Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-30

VA Tain h&s
recently about th- prospects
of the Republicans breaking the
Democratic Hindenburg line-the
solid south-in the coming elections
some of the talk has been loose and
irresponsible. Some of 1t has been
by men who actually studied the sit
uation.
AS a matter of fact, the showing
which the south makes in the No.
vsmber elections is likely TO have an
important influence upon the Re-
publican party in Dixie Land. In
a Measure the south will be on trial
from a Republican view as never
before. For years the southern
have sent big delegations to
the Republican national conventions
but have failed to make any show
minutes of the convention, a
electoral college. The Republican
leaders in the southern states too
often have used their leadership
merely for the sake of obtaining
federal patronage when a RepuoIi-
administration sat in Washing
ton.
But now the Republican party.
represented by the delegates to the
national convention in Chicago. has
ordered a showdown. In the clos
ling minutes of the convention, a
resolution was adopted by the
convention which provided that the
Republican National Committee
should make a study of the entire
subject of national representation
and determine upon a just appor-
tionment of representation among
the states in the national conven-
Moreover, the resolution
adopted provided for a report by
the committee within a year.
Nothing has been done yet by the
committee in regard to this resolu-
ton, it was said at the committee
headquarters today. 1t is not likely
to take any action until after the
has ended. Press of bust
ness and 4 desire not to rock the
boat while the battle lines are form
ing will keep the committee from
getting down to this work now.
1t will be observed that the res
olution does not specify the south
ern states. but merely says that a
fair and just apportionment shall
be made among the states, when 1t
to fixing the number OF dele
gates who shall make the platforms
of the Republican party and select
the nominees for President and vice
president. Mention of the south was
automatically avoided, though 1t
was apparent to the convention
what the resolution was driving at.
In fact. there was opposition from
some of the southern delegates when
the resolution was presented. But
the convention was in no mood for
longer discussion after a long hot
day in the Coliseum, and the resolu-
ton was adopted without a long
debate.
Every four years the southern
states have sent contesting delega-
tions to the Republican National
Convention. The contests are be-
tween factions seeking to control
the party in their respective states,
not for the good of the party, but
for their own advantage, in the
opinion Of many who have followed
these contests. The southern states
become known as the rotten
of the Republican party.
They have seats and votes in n
national Republican body. but they
no constituents to speak Of
at least in a number of these states.
Charges have been made that the
ltAcSdLtS VI lhG NdllOao 1oSlAOllo III
of the states may be purchased
by the highest bidder for the Pres
nomination. Some of the
national committeeman would have
been glad to throw out all the con-
delegates from some of the
southern states this year. The feel
ing ran high in Chicago that some
thing must be done to better the
situation. The national committee
was compelled to sit for an entire
week before all the contests from
The south could be heard and decid-
ed, and the committee in credentials
put in a long afternoon and almost
an entire night before it could dis
pose of the cases which were ap-
pealed to it.
The present rules of the Republic
party provide that the national
convention shall be made up of four
delegates at large from each state. a
delegate from each congressional
district and an additional delegate
each congressional district in
the Republican vote for con-
gresham OF a Presidential elector
at the last election has been 1900
or more.
Originally it was planned by the
men on the national committee who
have this matter at heart, to offer
4 resolution striking out the provi-
sion allowing a delegate to each
congressional district and substitut-
the provision that two additional
delegates should be allowed each
congressional district where the
Republican vote was at least 1900
in the preceding election for con-
r.aeo,on~ 50 D~1ci4aptio a1aatnr
this plan. the representation
of the states in which the party fig
ures really on paper would be re-
duced greatly. while in the states
where the Republicans are strong,
though the states &C Demo-
more often than Republican,
the representation would not be
changed. 1t is not unlikely. it is
said, that some such plan will be
adopted by the national committee
when it gets down to work on this
matter.
There are thirteen states which
can properly be placed in the solid
as representing the democ-
racy. They are Alabama, Arkansas.
Arizona. Florida. Georgia, Louis
lana, Mississippi. North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennes-
see, Texas and virginia.. These
states have under the present APP
portionment 1913 delegates in the
national convention.
They have 139 votes in the electoral
college, but they do not cast any
electoral votes for the Republican
During the last four years. the
Democratic administration has
made many enemies in the south.
There are many men and women in
the south who would be glad to vote
the Republican ticket. But there
has hung over them the bugaboo of
negro domination ever since the re-
construction days following the
Civil War. If the people of the
could be assured that this
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