The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-01-16
WHY CONVENTION
WAS ABANDONED.
Southern National Committee Had
idea That they Would Lose /
More Delegates.
BY Ernest a. wslksr.
.NIaIl speeIal 70 The Advertlser.ll

| ! w AOhiANOAOANg 1rCStnboh Gos DIX
Republican doings have been under
way at Washington during the last few.
days. The national committee has met
and adjourned. There developed an
unexpected sentiment against holding
q national convention, next year. Rep,
reservations were made that thih might
lead 70 fresh diseord and psrhaps
bring no FbmpeHsatihg feSiits'iihsMdel
tiers Of organiastionur and basis o. 'fepl
resentation. Instead the committee
undertook TO formulate new basis Of
representation itself. ~
So much has been on the boards at
the federal city recently, the Republi-
can committee meeting was probably
given less attention than it deserved,
Tho new basis Of representation, which
was adopted after two days OF discus-
sion and exchange of views, provides,
briefly, for the four delegates at large
from each State and one from each con.
gressional district, as heretofore But
added to that is TO be an additional
delegate on basis Of the percentage Of
the Republican vote m zoos. This will
make the next Republican National
convention larger than any held here
tofore. THE number Of delegates will
be jumped from approximately 1000 to
n half or a third as many more. But
the South will lose considerably in vot.
ing strength in the national convention.
The North will lose something Ia secs
tions that are overwhelmingly Demo
cratic, particularly in several cities.
Nevertheless the South loses more,
which Is what the advocates of a
change in representation have been
striving for. VI.
Southern committeeman and Eastern
committeeman were largely responsible
for the defeat Of proposed convention,
next year. The Southerners were par.
ticularly aggressive against il. Men,
like Alva Martin, the committeeman
from Virginia, worked like beavers and
with good effect. They were willing to
accept a new. basis Of representation,
as worked out by the COMMITTEES than
hazard their chances with q national
convention in 1914. The reason Is
plain. They argued they would ldse
more before a convention next year
than they conceded at meeting Of the
committee. ~ IN tEs ~ ~
There was a notable gathering lof
old time Republicans. They showed
much spirit. There were many utter.
anees OF hopefulness for the congress
ional campaign now only few months
away. Ex-Speaker Cannon .'came
on" to- Washington for the meeting,
although he was not aomember OF the
National Committee. He sounded q
slogan Of hope and babe the brethfsn
to be Of good cheer. He believes the
country is returning TO the Republican
fold. 5' Sh .ff z So
The national committee meeting
may be regarded as opening the presi-
Dental campaign of 1915 on the Re-
publican side, even as President vii.
son Is announcement in his message for
a law authorizing presidential primar-
les opened the campaign on the Dem
oeratic side. There was. not little
discussion Of possible candidates in a
quiet way. This had been preceded
by a unique development In the senate.
After he had made his remai: sably
(, foreible speech against the Currency
Bill, Senator Root, of New York, wa
nominated by Senator Gallinger, Of
New Hampshire, as the Republican
standard bearer in 1915. Naturally
that started discussion at full tilt. Mr.
Roots great constructive abilities are
generally recognized He Is big
enough to be in. the White House, be,
yond question. His activities In New
York State, where he is recognized as
the party leader, and where he has
been doing much of late to Hberallze
Republican doctrines, made the episode
In the senate quite apropos. .a
However, Senator Root Is seventy
years old and will be seventy.two
when the next presidential campaign
is on. After there had been quite q
Juror of talk about him In presIden.
made a brief speech, stating that his
nomination would be impossible and
that he was well aware Of il. He told
the senate Of his age, said he could
not accept the nomination even II Il
should be rendered him. He frankly
stated that his advanced years would
be sufficient reason.
| Consequently the talk Of Root for
president died down but II served TO
quicken general interest among Repub-
licans. Those who dominated the ma
tional committee want the machinery
kept in the hands Of the old liners.
Developments at the committee meet:
ing were entirely in that direction. IL
was Voted, however, to f6d6gnizSr fsfil
maries in states where these Meres hpi
thorized and it goes without saying that
state primaries will be big factor In
determining the Republican nominee
two years from now. The outlook is
that Republicans will champion the
state primary for nominating delegates
for a national convention, as against
a national primary for nominating q
presidential candidate direct, as Presi-
dent Wilson is expected to favor.
A vigorous issue in that connection
is to be expected.
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