. If any
change in the interest of reform is necessary, the National Republican
Committee is the organization where it should first be made; for it
often happens that that committee can not only shape the policy of the
party but control the nomination as well,--especially when the result
between opposing candidates is close and doubtful. In such a contest the
candidate that has the support of a majority of the National Committee
has a decided advantage over his rivals for the nomination. If the
result should be close that advantage will be more than likely to secure
him the nomination.

The National Committee prepares the roll of the delegates to the
Convention, and, in doing so, it decides primarily every contested
seat. If the contests thus decided should give any one candidate a
majority, that majority will be sure to retain the advantage thus
secured. It will thus be seen that if any change is necessary this is
the place where it should first be made. It occurs to me that instead of
changing the basis of representation the most effective remedy for the
evils now complained of is to have the delegates to National Conventions
elected at popular primaries, instead of by State and district
conventions.

CHAPTER XXXI

COMPARISON OF BRYAN AND CLEVELAND

It was upon the territory which now comprises the States of Kansas and
Nebraska that the preliminary battles in the interest of freedom were
successfully fought. This is especially true of that part of the
territory which now comprises the State of Kansas. But not only for that
reason has that State occupied a prominent place before the public;
other events of national importance have had their birth there. It was
Kansas that furnished one of the Republican United State Senators who
voted against the conviction, of Andrew Johnson,--who had been impeached
by the House of Representatives for high crimes and misdemeanors in
office,--and thus secured the President's acquittal. That State also
furnished one of the most remarkable men that ever occupied a seat in
the United States Senate, John J. Ingalls.

I distinctly remember him as an able and brilliant young Senator
when,--in 1875, under the leadership of Senator George F. Edmunds, of
Vermont,--he took a prominent part in the successful fight that was made
in that body to secure the passage of the Sumner Civil Rights Bill. It
was this fight that demonstrated his fitness for the position he
subsequently occupie