The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-06-14
CUT SOUTHERN G. O.
P. REPRESENTATION
COMMITTEE HOPES TO RE-
TAIN FOOTHOLD IN SOUTH
BY ELIMINATING NEGRO.

strenuous and eloquent protests from
southern members the republican ma
tional committee today adopted res
olution changing the basis OF repre-
sentation in national nominating con.
ventions for the so-called solid south.
The power which southern delegates
have been able in the past to exert IN
national conventions is cut down
through diminishing the number OF
delegates allotted to them.
There were IA delegates from
southern democratic states in the l9ZO
convention at Chicago. In the 1924
convention there will be % less, or
121.
The hardest blow struck at the
southern representation, however, was
contained in a portion of the resolu-
ton which decreed that no delegate
at all will be permitted in COMPRESSION
al districts which do not maintain
bona hde organization, run candi-
date for congress and shall have cast a
minimum of $500 votes for the repub
lican candidate in the preceding cleo
ton. This will affect seriously some
states of the south where the republi-
can organization is so weak that can
didates are not even put up.
The total number of delegates for
the 1924 convention was increased
from o84 in the 1920 convention to
1887 in the next one. The surplus
will be distributed over the SO states
which cast their electoral votes for
Harding and Coolidge in 1920.
Vote Is SO to IL.
The committee adopted the resolu
ton by vote of SO to II, with the
states of Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ne
vada, New Hampshire, South Caroli-
ma, Texas, Porto Rico and Hawaii
voting against it.
Under the resolution the represen-
tation in southern states is changed
as follows:
Alabama, fourteen, the same as last
wear; Arkansas, fourteen, an increase
of one; Florida, ten, an increase OF
two; Georgia, ten, a reduction OF sew
en-; Louisiana, nine, a reduction OF
three; Mississippi, four, a reduction
of eight; North Carolina, p, the same
as last year; South Carolina, four, a
reduction of seven; Tennessee, 2z, an
increase OF two; Texas, Il, reduction
of two; Virginia, sixteen, an increase
of one.
To Force Active Work.
A tremendous drive will be waged
by the republican party in the coming
congressional elections to break still
further into the democratic grip OF
the south.
Encouraged by the acquisition OF
Tennessee and Oklahoma last Novem-
Der the G. o. p. managers are laying
the ground work for what is expected
to be the greatest effort the party ever
has made to- turn the state south OF
the Mason and Dixon line into the
republican column.
Hereafter in order for congress
siona1 district to send delegate to
the national convention it must have
a regular republican organization, rec
ognized as such, and must have cast
at least $500 republican votes in the
preceding election. If the district can
show 10000 republican votes then an
other delegate will be accepted.
This rule was presented and adopt
ed over the strenuous protests from
the representatives of the democratic
south They declared heatedly that it
means "disfranchisement" of the re-
publicans in the south, particularly ne
groes who have difficulty in voting.
The northern and western elements
of the party rode rough shod over
their objections and put through the
mo organization no representation"
measure.
The result of this rule, it is hoped
by party leaders, will be to provide
an incentive for the republican leaders
in the south to get to work and or
ganize those districts in which for
years the democrats have had little
or no opposition.
Had No Candidates.
According to the returns made to
the clerk of the house of representa-
tives in 1920 elections there were 40
congressional districts, scattered over
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, ,Missis-
sippi, Texas, South Carolina and Ken
lucky, in which the republicans did not
even present an opponent to the DEM
ocratic candidate for congress.
Each of these districts, notwith-
standing, had delegate at the Chi
cago convention. Some of them did
not even reside in the districts to which
they were accredited. If these districts
send delegates to the next convention
they must in the meantime perfect an
and put up a candidate.
Thus, the party leaders believe,
while the first effect of the rule will
be to cut down materially the south
ern representation ultimately it will
work for upbuilding of the republican
in the south and attract
to it those elements of the south which
believe in a protective tariff and other
doctrones.