New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-18
Plan Must Be IndOrsed by
StateS-Immediate Ac-
ton Urged.
NEW YORK STATE is
DEPRIVED OF 4 VOTES
Howell, Who Leads Opposition,
Beaten, 80 to 5-Hadley and
BOrah Against Him.
From The Tribune Bureau

From The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington, Dec. IA resolution
providing for the reapportionment OF
delegates TO regular national conven-
tlons, which, it is estimated by sub
committee, will reduce the convention
by ninety members-eighty-tw in the
Southern and eight in the Northern
states-was adopted by the Republican
National Committee late to-day by
vote of 3S TO I. after which the COM
mittee adjourned sine die. The action
Of the committee was made unanimous
before adjournment.
r. Beecher Howell, of Nebraska, led
the opposition to the plan and SUBJ
mitted "A minority report, but his SUBJ
stitute resolution was defeated by
vote Of 80 TO ).
Under the new system there will be
four delegates -at-large from each state,
one delegate for each Congress district.
one additional delegate from each Con-
gress district registering 100 or more
Republican votes, and two each from
each territory and the District OF
Columbia. The delegates from Alaska
and the District of Columbia will nave
the right 10 votc, but this right is de-
MED the delegations from Porto Rico,
Hawaii and the Philippines.
The old plan provided for four dele
gates-at-large from each state, two
from each Congress district and two
from each territory and the District Of
Columbia. All the delegation had the
right to vote.
Committeeman from Alabama, Geor-
gia. Mississippi, Nebraska, South Da-
kota. Texas and Virginia voted against
the resolution providing for the new
apportionment plan, while Nebraska,
North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South
Dakota and Wisconsin voted for Mr..
Howelrs substitute proposition.
Mr.. Howell Stands Alone.
There was considerable pickering DUR
ing the day because Of the insurgency
of the Nebraska committeeman. He
stood alone in the committee Of nine
appointed to draft the reapportionment
plan, but his activities in opposing the
other members threatened TO arouse
serious support by the Southern MEM
bers. His efforts resulted in a read
iustment of the intended report Of the
committee, although IL was not safIs-
factory TO him as finally submitted.
The plan adopted by the committee was
vigorously supported by ex-Governor
Hadley and Cenator Borab in forcetul
speeches. After Mr.. Howell had out
! lined his objections TO the majority re-
port contending that there was inequal-
| ity I'm representation, Senator Smoot
pointed out that under the proposed
plan the South would control only l6
per cent Of the delegates, whereas i'm
the past the representation Of the South
has constituted about 10 per cent of tho
convention.
This new plan would not make il pos
sible for a President To control a con-
vention by virtue of the strength of the
Southern vote" he declared.
Henry L. Johnson, the Georgia COM
mitteeman, made an impassioned plea
for the recognition Of the negro vote
of the country. and urged that there
should be no reduction Of the Southern
representation. He declared that the
negro voters in the North would resent
any blow at the negro's suffrage in the
South.
Borsh Sees Inequality.
Mr.. Howell, who /. a mathematician,
was greatly perturbed, because under
the new arrangement Colorado and
other sparsely settled Western states
would have fewer votes than Alabama
and other Southern states. Senator
Borah argued that the federal system,
which gives equal representation in
the Senate to Rhode Island and New
York. to Nevada and Pennsylvania,
created an inequality which no party
should undertake TO ignore, and that
the necessary allotment Of four dele
pafes-at-large to each state chiefly ac-
counted for these inequalities of which
Mr.. Howell complained.
Chairman Hilles when asked how the
action Of the national committee could
be ratified in a state like New York.
where conventions have been abolished
by law. declared tnat the case of the
Empire state was exceptional, but that
even there the law could not prevent
the Republicans of the state from as
scmbling In a state convention TO ratify
the action of their national committee.
so long as they did not attempt to
name candidates for office.
The action Of the national committee
must be indorsed by states entitled 10
49,. d no soritv nf votes in the electora