Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-19
The Philadelphia Convention.

| The eyes of the nation this week, are
and delegates of the great Republican
party are assembled in national con-
vention. 1t is a notable gathering and
will prove a memorable one, not from
the contest over the pre- sidential
nomination. but rather for the absence
of such a contest and for the impor-
For the first time in a generation there
is entire unanimity in the choice of the
national standard bearer. Not a voice
in the party is raised against the re-
nomination of William Mckinley. The
action of this convention has been a
| foregone conclusion ever since the
the last presidential election was
known. And it is not a convention Of
office holders which is gathered at
| Philadelphia to thank the man to
whom they are indebted for favors. 1t
is a gathering of delegates who truly
represent the wishes and sentiments
of the party in every section of the
country. The nomination of William
Mckinley comes from the American
people, not from any machine or
coterie of politicians.
As to the nomination of a vice-presi-
Dental candidate no such certainty
exists. Had Garrett A. Hobart lived,
his e-nomination would have been
made with the same enthusiasm and
harmony as will mark that of his
chief. OF the dozen or so able men, all
well qualified for the important duties
of this exalted Office who have been
mentioned, none carries such strength
as does Theodore Roosevelt. governor
of New York. Only his own we'll
known reluctance to abandon the gov
ernorship for the presidency has
presented his nomination from being
as assured as that of President Nc
Kinley. 1t has been only on the con-
dition that he was not a candidate that
the others have entered the field. The
gathering of the delegates again brings
the pressure upon him and the dis
PATCHES show the great demand for his
candidacy. New England has hoped
that Secretary Long might be selected.
and will loyalty support him if his
No i,,o ,,oscihIa col
has not sought the nomination. but has
simply indicated that he would accept
it if the party saw fit to give it to him.
If Governor Roosevelt allows his name
to be used, it is probable that much
New England strength would go to
him. not that he is better fitted than
Secretary Long for no man could be,
but because he comes from New York
and because it is universally recog-
nized that no name for second place
can give the ticket more strength and
arouse more enthusiasm in every sec
ton of the country, than that Of
Theodore Roosevelt.
The platform will probably be
adopted and the candidates nominated,
Wednesday. though it is possible that
n Thursday session will be necessary.
The platform will be worthy the party
and the candidates. strong in every
plank, lodging no issue, and one
which every true American can sup
port with pride. There are no party
differences to be settled at Phia-
dclpha. The great party is united.
and in such unity there can be only
victory. A party never met in national
convention under more suspicious cir
cumstances. The prestige Of the last
great victory, the pledges faithfully
kept. the peerless leadership, the mar
mony in the ranks, the unprecedented
prosperity, and the robust American
ism of the party policy, all unite in
making it as certain as anything in the
future can be. that the next President
and vice-president of the United States
will be named at Philadelphia, this