The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-16
Divided Opinion Among the
Committeeman Over
Convention
WILL DECIDE
QUESTION TO-DAY
Some Doubt About Right to
Call Such a Meet
ing

Washington, Dec l6.-Although the
Republican national committee will not
decide the question of an extraordinary
party convention until the meeting to-
day many arguments for and against it
were made last night at the dinner given
the committeeman by Chairman Hilles.
"This conference" said Mr.. Hilles, sis
not council of despair. The Republi-
cans have every reason to feel hopeful
Very much up in the air is the exact
position of the Republican committee
with respect to the proposed national
convention next spring to change the
basis of apportionment and institute
other reforms which will tend to unite
the conservative and progressive wings
of the party The realization is limited
at in the fact that a southern COM
mitteeman. canvassed forty-four of the
fifty-three members of the committee
and found twenty-five opposed and TWEEN
ty-two favoring the holding of the con-
vention. These figures are by no means
final, however. A plan which is receiv-
ing thoughtful consideration eontem-
plates the passage OF a resolution in
which the national committee will ex-
press its approval of the idea of cutting
down Southern representation but will
suggest that the convention be held in
1915 rather than in 1914
One cannot circulate among and talk
confdentally with the committeeman
without being convinced that they are on
the whole of open mind and eager TO
take any reasonable step that will prom
Use advantage to the Republican party.
Plenty of men can be found who will
readily set aside their own opinions if
the committee can unite upon a definite
plan which will promise harmony rather
than friction. Most OF the committee
say privately that the spring of 1914 is
too soon for the holding of convention.
Men who take this view say that party
rehabilitation is going along very well in
their. states and it would be unwise to
inject convention which would accentu-
ate the differences within the party.
They say that the Wilson administra-
ton is too young and the tariff law is
too new to make clear the issue or is
sues on which the Democratic party can
be opposed successfully in 1916. No
good would be done, therefore, by wash
ing the Republicans dirty linen in public
in the absence of any impelling consid-
Grafton which would drive the country
to turn to the Republican party for re-
lief.
Some men believe that the line of po-
litical cleavage of the future win be
drawn by conservatives against radicals,
regardless of party. Men of this cast OF
thought declare that Roosevelt win be
a candidate for the Republican nomina-
ton in 1916 and Woodrow Wilson, an
other radical, for the Democratic nomi-
nation for the presidency, and that with
two radicals in the field an impossible
condition will result. These men have
received eagerly the suggestion Of Elihu
Root for president and they declare that
Senator Gallinger spoke the truth when
he pronounced him the most available
man, whether it was good politics or
not
A feature of personal discussion
among the committeeman yesterday, in
fact, is the eordiality with which the
name Of Senator Root is received.
On the other hand, other practical pol
iticians in the national committee be-
lieve that the tariff will offer the only