Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-11-09

Republicans of Hawaii will lose
practically all voice in national affairs
and certainly all votes in national
party conventions If the plan now set
tied upon by mainland party leaders
Is allowed to go through.
In the past Hawaii has had six dele
gates TO and six votes in national
Republican conventions The plan
new is to cut Hawaii's representation
down to two non-voting delegates, the
same as Porto Rico and the Philip
pines will have. On the other hand,
Alaska and the District of Columbia
are to have two voting delegates each.
This reduced representation was de-
cided upon several weeks ago, when
the Republican national committee
announced that the plan, which had
been proposed several months ago,
had been ratified by most of the state
organizations.
icelChairman Robert w. Breckons
Of the Republican territorial commit
tee was informed by the Star-B Bulletin
this morning of the announcement,
which was made In New York on Oc-
toher 26, and Mr., Breckons immedi-
ateIy got busy, BY this afternoons
mail he Is sending to national party
members with influence strong pro-
tests against any action that wiz so
reduce Hawaii's voice in national con-
ventions.
Ny information Is that the final
decision will not be reached until De-
cember, but Hawaii ought to make Q
vigorous protest anyway said Breck-
ons. 1T is true, probably, that the
states have ratified the plan, hut It
has still to be passed on by the ma.
tional committee. ! viii write to
Chairman HilIes and others today
Charles d. HiIles, chairman OF the.
Republican national committee, an
nounced on October Is. in New York,
that the new plan of representation in
the Republican national convention of
lie had been ratified by the conven-
items of states casting 290 OF the 531
votes in the electoral college. The
convention OF 1872 was made M Of
1913 delegates. That of 1916 will be.
made up of 9S9.
Eleven OF the southern states will
bear the brunt Of the pruning by
which this reduction Of SO delegates
has been brought about. New York
alone Of the northern states suffers,
while from Hawaii. Porto Rico and the
Philippines will be taken more than
half the present representation. The
losses are:
Alabama, s.: Arkansas, 8: Florida
a; Georgia. II: louisiana. s; Missis
sippi, s.; New York. 9; North Caro-
lina. 8: South Carolina, 2; Tennessee
81: Texas. 16: Virginia, s: Hawaii. A:
Porto Rico. 2; Philippine Islands, 2.
End Of Long Fight.
The light to cut down the represen-
tation of southern states in Republi-
can convention has been under way
since 1880. when the advocates of O.
third term for Gen. Grant held out so
tenaciously Little actual progress
was made toward changing the basis
from the allotment of two delegates
for each vote in the electoral college
until Dec. 16, 1918. when the national
committee faced the question squarely
at a meeting held In Washington.
At that time the law committee of
the national committee composed Of
Charles 3. Warren Of Michigan, VII
liam e Borah Of Idaho and Henry d
Hatfield Of West Virginia proposed
That the Republican voters in each
state shall hereafter be represented
In q national convention of the party
by four delegates-at-large; two dele
gates for each Representative-at-large
IN Congress-; one delegate from each
congressional district, and an add
tional delegate from eacn COMPRESSION
Al district in which the vote in 1908
for any Republican elector. or for the
Republican nominee for Congress In
1914. shall have been not less than
1900.
That Alaska and the District of
Columbia shall each be entitled to two
voting delegates. while Hawaii. Porto
Rico and the Philippine Islands shall
each be entitled to two delegates with. /
out the right to vote.
Chairman Warren submitted this
plan. with the following argument:
when one state sends one delegate