The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-13
Republicans Ready to
Choose a Candidate.
Issues of the Hour and the
Potency of Each.
What the Great Political "Junta" Is
Expected TO Accomplish.
IcopvrIeht. isO0.l


The 10th of June, the day fixed for tho
Republican national convention at ST.
Louis, is now near at hand The forTna-
tion of this great deliberate body was COM
pleted i'm the election of delegates two
weeks ago. Their assembling Is awaited
with anxiety, hope and fear by aspirants
for political honors, according Co 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 a candidate there Is per.
haps the selection Of president and tho
adoption Of national policy, and on that
policy the prosperity Of tho country de-
pends.
The present system Of political convcn-
tions in America is the result of a century
of evolution. State legislatures once named
presidential candidates, and at one time
they were named In congressional caucus.
Conventions were for a long time irregular
and informal, and the very effective meth
ods of today are hardly more than half a
century old.
And what are these methodsf" some
modest citizen may ask Tho 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-
ceded it,
No sooner has candidate for the presi-
dency been defeated at the polls than the
grist for the next conventions grinding
begins 10 accumulate. Tho political as
pirations Of thousands fell with that aspir-
ant, but In the world OF politics old hopes
never die, and new ones arc 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-
tion OF four years of political labor This
is not 70 say that every delegate is poll
tician, for perhaps not one third OF the
-party,s Representatives can he 50 elassed,
but each Is in some way connected with
the political interests of the locality which
he represents. Each is pledged 20 n policy
and possibly TO n candidate II 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 MISTER But delegates
nre uncertain quantities, and, though there
have been cut and dried conventions in the
history of American politics, they have not
been Inany. In almost every instance the
convention hall has been battle-ground,
and the conflict has brought at times some
startling and unexpected results. Some
times in the national situation crisis
arises, one that must be met boldly and
without too much deliberation. The very
life Of party may depend on the prompt
enunciation of principle Of government
or firm protest against some proposed
change in the system of national economies
At such q juncture local and personal con-
alterations give way to the supreme qucs-
fion OF expediency, and the man who is
deemed the best representative of n radical
party principl" is chosen without debate.
This ability to merge all differences
(great ones sometimes) into harmonious
effort and TO mako 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
Inercenary breast.
Will the Republican convention Of 1896
be n convention swayed by devotion to a
great party principle or by popular preiu-
dice for an irdividualS Or will the two
influences be combined? VIII IL declare
for the oracle of protection, or the standard
bearer of sound money" or the apostle