The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-06-12


the Party Who viii Take Part-Recol-
lections of Former Conventions.
Copyright, 1867
The 10th of June, the day fixed for the
Republican national convention at st.
Louis, is now near at hand. The forma-
ton of this great deliberate body was COM
pleted in the election of delegates two
weeks ago. Their assembling is awaited
with anxiety, hope and fear by aspirants
for political honors, according to their rat
ings of their chances of success, and with
deep interest by the rank and file of the
Republican party. The eyes of the people
of all parties will be fixed on st. Louis the
week of the 10th of June.
The selection of candidate there is per-
haps the selection of president and the
adoption of q national policy, and on that
policy the prosperity of the country de-
pends
The present system of political conven-
tions in America is the result of century
of evolution. State legislatures once named
presidential candidates, and at one time
they were named in congressional caucus
Conventions were for q long time irregular
and informal, and the very effective meth
DDS of today are hardly more than half
century old
"And what are these methodist" some
modest citizen may ask. The question is
natural enough, for, while political con-
ventions are attended by many thousands,
they are missed by as many millions. To
appreciate the work of the convention let
us first glance at the work that has pre-
coded it.
No sooner has q candidate for the presi-
dency been defeated at the polls than the
grist for the next conventions grinding
begins to accumulate. The political as
pirations of thousands fell with that aspir-
ant, but in the world of politics old hopes
never die, and new ones are born every
minute. Disappointment is the bitter
tonic that increases the appetite for Office
and strengthens the determination to win.
Delegates and Their Pledges.
The national convention is the culmina-
ton of four years of political labor. This
Is not to say that every delegate is poll
tician, for perhaps not one-third of the
party's representatives can be so classed,
but each Is in some way connected with
the political interests of tho locality which
he represents. Each is pledged to policy
and possibly to candidate. If every del
egate could be trusted to redeem the pledges
made to his people or even to the candi-
dates, forecasting convention work would
not be so difficult matter. But delegates
are uncertain quantities, and though there
have been cut and dried conventions in the
history of American politics, they have not
been many In almost every Instance tho
convention hall has been Il battle-ground,
and the conflict has brought ~ zines some
startling and unexpected rec -. Some
times in the national situation % crisis
arises, one that must be met boldly and
without too much elaboration. The very
life of party may depend on the prompt
enunciation of a principle of government
or a firm protest against some proposed
change in the system of national economies.
At such juncture local and personal con-
siderations give way to the supreme ques-
ton of expediency, and the man who is
deemed the best representative of q radical
party principle is chosen without debate
This ability to merge all differences
(great ones sometimes) into harmonious
effort and to make personal sacrifices upon
the altar of party loyalty is the best evil
dence of the excellence of our political sys-
tenn as well as of the devotion to principle
which turks somewhere even in the most
mercenary breast.
Will the Republican convention of 1896
be q convention swayed by devotion to
great party principle or by popular preju-
dice for an individual9 Or will the two
Influences be combined? Will it declare
for the oracle Of protection, or the standard
bearer of sound money" or the apostle