The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-13
reform Rules
.DEMANDONG.O.P.
Progressives Call for Conven-
ton and Change Of
Party Procedure.
BORAH OPPOSES PLAN
Loud Protests Against Steam Roller
Methods Bring Chicago Meet
ing to an End.
BORAH OPPOSES PLAN

Chicago, May 1.-THE Progressive Re-
publicans concluded their three days of
schemng to force recognition by the Re-
publican party by issuing a demand to-
night upon the National Committee for a
convention TO reform the rules and pro-
ccdure of the party.
The delegates refrained from reading
the s-Penrose-Crane contingent out
of the party, but they did pull the fire
out of the steam roller and prepare to
give the party back TO the people.
The demand was made in polite Ian
guage for representation in the party
councils according to party strength. II
Is proposed that when the people elect
delegates to the national convention at
primary elections those delegates shall
be seated The most drastic proposition
from a standpat point OF view was that the
party organization of each State shall be
the Judge of its representation when dele
gates are not chosen at primaries.
The challenge was delivered after a
formal statement of demands was made
public.
BOrah Opposes Convention.
Suppose the national committee re-
fuses to call convention and takes to
itself the right of correcting a rule?" a
group of the organizers was asked.
II never found in the rules any pro-
visions for calling of convention with
out the consent of the national commit
tee" said Former Gov. Hadley. of Mis-
souri,, but / have no doubt there are
clauses in the rules which could be con-
strued in an emergency"
Senator Borah of Idaho led the opposi-
ton TO a convention because he believed
the men whom II is proposed to chastt'e
would control and manage such a con-
vention and then be expected to reform
themselves. Hadley was the spokesman
for those insisting on convention. When
Borah found himself in the minority he
subscribed to the convention call on the
theory that he was choosing the lesser
Of the two evils.
1t was Borah who demanded that the
State organization of each State in which
delegates are still chosen by the con-
vention system he judges of the dele
gates to be elected. This proviso was
not written into the declaration of prin-
ciples because the ma jority believed that
the less said and done to rifle the
standpatters the better the chance of
hearing the convention cali when the ma
tional committee meets in Washington
May q.
Between Two Fires.
the difficult position of trying to be
radical enough to hold the cooperation
of such leaders as La Toilette and Borah
and yet not stir Boss" Barnes and his
contingent to the point of further rue
ton which might spoil all the reform
plans.
The most positive demand was that no
steam roller be permitted to unseat dele
gates elected by the people in the pri-
maries, And any future Republican con-
vention which includes Cummins, HAD
ley, Borah, Kenyon, and the rest OF the
Progressive element. will base its South
ern representation on the number or Re
publication voters in each district rather
than on the general population or the
number of postmasters.
The conference members are plan
ming to change the system or naming
the Congressional committee. AS con-
gress now stands, there are several Oh
the big Northern States, such as in
diana Ohio, Tennessee. Missouri~ken-
tucky. and Kansas, where the Repub-
,ican party has either no Republican
Congressmen or two or three at the
most.
In these States il is feared that the
national committeeman and stand-pat
bosses will name the Congressional
committeeman. In the case OF New
Jersey. for instance, Representative
william ]. Browning. standpatter, is
the only Republican Representatives
and would name the Republican Con-
gressional committee in that state.
The session closed tonight, and SEN
ator sherman Of Illinois, who acted as
chairman, was instructed to present
the pronunciamento to the nationai
committee.