St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-28
CONVENTION GOSSIP.


1t is only in comparatively recent
times that there has been much contest
over the location of national political
conventions. Still more recent is the
bringing into the field brass bands and
the most effective electiOneering agen-
cieS. In the earlier periods the cOnven-
tiOns were much smaller bodies. and
few attended aside from the delegates.
The Wing conventions were Staid, Dig
nIfied bodies, that might set an example
of deliberatiOn and decorum to many of
the UNCONVENTIONAL gatherings in these
times. Prior to 1860 a few prominent
points in the East and South had all the
national party conventions. That they
did not draw great crowds IS indicated
in the fact that the larger cities were
not chosen with reference to their
hosiery capacity, and little refer
ence was had to their size. Even
in 1850 Charleston, S. c., was
selected by the Democrats, and
Albany, n. Y, had been found quite
equal to such requirements. New York
and Philadelphia, the only large cities
then. were not favorites for the conven-
tions. Baltimore, with less capacity to
entertain great gathering than either
of the Twins of this tine, was most
frequently chosen as the central loca-
ton. That looks queer now. but for the
population east of the Alleghenies it
was central. The West was not taken
into the account. The Free Soil cOnven-
ton in 1852 went out to PittSburg as a
Western departure, but it was hardly a
national party, and not counted in the
radius of healthy politics. The Demo
Gratis gave the first recognition of the
growing Importance Of the West in 1856
by holdisg their convention at Cincin-
natl. Four years later the Republic
ans went to Chicago, city hardly
as large as ST. Paul IS now
1t had no fit public hall, and
a temporary structure to hold 10000
people packed like sardines was erected,
and but fraction OF the crowd could
get into it. The contest over candidates
excited intense interest and brought out
the partisans of SEWARD, from New
York. and LINCOLN. from Illinois. in
vast numbers. Since then the conven
tiOnS have been constantly growing
larger and the outside attendance has
been multiplying. There have been ex-
ceptiOnS, however. i'll cases where there
was but one name to be presented for
president One of these was the second
nomination of GRANT at Philadelphia
in 1872, and partially, at least, the St.
Louis convention Of the Democrats in
1883. But, as rule. these bodies fur
nish attractions for tens Of thousands.
They test the absorbing capacity
of the lesser cities and make a
lively showing in the largest. A
national convention with a hot and
uncertain fight for the nomination will
lead even football game in the East
in drawing qualities. The Democrats
have been west of the Mississippi with
their convention, but, although the Re-
publicans have held most of the states
west Of it, except in the South. thew
have never caught glimpse of the big
stream flowing ''unvexed to the sea-
on the way to their national conven-
tons. The novelty of the first great
party convention in the Northwest will
flood the twins with a human tide With
out precedent, largely from the beyond.
A rafting fight between HARRISON and
BLAINE or MCKINLEY for the nomna-
ton would bring hosts from east of the
river. A nomination where there is but
one name presented may be good for
the party, but reduces the life and fun
of the thing to the verge of the common
place. Still, preparations should be
made for an invasion by about all 1.-THE
world and the rest of mankind' next
limo