The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-26

SONS circumstances the national con-
vention permits individual voting, but
never Overrides state instructions.
The Wing convention Of 1889 adopted
a cumbrous form Of unit rule, but II
never became a part Of the regular
Wing procedure.
In Republican national conventions
the unit rule never gained a foothoid,
though efforts have been made 10 I'M
pose it upon the party. In 1880 a rule
was adopted which has since been IN
force. II requires that in case any
delegate objects TO the announcement
made by the chairman of his delega-
ton, 1.-The president of the convention
shall direct the roll Of members OF
such delegation to be called and the
result recorded in accordance with the
votes individually given"
The Platform.
In the national convention Of the
present the platform occupies a con-
spicuOuS place. It also has a history
and a growth along with the develop
ment of the convention itself, and es-
pecially in connection with the growth
of the idea of the authority of the con-
VentiOn. Three ideas are now seen 10
enter necessarily into a political plat
form. There is first statement or
which the party stands These having
been once formulated, and as not
changing from year to year, may be
merely referred to or assumed in sub
sequent documents. Secondly, there is
a conscious effort to set forth a spe-
cific policy to be pursued under exist
ing circumstances and conditions. And,
third, the platform carries with II
pledge, stated or implied, that the par
ty will be true to its historic princl-
pies and will carry out the policy out
lined. \ modern platform does not
appear in convention history until lo4O,
and its development Will be traced in
connection with our further study OF
party history. Before that time there
were. indeed, many long popular ad-
dresses put forth by local meetings
containing statements Of party prlncl-
pies; many criticisms upon admins
trative acts, upon personal quallIes
and conduct; much expressed admira-
ton or reprobation of men and thlngs'
but nothing earlier than 1910 Will be
found to contain the three elements
now deemed essential. The document
which Mr.. Bryce calls our first pOliti-
cal platform" sets forth SPECIFIC pol
icy advocated by the national Repub-
lfcans as demanded by the time and the
circumstances, but neither fOrmulates
nor implies the party's basal principles
nor offers any pledges to the people.
The Convention Established
Until the national nominating con-
vention had become a lf-perpetuating
body il could not be regarded as an
established institutiOn-a permanent
party organ. This completion OF ha-
tionaI party organization may be con
venfently. associated with the year 1852,
when the Wing convention appointed
a national central committee with pow
er to call the next national convention
Similar action had previously been
| taken by the Democrats.
For nearly half a century no Slgnln-
cant alteration in the procedure OF ma
5iOnal nominating conventions appears
Constant criticism has followed the
| convention and its rules of action, as
| It followed the congressional caucus,
| but no system at all likely 10 be sue
| cessfuI against it has yet been pro-
| posed.