Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-04-10
POWER OF SOUTH
is CUT BY PARTY
u;lles Makes Public the Plan
nv Which Dixie Will Lose
Batch of Delegates.
TAXES OFF SO OF VOTES
s.oubliean Conventions In All Of the
States Are Urged TO Ratify
tire Proposal.

soBal committee. has made public
the proposed plan TO decrease the per
.s,tase OF the southern and territorial
-.n-esentatiou iu the republican ma
,,oraI convention in 1916. and there
,rsr from approximately 50 per cent
os,he total voting strength 10 less than
* psr cent. as provided in resolutions
,sop;ed by the committee at its meet
ing last December
The plan is addressed to the repub-
Ecan conventions Of the several states,
mich are asked 10 ratify the action OF
the national body before Jan. I. 1915.
A special committee composed OF
charles p Warren OF Michigan. Sena-
cor William r Borah OF Idaho and for
uer Governor Henry d. Hatfield OF
West virginia. drafted the report OF
tha action taken in December which
smbodies other resolutions adopted by
the national committee. These guar
antee:
Recognition. in the call TO be issued
for the next national convention. OF the
right Of any state 10 provide for the
election Of delegates in direct primar-
les
The right OF any state to elect all
DELEGATES from the state at large. or
part from the state at large and part
from congressional districts.
These provisions were adopted with
view 10 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-
nznds Of a large body of voters. sought
10 have the committee call a special
convention for the purpose of adopt
ing q new basis OF representation. but
the opinion prevailed OF those who
maintained that inasmuCh as no meth
eds were provided by the existing laws
Of the various states for the election of
delegates TO such a convention in d.
rect primary elections, the special con-
Tention might not represent the senti-
ments and desires OF majority of the
party.
It was resolved that the national
committee consider the question, for
mulsts its conclusions and submit the
result OF its deliberations for ratifca-
ton By state conventions In reciting
the views that sctuated the national
body, the special committee of three
SAYS:
The committee believed that should
conventions Of delegated representa-
tves Of the party, convened in the
number Of states entitled to cast a ma
iority Of the votes in a national con-
vsntiOn. ratify the action taken by the
national committee in this district, its
action could be assumed TO fairly eX-
press the sentiment of the great ma |
iority OF the party, for obviously such |
state conventions when taken together |
would consist Of more Representatives |
Of the party than would be assembled |
II national convention.
The plan adopted and recommend |
ed for ratification provides that the
republican voters in each state shall .
hereafter be represented in a national
convention OF the party by four dele
Eates-at-large; two delegates for each ]
representariTe-atlarse in congress: |
one delegate from each congressional
district and an additional delegate
from each congressional district in
which the vote Of 1905 for any repub-
hean electcT or for the republican NOM
nee for congress in 1914 shall not have
been less than seven thousand five hun
tred C7.5C0)-
Alaska and the District of Colum-
nz- under The plan presented. will
zach Be entitled 10 two voting dele
gates, while Hawaii. Porto Rico and
ne Philippine islands viii each be en-
utied 70 two delegates without the
night 70 vote
The result OF his change in the ba-
So Of representation, II ratified by the
requisite number OF state conventions,
VII b. a decrease of 81 votes, as fol-
loEs- Alabama VIII lose S, Arkansas
:. Florida (, Georgia II, Louisiana S.
mississippi 6. New YORK 2, North Car
UNA :. South Carolina z, Tennessee 3,
eHas l6. Virginia S. Hawaii 4. Porto
'S'eo :. and Philippine islands 2
Criticism - Anticipated
Under the plan presented a congress
'ionsl district non entitled 10 two del
ssstes on the vote cast in the presi-
'eiilasl election in 1905 win qualify for
70 = 900 on more votes are cast for
ne republican noIniDee m the congress
'-ozasl election this fan.
A1ocfpa1nEZ criticism from those
10 Ssheved fna1 a stin greater de-
7sess should havs been provided IN
''~bern representation, the special
'ninlrr1es IN It's recital says IL II with
4 he province OF a majority OF the
Invention OF 1916, II II so desires, TO
sSShiish zu0clIer new basis for fu-
ne conventions.
me plan can be ratified by any re-
Iolcan convention for the purpose OF
'u1nafing candidates for state Offices,
ar rhs purpose OF adopting party
-@linTm. or tIy any convention called
uIe republican state committee and
&c before Jan I. 1915. The state
enf Of the special committee that
'1ftsd the plan for presentation 70
" several republican state conven-
ons concludes with the following;
lhe committee Amounted 10 present