The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-20
REPUBLICANS
Will DESTROY
OLD SCANDAL
National Committee Expected
To Prohibit Inspiring Local
Conventions of Negroes APP
pointing Pocket Delegates.
SOUTH FARINC WELL
BY MARK SULLIVAN


The Republican party acting officially,
is about to make momentous decision
as to the institution which for so
years has been a scandal, going by the
name of THE Southern delegates"
The official action will be taken some
time within the next few weeks.
There is NOT yet unanimity of opin-
ion in the national committee. In fact,
But if, as is most probable, the action
is taken which represents the wish Of
the more modern thinking leaders, in
Guiding President Harding. some his
toric consequences will follow.
The representative and otherwise
undesirable Southern. delegate" will
disappear completely A scandal
which in one degree or another has
been the subject of cynical comment
in nearly every Republican national
convention for a generation will end.
Most important Of all. the Republican
party in the south will stand on ex-
actly the same ground as the Demo
cratic party as regards the method Of
selecting delegates to national cpnven-
expected, both by Republican national
both parties in the south. will be that
the south will become a normal
Political section with two parties, the
same as the north.
To Adopt New Rule.
The step which will bring this about
and which is expected 10 be taken with
The adoption of rule OF the Repub-
lican national committee to the effect
that no delegate will be received in
any national convention, who is not
himself a qualified voter and who has
not actually voted in his home state.
and further. that no delegate will be
received in whose selection, by pri-
mary or convention any person has
taken part who is not qualified voter
OF the state. or who has not actually
voted in an election under the laws of
his state
The rule, of course. will be OF uni
versal anplication, but its immediate
effect will be felt almost wholly III the
south. In most of the southern states
there are state laws which prevent
certain classes Of negroes and others
from voting, Unless they fulfill c'a1 ain
Qualifications. These laws have been
by the supreme court of the United
States.
The decision Of the Republican ma
tional committee. il it is adopted, will
be to stand squarely with the supreme
court and prevent any man or group
of men from taking part in the Re.
nubllcan machinery unless he is a
qualified voter and has actually voted
under the laws of his state. If man
is not a voter and has not voted and
cannot vote in the elections of his
state. he cannot be a delegate to a
Republican national convention or
take part in giving commission to
anyone else to be a delegate.
inspire Conventions.
What has happened in the past is
that just preceding the Republican
national conventions northern agents
of candidates for the presidential
nomination have gone into the south
usually with money. have inspired
scandalous local conventions of ne
groes and others not voters under the
laws of the state, and have thus ac
quired pocket" delegates for the
benefit OF their candidates. All this
will end.
A further step in the same direction
will be to limit the whole number OF
Republican delegates from any state tC
Il number fixed in proportion to the
number OF persons who actually can
ticket in the state This rule. if adopt
ed will reduce the present number OF
Republican delegates from the south
from 121 TO about 20.
After the new regime. if it goes
&c oanflHen avnorfaI
both by the Republican national lead
ers and by representative men in the
south. that a Republican party under
local white leadership will quickly take
root in the south and grow AS this
genuine Republican party made ur OF
legally qualified voters increases in the
south the number Of delegates will OF
course increase.
Some Opposition.
There is opposition to this propose,
on the part of several "Old Guard
leaders, who for many years have op
Grated with Southern delegates on tho
old basis, but the determination tc
get away from the old scandal is un
mistakable. 1t is reflected, among
other ways, in the easily apparen;
fact that the recommendations to posi
Offices and other public positions ir
the South now being made to Presi
dent Harding by Republican leaders
who see the new light are confined
TO the kind of representative men who
will be acceptable to the communitie;
in which they will hold Office They
know that President Harding will mo-
appoint any other kind.
The old apprehension under whicr
the South has lived for 60 years, tha
a Republican victory will be followet
by the appointment to southern Office:
OF large numbers Of locally unaccept
able negroes and the sort of white
men who trade upon the negroes po
sition, will not appear in Presiden
Hardings administration.
1t is a fact, in spite Of some recen
isolated events, that the position O.
the negro in the south is steadily i'm
proving. In proportion as he acquire:
property, education. and those othe
qualities which commend him to hi;
white neighbors he is permitted te
Continued on Page Ten)