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

dences That Something has Been Done
When a Man Says something it il for
| Purpose and is Usderstood-How
Some of the Committees had TO Work
and What They Do.
| st. Louis, Mo, June 15.-The average
| citizen, who by gift or purchase. may
have acquired a ticket to a national
convention and uses IL TO the utteTmost
really gets but little information as
TO how presidential candidates are
nominated and party platforms made.
He may attend every session Of the con-
vention from the time the chairman
OF the national committee calls II TO
order until the gavel falls on the final
motion to adjourn sine die, using to
their limit all the senses nature has
endowed him with, and when every
thing is said and done, all he has heard
and seen is little more than the formal
ratification Of plans made in committee
or private conference OF the leaders
ana debates had on questions settled
in advance. 1t happens once in a
while battles are won and lost on the
floor of the convention, but this is rare,
d
without Witnessing an instance.
But this very innocence of the aver
age citizen makes the convention
scenes all the more interesting to him.
When the chairman of the committee,
after the formal speech with which he
opens the convention, nominates Mr.
So-and-so for the position of tempo
rary chairman the average citizen is
persuaded the selection is made on &C
count of the eminent fitness of Mr..
So-and-So for the position, and he is
sure Of it when the convention ratifies
the nomination with a unanimous roar.
He does not know the selection has
been carefully made in committee solely
on account OF the bearing il may have
on the fortunes Of some candidate, and
the reason the delegates so unani-
mously approve it is because they
know it would be useless to attempt
TO do otherwise. The chairman of
the committee would simply declare
his candidate seated anyhow on viva
Voce vote, and TO put up osemhtoer Z
voce vote, and to put up some other one
would only result in his being de-
feated.
To be sure, in 1884. the nominee of
the national committee was defeated.
the rule. The Arthur men had con-
troll of the committee and they had Sc
'lecbed their candidate. The Blaine
people, who were in a majority on the
floor determined to force the fighting
from the start They pst up ex-Con-
gresham Lynch Of Missippi, a colored
man, as their candidat e for temporary
chairman, and on the vote demanded
"a roll call 1t took a deal of fighting
and insistence TO get it, but the Blaine
menswere nothing if not strong lunged
ana enthusiastic, and the result was
the roll, or what of ii was then made
up, was finally called and Lynch was
elected. 1t was the beginning Of the
end, and when the convention was over
Blaine was its nominee, only TO be
beaten in November
WORK FOR COMMITTEES.
Then, when the temporary chairman |
Is chosen, he thinks a long speech. |
ana the average citizen enjoys ii or |
not, according as it is good or bad or |
ne has liking or not for that sort of /
thing. But while the chairman is talk
lng a couple Of committee have got to |
work, committees about which the av- |
erage citizen knows nothing, and Of |
lhe character of whose deliberations /
ne VIII always remain in ignorance. |
one is the committee on credentials.
the other on permanent organizatjo,,
and untiltthey have reported and their
reports are ratified, the convention
can nothing.
The committee on credentials comes
IN first and its chairman has a long
paper 10 read. 1t recites how in a. GER
tam district of a certain state, or per-
maps IN all the. districts of a. certajn
state, at Tinds certain delega ties, naming
-nenl, entitled TO seats ard others
canning TO be delegates not entitled to
mem. In no case does the report go
INTO a discussion, or even presentation
II the facts in the case but when he
5 through the chairman moves the re-
port be adopted. and whether It is or
lot means aigreat deal to the conven-
non. In the St Louis gathering this
year there are over 100 contested seats
ana the report Of the committee affects
over 200 delegates
II the report goes through without
question Inc average citizen is more
nan ever pleased with the unanimity
'oHlS SHOWN by the delegates, not
knowing II was simply a case Of me
increasing its numbers bv
throwing out delegates who might
prove troublesome, and If it is contested
lie is amazed at the intelligence shown
~ the delegates. Each and every ons
II them seems TO be perfectly CONVEX
ant with the facts connected with each
'ontest, although no public Presentation
u them has been had, and ready 20
'ote at once. The average cit
zen does not know the vote is being
aken not on the merit of the contest |
ouL as the respective claimants for |
eats are for or against certain candi-
ildates or principles and they find their
Importers or opponents on the floor
lmong the friends or enemies Of these
anne candidates or principles The
ommittee on credentials has made .ts
epoTt on the same lines. and although |
ne argument IS used in whatever de-
ate may have been had. totally dif |
enent one operates in controlling tbA
citing.
ONbooKERS ARE DECEIVED
Then comes the report OF the commit
&c on permanent organization and
gain Is Sle average citizen pleased wiz
he acumen shown by the camrnitrsA in
eiec9lg the best possible men as The ,
Ulcers Of she convention A. n,af,r. :
. : sure they are the ht~. possible men
ecauSe the delegates haiI the mention :
I their na1aes cn;h tsi3 Sticaisv. ard .
ote for them unanimously, a thing ne :
nows would not happen were there :
~ DOUBT 4 bent their fitness for the DO :
tlon- IL * Unknown 20 him that the :
elections were made in committee af-
= q Ions wra1gie in which the effect
2 the fortunes OF candidates or Drinci-
les was the only thing considered
After this comes IN the chairros, OF
~ COMMITTEES o. resolutions with the
la 1o-m, and again there Is a scene Of
Enthusiasm and unauimity. 1t has hap :