Evening star., 1923-09-23
By G. COULD LINCOLN.

- TEP by step the republican
party is purging itself of the
system by which Republican
- presidential nominations have
been forced in the past and steam
roller" tactics have been possible
The latest step is the rule adopted
by the republican national committee
recently and announced by Chairman
John T. Adams relating to the ap-
portionment of delegates to the ma
tional convention. Under this appor-
tionment plan, the total representa-
ton from the southern states has
been reduced twenty three net, and
premium has been placed upon real
republican organizations in the south
with real voting strength.
Shows Real Advance.
To any one who attended the last ma
tional republican convention in Chicago
and followed the contests before the
committee on credentials for the seating
of delegates from the southern states.
this means a real advance. Hours of
the time of the committee was con-
sumed while this and that clique,
some supporting one candidate and
some another for the presidential
nomination argued their right to be
seated. Politics is politics just as
business is business" and it might
be said that the exposition of the
politics as played in some of the
southern states by the republican
organizations and near organizations
presented politics in the worst pos
sible light.
Il
from the states of the north and the
west, where republican politics are
usually on a better plane, for a
housecleaning and that the delega-
ttons from the south be cut down so
as to leave the control of the selec-
tion of nominees for President and
Vice President and the framing of
platforms in the hands of the re-
sponsible republican representatives.
Obstacles have been thrown in the
way % the proposed reform, however,
not only by the so-called republican
leaders from the south who saw their
opportunities for harvests of patron
age and also from administration
leaders who hoped to control the
convention through the more easily
Influenced delegations from the south,
Influenced through the power of fed
eral patronage. and through the ju
diCious expenditure of money.
Move Meets Objection.
In 1916 and in 1920. however,
democratic administration was in
power. There was not the opposi-
tion OF a republican administration
to be met On June 5. just before
In,,
the rerublican national committee
adopted a resolution offered by Will
liam Jackson, national committeeman
from Maryland, proposing that sub
committee be appointed to look into
the situation in the south and to de-
wise ways of strengthening the party
organizations and increasing the re-
publican vote in those states. The
republican national convention itself,
on June 12, just before 1t adjourned.
adopted a resolution offered by Paul
Rowland of Ohio, chairman of the
rules committee, authorizing and d.
recting the republican national COM
naittee to adopt a Just and equitable
basis of representation in future ma
tionaI conventions"
Strenuous objection was raised to
this resolution by H. F. MacGregor,
a delegate from Texas, who was
seconded in his attack on the resolu-
tion by Walter L. Cohen, delegate
from Louisiana. MacGregor moved
to table the resolution and his mo-
tion was seconded by Cohen. Sena-
tor Lodge of Massachusetts,. the per-
manent. chairman of the convention.
refused to consider q suggestion made
by MacGresor that the resolution was
out of order. When the question
came on the motion to table the reso-
tuition. that motion was beloved
down and the convention almost i'm
mediAtely adjourned.
states Lose Delegates.
MacGregor and Cohen were right in
their expectation that the adoption Of
the resolution would result in a re-
duction of the delegations from their
respective states at future conven-
tfons. Under the plan adopted by the
national committee Texas loses six
delegates. being reduced from 23 to
II, and Louisiana loses three dele
gates, being reduced from II to 8. Other
southern states had their representation
reduced as follows: Georgia, g.; Missis-
sippi 9; South Carolina, z. On tire other
hand, three southern states gained in
representation. They and their gains
are: Virginia, 1; Florida, Q; Tennes-
see, 6. But these gains were due to
the fact that the republican vote cast
In 1920 in those states showed a ma
tertal gain, indicating a more healthy
condition of the party and its organi-