Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-07
POLITICAL LANDSLIDES.
Emily Three In America. and Two Affected
Harrisons.

Harrisons.
The great Democratic victory in
the election of 1892 was called a land
slide by politicians. Such landslides
are peculiar to American politics.
They do not occur often. There have
been only three such events since the
foundation Of the government, says
the New York sun.
When Democrats get tired of re-
joicing over the great victory won
Tuesday, and Republicans get tired
OF wondering how il all happened,
they can find rest and amusement in
comparing it with similar events that
took place iifty-two and forty years
ago respectively.
They will find many interesting
condolences when they come to pre-
pare the three great events in Amer
lean politics.
One of the first they will notice is
that Benjamin Harrison's grand
father, William Henry Harrison. was
elected President in 1910 by land
slide as big as the one that defeated
the grandson in 1892.
Twelve years later the second great
landslide occurred.
Martin Van Buren,, who was re-
garded as something Of politician In
his day, was on the wrong side of the
slide that carried Grandfather Har-
rison into the White House. He
atterward became a sort of standing
candidate for President, but never
again got an electoral vote. He was
nominated by the free soil party four
years later, and by the knownothing,
or American, party eight years after
ward, but failed to carry single
State either time.
Gen. Winfield Scott went down I'M
der the great Democratic landslide of
1852 along with the Wing party.
The political landslides of 1870 and
1852 differ from the one this year in
that the successful candidates in those
elections got comparatively small ma
jorities of the popular vote. while
they had fourfiths Of the votes in
the electoral college.
The political leaders of 1910 and
1852 we're surprised as much at the
result-in those years as Chairman Car
ter was when he heard that Ohio had
gone Democratic.
There were 1873 votes in the first
electoral college, the one that elected
George Washington President the first
time. Twelve candidates for Presi-
dent were voted for, and Washington
got 50 votes on the first ballot
In some of the States the electors
were elected by the legislatures,
There is no record of the popular
vote.
In 1892 there were no conventions,
platforms. or nominations. Wash
ington got 1872 of the electoral votes
that year.
The election of President was
without special interest until 1900,
when Thomas Jefferson and Aaron
Burr received an equal humble Of
electoral votes and the election was
thrown into the House of Represen-
tatives, which elected Jefferson after
thirty-slX ballots.
In 1904 Thomas Jefferson got 1872
Of the l76 electoral ballots. This
could not be called a landslide, be-
cause his opponent was Federalist
and that party was then very weak,
and electors were chosen by the Legis-
lature in SIX States.
In 1920 the Federalst party had
practically ceased to exist, and James
Monroe had no opposition. He got
ever electoral vote except one,
which was cast for John Quincy
Adams
The first political conventions to
nominate candidates for President
were held in 1892, The Democratic
convention met in Baltimore on
March % of that year and nominated
Andrew Jackson. The platform con-
tanned just three brief paragraphs,
the first declaring in favor OF protec-
tion to American industries; the
second in favor Of internal improve
ments, and the third in favor of civil
service reform.
The National Republican, or Wing
party convention nominated Henry
Clay but adopted no platform. The
party was then in its infancy, aud
Jackson received 2l9 of the EDITORIAL
votes.
In 1876 the Wings held no conyen-
tion and had three candidates for
President The Democrats nomi-
mated Martin Van Buren,, but adopted
no platform. Van Buren,. got 100
electoral votes and WAS elected, but
his majority of the popular vote over
w. II. Harrison was less than %, 600
-Four years later, in 1870, came the
first real landslide in American poll
ties. The Wings had grown much
stronger by that time, They nomi-
mated William Henry Harrison, who
had commanded the American army
In the Indian wars. John Tyler OF
Virginia, was the candidate for Vice
President The Wings again adopted
no platform
The Democrats nominated Martin
Van Buren, for President and adopted
a platform directly contrary 10 the
ono an which Audrptv I4eElau hpI