The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-16

4
terry distasteful to those from another
and the representative from one doubt
| full state had declared ii would be UT
ter1y impossible to carry II If a certain
| plank was put into the platform. while
| the representative of another was just
as certain his state was hopeless If that
| particular plank was left out The
veteran had insisted the plank concern
| ing pensions must be made doubly
| strong, the resident Of the eastern states
was anxious more money be spent for
coast defenses, another member thought
| all was lost unless something specific
be said regarding the foreign policy Of
the party, while another was careless
about this, but considered internal i'm
provements, especially of some long
neglected creeks down in his district, the
burning question of the hour.
SURPRISED AT UNANIMITY.
With all these contending and some
times bitterly antagonistic interests the
committee had WTestled for ways. a
point had been conceded here, another
one there, this one had been stricken
out, that one added, and finally the
platform is presented as a whole, and
napturous1y hailed as the embodiment
of the wisdom of the convention. To
the average citizen IL seemed a wonder
full thing, SO big a body, representing
so manys tates with widely varying in
terests, could be so unanimous about the
policy best for the entire country, but
then the average citizen had not at
tended the meeting of the committee.
But when it comes to the balloting
for the candidates for president and
vice-president the average citizen real
1H- fn t.
be sure the motives which induce the
delegates 10 vote for particular candid
ates are hidden from him, and he does
not know the reason the delegates from
Texas, for instance, suddenly become
so wildly DESTROYS OF the success of a
certain candidate is because the boss
of the state, who tells him how 10 vote,
has been shown overnight how the sue
cess Of that candidate would result in
his own material benefit Still the vOt-
ing is done in the open and on the floor
OF the convention; there is no way by
which the selection Of candidates can
be left to the work of a committee, and
the average citizen sees the vote of his
favorite candidate grow more less be-
fore his eyes, as ballot after ballot Is
taken without any result, and he grows
hopeful or dispondent as the figures OF
the total increase or diminish.
SECRETS OF BALLOTING.
There are many things affecting the
result of these various ballots. but they
do not appear upon the surface, and, to
the average citizen, 1t seems but an en-
deavor on the part Of the delegates TO
secure for best candidate for the party,
the controversy only arising out of an
honest difference of opinion as to who
that candidate may be. Yet one mana
ger Is throwing the votes under his con-
troll for candidate because he expects
II successful, to obtain a seat in the
cabinet. Other managers are holding
their votes in check, dividing them
around until it becomes plain who the
winner will be, and waiting to throw
them TO him at the proper moment, so
they can claim afterward, when favors
are being distributed, it was their votes
which did it. Solid delegations from
the south with favorite sons are casting
their votes for them with a great deal
OF hurrahing and other show of enthu-
siasm, while all the while they are in
wardiy fretting at the instructions that
hold them and eagerly waiting for the
word which shall release them from
their obligations and enable them to
climb into the band wagon and vote
for the winner before he is already nom
mated and their votes made unneces- |
sary. Picking the winner is as much a !
desirable thing in a national conven- |
ton as at horse race, and the really !
happy delegate when it is all over is he |
who has made the right selection early /
in the fight and stuck through to the |
end. The solitary delegate from Penn |
sylvania who voted for Garfield in the |
Of 1880 from the start has |
been held up ever since as the wisest |
or luckiest man who ever went to a ma
tional gathering.
Once in while il happens. as II did /
IN st. Louis in 1883 when Cleveland was
nominated by reclamation, that the ex-
element OF this balloting is missing.
But as rule 1t is the main thing of the
convention, as least to the average cfti-
zen, and where, as stated, he gest his
worth. Sometimes. as in 1880.
when the 306 stood by Grant ballot after
ballot, or in 1883, when the convention
waited day after day for the word from
Italy as TO whether Blaine would &C
Sept or not, it is long drawn out and be-
come at times tedious; but as a rule
here are changes in every ballot, and
he excitement runs high. In 1876 at
cincinnati one evening another ballot
would have surely nominated Blaine.
but some one, made desperate, turned |
1ut the lights In the hall and the con-
'ention had TO adjournbecause Of dark
less. Over night a combination was
made of the anti-Blaine forces, and r.
3. Raves WAS rna hauaTr;aru