Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1914-03-07
Undue Influence
OF The South.

! Louis Mo- r. public is a democ arir
Globe Democrat. from which the fol-
owing editorial was taken. ia "A republic
can daily. the annexed leader will be
better understood and appreciated:
The Republic bheds crocodile tears
over the undue ir i1uence that a federal
primary law would give the South in.
nominating Republican candidate for
president and proposes q modification
to overcome such disparity While. as
we have remarked before, Congress Will
pass no federal primary law of binding
force since the constitution forbds j
and the Democrats of the South would
oppose it under all circu instances. we
wonder why the R-pn blcan. party
=, mpa thetic friend does not 90 fur,her
and lns st that constitutional prov isiOns
representa- ton of the South be reduced
1t would appear worse for the South 70
h ave disp opOrtionaie representation in
congress and in the electoral college
than 20 exercise power out Of proper
ton to rs v~ting strength in mere
nom'n ting convention. The people o
the cnuntr, have second chance at
party rOmineeS. but when any section
l. gwen unoUe representation in the
E!tc ":al College and in Congress there
,s 30 ten. rGy.
The Republic ures the 1903 vote in
south II Diana TO illustrate The cen
ru7 Of t9l0 give South Carolina popu-
ton Of ,515. Goa In 1908 the com
bine Republican and Democratic vote
for president WAS &C 25I. Connecticut
with coo smaller population and
with only five members of Congress to
he seven allowed South Carolina, gave
the Republican and Democratic tickets
lSl,l7J. Mr.. Bryan was given q larger
vote IN Connecticut than all candidates
received in South Carolina. This anon
hi} - explained whcn we consult the
census 'nd discover that the population
OF South Caro- ina consists Of 679 9]f1
wh':" persons and $50. .S43 Negroes
Thai th. Negfnt do not vOte and that
people Is evident. The result cf this is
that ihe few white men who take charge
Of the politics in that state under direc
ton Of such men ns Cole Bleaee have
voting lower in Congress and in the
Electoral lollege three or more times as
great as that Of voters in sections Of the
United States where the constitution is
observed. Reduction If Southern rep.
% entatiOn to conform to the constitu-
ZION would not interfere with white
control locally, but it would prevent
one man from doing the voting for two
and having it counted in Congress and
tie Electoral College. The South has
always had more representa- ton than {
was entitled to- for under the constitu-
ton as it originally stood it's property
was given representation.
The charge that the Republican par
~ is sectional is patent absurdity. 1t
has received no electoral votes from
siaies having % per cent or more Negro
population but 1t has carried every 9th.
or state in the Union during the last
twenty years except the three recently
admitted Under Republican policies
the South has been made prosperous
over its protest, Judging from its vote
The statement that Southern representa-
ton was the rock at Chicago that split
the Republican party takes no account
Of history. The revision Of RDpublicsn
representation to correspond to the
vote. applied to every congressional dis.
trict in the United States. aft ectine both
New Yo'k and Illinois in the reduction.
would h.ve been accomplished in the
10 8 pational convention but for .he
opl o'itior Of the individual most clam.
orous for the reduction in 1922
the reduction Of Southern repre-
alton to conform to the constitutions
m ight mot interfere with white control
, locally" but it would have tendency