The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-04-08
In Southern and Territorial
Representation in Repub-
lican Convention
CHAIRMAN HILLES
SUBMITS PLAN
And Asks Republicans in
Several States to Take
1t Up

chairman OF the Republican national
committee. last night made public the
proposed plan to decrease the percentage
of the southern and territorial repre-.
sentation in the Republican national con.
vention in 1916, and thereafter from APP
proyima tely 3J- per- cent OF the total
voting strength to less than l6 per cent
as provided in resolutions adopted by
the committee at its meeting last De-
eember.
The plan is addressed to the Repub-
| lican conventions OF the several states
which are asked to ratify the action of
the national body before January /.
1915. A special committee composed OF
Charles b. Warren OF Michigan, Senator
William Il. Borah OF Idaho, and former
Governor Henry y. Hatfield of West
Virginia, drafted the report of the action
taken in December. which embodies 9TH
er resolutions adopted by the national
committee. These guarantee:
Recognition, in the call to be issued
for the next national convention, of the
right OF any state to provide for the
election of delegates in direct pri /, ries.
The right OF any state to et all
delegates from the state at large, or
part from the state at large, and part
from congressional districts.
These provisions were adopted with a
view to eliminating contests before the
national body such as in the past have
produced discord and dissension.
Some members of the national COM
mittee, spurred on by the insistent de-
mands of large body of voters, sought
to have the committee call special con-
vention for the purpose of adopting a
new basis of representation, but the
opinion prevailed OF those who main
tanned that inasmuch as no methods
were provided by the existing laws of
the various states for the election of
delegates to such convention in direct
primary elections, the special convention
might not represent the sentiments and
desires of majority of the party.
1t was resolved that the national COM
mittee consider the question. formulate
its conclusions and submit the result of
its deliberations for ratification BY state
conventions. In reciting the views that
actuated the national body the special
committee of three says:
"1he committee believed that should
conventions of delegated representatives
of the party, convened in the number of
states entitled TO cast majority of
the votes in national convention, ratify
the action taken by the national COM
mittee in this respect, its action could
be assumed to fairly express the senti-
ment of the great majority OF the party,
for obviously such state conventions
when taken together would consist OF
more representatives of the party than
would be assembled in national con
yention.
"IThe plan adopted snd recommended
for ratification provides that the Repub.
lican voters in each state shall hereafter
be represented in national convention
Of the party by four delegates-at large
two delegates for each representative
at large in Congress; one delegate from
each congressional district, and an addi-
tionaI delegate from each congressional
district in which the vote OF 1908 for
any Republican elector or for the Re
publican nominee for Congress in 1914
shall not have been less than 1900.
Alaska and the District of Columbia,
under the plan presented. will each be
entitled to two voting delegates, while
Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philippine
islands will each be entitled to two dele |
gates without the right to vote"
The result of this change in the basis |
Of representation, if ratified by the req.
lisite number of state conventions, will |
be decrease of 80 votes, as follows:
will lose eight, Arkansas three,
Florida four, Georgia IL, Louisiana eight, |
eight, New York two, North |
Carolina three, South Carolina seven, |
Tennessee three. Texas l6, Virginia |
light, Hawaii four, Porto Rico two, and /
Philippine islands two.
Under the plan presented congres
'ional district not entitled to two dele
rates on the vote cast in the presidential
Election in 1908 will qualify for two if
500 or more votes are cast for the
Republican nominee in the congressional
lection this fall.
Anticipating criticism from those who 1
believed that still greater decrease
hould have been provided in southern H
the special committee in II
Is recital says it is within the province II
# majority of the convention of 1916; Il
+ it so desires, to establish another new
'asis for future conventions.
The plan can be ratified by any Re
publican convention for the purpose of
ominating for state offices, or for the
purpose of adopting a party platform
r by any convention called by the Re
ublican state committee and held be-
ore January I, 1915. The statement of
he special committee that drafted the
Ian for presentation to the several Re
ublican state conventions concludes
With the following II
"The committee appointed to present
he proposed plan to the state conven-
ions believes that it is desirable from
very point of view that the action Of
he national committee be ratified and
lade effective. All who are opposed to
he fundamental principles OF the Dem
cratic party should join in the election
delegates to the national convention
D be convened in 1915. The basis pro
osed for the election of delegates as
ures the states having the greatest
lumber of Republican votes a larger