The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-26
SOUTHERN STATES LOSE
GRIP ON CONVENTION
Chairman Hilles, Of Republican
Party, Announces New Plan of
Representation.
VIRGINIA DELEGATION CUT
State Will Have Eight Less Seats In
Next National Council Of Republi-
can Party-Result of Long Draws.
Out Fight.

Virginia, In common with other
Southern States. will lose heavily in it's
representation In tho next Republican
National Convention. The bitter strug-
gle waged since 1880 to reduce the
Southern representation has been won,
and Charles u. HilleB. chairman of the
Republican National Committee. an
nounced yesterday that the call for tho
new basis, which reduces the number
of delegates by eighty-nine.
The plan. proposed at the annual
meeting of the national committee In
Washington last December has become
effective. Mr.. Hilles said through it's
ratification by conventions in States
which cost majority of votes in the
present electoral college. Every State
convention he.d sincc last December
except Texas, gave Its assent.
The States which adopted 1t cast
290 of the total sal votes in the cleo
toral college. They are Arkansas CAL
ifornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho,
Illinois. Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
Michigan. Missouri, New Jersey. New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennes-
see. Vermont, Washington and West
Virginia.
VIRGINIA LOSES
EIGHT DELEGATES
In the next convention. the delega-
ton of Alabama will be reduced by s,
Arkansas by 3. Florida, A; Georgia, IL:
Louisiana, s; Mississippi, s; New York.
2; North Carolina, 3; South Carolina. Z:
Tennessee. 3; Texas, 16; Virginia, s:
Hawaii. 4; Porto Rico, ., and Philip
pine Islands. 2.
The new plan," said Chairman H!lles,
in statement given out in New York
last night, will eliminate conflicts
between the rulers OF the party and the
laws OF several States, and will reduce
the number of contesting delegations.
The system OF unequal numerical rep
rescntation was the legacy of years
and of political custom. and, therefore,
not in any way identified with the
convention OF 1912"
Local Republicans are not posted ex-
actly on the new plan of representation.
although it is known that the vote OF
the preceding presidential election will
be the basis adopted. Under the old
plan, Virginia had two delegates from
each congressional district, and four
delegates at-largc, making the total
representation twenty-four.
AT the last national convention there
were s79 accredited delegates. With
this reduced by eighty nine the repre-
sentation at the next convention will
at the presidential election was 3,4S4.-
$50. Virginia cast 23,2Ss votes for
Taft, the Republican candidate.
1t Ia generally admitted that the old
plan OF representation was unfair A
Southern State with a small vote would
have it's two delegates from each con-
gressional district, and its delegates at
large. Tho Southern representation
was almost large enough 10 dictate
the policies OF the convention and to
hold the balance OF power on the con-
vention floor. while at the polls II
could be counted on to do little. and, as
matter of fact, did not actually de-
liver a vote in the electoral college.
WILL WORK MANY
CHANGES IN SYSTEM
The new plan of representation will
work many changes In the local Re-
publican ranks. The mode of election
for delegates will be changed, as each
congressional district formerly Sc
lected It's own men. while now there
will be less than one delegate to n
district, and Il different system must
be devised.
Each Southern State, as we'll az the
other States, has one Representative
| on the national committee 1t is not
Alvah n. Martin, of Norfolk County.
The fight to change the basis OF rep
resentation has been going on for more
| than thirty years. Recently Chairman
| Hills appointed n special committee to
study the question. This committee
made the recommendation, upon which,
his announcement was made yesterday.
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