The Washington times., 1913-05-24

delegates chosen by primaries will be
admitted to na1ioaal conventions That
was one of the big causes of discord
last year, the committee and the con-
vention being alike hostile to the pri-
mary; and under the rules laid down by
The convention in the California contest
case at Chicago, national committee
that was no minded could decide that
II was expected to provide that dele
gates must not be chosen by primaries.
A decision of that sort would be ruin
Gus, and the reorganiZerS want to have
such matters settled now. by the ma
tional committee or by a national con-
vention.
In favor of an extraordinary national
convention il is urged that no less power
than the national convention can change
the rules of the party To this Mr.. Nc
kinley retorts: IF the national COM
mittee orders the change. who will
countermand the order?" Which is a
hard question to answer. 1t is pretty
certain that IL the national committee
should adopt new rules recognizing pri-
maries and reducing the Southern dele
cations, nobody would rise up TO claim
a veto over that decision.
The moderate reorganiZers like Nc
kinley don't want national conven-
ton. because they figure that it would
have to declare itself on a lot OF hard
questions. Somebody, for instance
would offer woman suffrage resolu-
ton, and somebody else one on initia-
tive, referendum and recall. The moi
crates are positive that they want to
and they know they would never get
through a national convention without
at.least fight over them.
Radicals Demand Convention.
Then 1t, comes back to the question of
expense; who'll pay the BLISS 1t may
be. as Some optimists think. that the
industrial interests will be ready to do
il by the time the Democratic tariff
bill is passed: but there is no great GER
tainty even. on that point. A national
convention that nominates candidates
8 moneyNearning affair; people pay
good prices for the tickets, as for any
other show. But an extraordinary ma
tional convention, without nominations
or fireworks. would hardly sell the first
five rows in the pit.
The more radical readjusters declare
that, money or no money, there must be
a convention. TITS too late for this old
national committee, made by last years
stolen convention. to get conscience
smitten, announce that it has acquired
religion and put itself forward as an
eleventh-hour convert to progressivism.
Why, the country would just snort and
the proceeding would kill the last
chance of getting the Republican party
on its feet again. There must be big.
impressive. indubitable demonstration
that the whole party is being reofgan-
lied out of the hands of this very out
fit II the old national committee doesn't
see that, everybody else does 1t is not
the instrument through which reorgan-
ization can be effected: on the other
hand, 1t is the particular instrument
that TIE public has no confidence in
whatever"
Thus they talk between sessions Of
the unofficial inquest that Is going on
all over the place. There were more
dead straight, inside stuff' stories
about the Chicago convention circular-
Ing than anybody ever heard before.
Everybody had a new explanation Of
Just how that convention managed to
get into the muss that finally wound ND
with eight electoral votse for the party
candidate. They were good stories too.
Which recalls that there is one point
on which the readjusters and the re-
organizers. the moderates. radicals and
reactionaries. the Republicans Of all
schools, colors and factions. are able to
agree.
They don't want any more Roosevelt