 he done away with. il should be
made the peremptoIy duty Of the par
~ organization to devise e fairer ana
sounder basis. For many years eff
forts have been made TO substitute
voting power for mere population ms
measure of a Congress districts in
fuence in party councils. When Henry
G.. Payne, of Wisconsin. was vice
chairman of the Republican National
Committee. he labored earnestly. but
vainly. TO equalize representation. In
the convention Of 1900 Matthew :.
Quay introduced an equalization reso-
luton. but il was never acted upon.
Southern contest scandals forced the
issue to the front once more in 1905.
when Representative Burke. Of Penn
sylvania. presented plan of reform
which was rejected in the national
convention by vote of 800 to Al.
The Tribune did not approve the de-
tails Of the Burke project. which
we're not worked out with sufficient
care. although ii has strongly favored
making representation in conventions
conform more nearly to party strength
i'm states and districts. Mr.. Burke
wanted 10 have delegates-at-large re-
tanned and to have additional dele
gates allotted, one for each 10000
votes or major fraction thereof east in
a state AT the preceding Presidential
election. One defect Of that arrange
ment was that ii apparently abolished
representation by districts. The Con
cresS district has been the unit Of
prime importance i'm Republican policy.
and there is 10 good reason why the
autonomy Of the district should not
bc preserved.
II would seem 10 be more practical
bic TO retain distinct and separate rep
resentaton by districts. applying GER
tain rules To all. If. as has been sug-
gested. district In which 5000 Re-
one delegate. district casting from
5000 to 1900 votes two delegates.
district casting from $1,000 to 1900
votes three delegates and a district
casting more than 10000 votes four
delegates. substantial justice would be
done and the voters of each unit would
have a powerful incentive TO increase
their vote and their representation.
Under such a plan skeleton party or
CARNATIONS like those in South Caro-
lima. Florida. Georgia, Louisiana and
Mississippi. containing no district poll
ing as many as 5000 votes. would
have four delegates t-large-twenty
in all-against ninety eight under the
present arrangement. Full recognition
would be given those parts of the
South i'm which there is real party.
and the other parts would merely lose
their present fictitious representation.
In any scheme Of revision allowance
should also be made for the larger
vote in states which have woman suf-
frage. Mr.. Burke's resolution ignored
the imitation in the party vote due IN
some states 10 the woman suffrage
laws. Roughly speaking. the allotment
Of delegates in such states should he
on 80 per cent basis.
Now is the time 10 do whatever the
Republican party intends to do in the
way Of reforming its convention sys-
TEN. The next election is three years
and a half away and change could
not affect the personal interests OF
candidates. AS the convention ap
proa the personal equation may
enter and be powerful enough to in
fuence even those who frankly admit
that a change would be salutary.