Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-07-01


since and which until 1880 was
rule of Republican conventions as well.
Under this rule where state has given
instructions individual votes are OF no
value except in the conferences Of del
egation. The vote Of majority OF the
delegation controls the vote Of the entire
delegation. And this rule has resulted
more than once in the defeat Of candi-
date who might have commanded the
individual support of two-thirds OF the
delegates to convention.
The Unit Rule.
The first formal expression Of this
principle, which had been recognized
informally in prior conventions, was
had in the convention Of 184S. 1t was
contained in the following resolution:
Resolved, That In voting upon any question
which may arise in the proceedings OF this
convention. the vote shall be taken by states
at the request Of any one state. each state to
be entitled to the number Of votes to which
such state is entitled IN the electoral college
without regard to the number Of delegates In
attendance, the manner In which said vote is
to be cast to be decided by the delegation OF
each state for itself.
But this rule was modified by the
convention of 1850 and the modification
has stood to this day. The amendment
(which was in the form Of an additional
rule) provided:
That in any state which has not provided or
directed by Its state convention how Its vote
may be given, the convention will recognize
the right Of each delegate to cast his indi
vidual vote.
This is the form in which the unit rule
will likely be adopted by the convention
which meets in Chicago on the 7th OF
July. It is more than likely that the
convention will adopt the rules Of the
last convention as whole, though pos
sibly not without some contest and q
sharp discussion.
Chicago Hotels.
One singular thing about national
conventions is the unexpectedness with
which they assume Importance or be-
come comparatively commonplace. -Four
years ago it was predicted confidently
that the Republican convention at Min
neapolis would be uninteresting and
that the Democratic convention at Chi
cago would be exciting. The reverse
was true. The Republican convention
was one of the most exciting in the his
tory of the party and the convention OF
the Democrats was cut and dried. 80 1t
was predicted six months ago that the
Democratic convention this year would
be commonplace and the convention at
st. Louis, with its half dozen candi-
dates running on even terms, would be
exciting. Long before the Republican
convention assembled its work was cut
out for it, while the interest Of the
whole country has centered for many
weeks in the convention at Chicago and
its candidate. The hotel keepers Of Chi.
caeo will be the benefciaries Of this
condition of affairs, for, where they
looked forward few months ago to
vacant rooms during convention week,
they have now the prospect Of over
crowded houses. Still the rates at the
principal hotels have not been advanced,
and at the best Of them single rooms
with meals have been rented for 30
each. Chicago has many hotels-too
many for ordinary occasions. The big
houses which were built for Worlds fair
business stand half empty during q
great part of the year, and one Of the
oldest and best Of the big hotels of other
convention years-the Grand Pacific
has been closed. But the Palmer House
is still headquarters for many Of the
delegations, and the Auditorium hotel,
with its big annex, will be crowded to
the doors during convention week. In
these two the largest crowds will gath
er, and the streets about them will be
packed thick with hoarse, beribboned,
red eyed men. Bands will stand be-
meath their windows serenading state
delegations, and clubs of men in long
skirted coats with canes in their hands
will tramp in and out Of their corridors,
filing the air with shouts for their can
didates. There will be hospitality of a
liquid character at the headquarters Of
the silver states, and music everywhere.
And while the crowds rend the air with
their shouts below the leaders Of the
convention will get together in the quiet
of their rooms up stairs and map out
the business and determine how it will
be done.
The Wigwam.
The last convention held in Chicago
met in q wigwam erected on the lake
shore-a great deal larger than the wig
wan in which the Lincoln convention
met SO years ago. The news Of that con-
vention was sent to the world by the
hand of single telegraph operator. The
convention Of eight years ago was held
in the Auditorium. Both these were
&