Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-05
Unopposed Nominations.

unanimous nomination when the next
national Republican convention assem-
bles. 1t may be nomination by ac-
clamation, or it may be that the for
mality Of balloting will be INDUCED
in, but in either case, it is the safest
kind of a political prophecy that no
voice will be raised or vote cast against
making Theodore Roosevelt the stand
ard bearer of the Republican party in
the coming presidential campaign. He
his signally earned the honor at the
hands of his party, and the members of
that party, the leaders and the rank
and file, are united in the determination
that he shall be nominated and elected
in 1904.
There is no Republican who wants to
go into the fight against him for the
nomination, and there is no other man
whom the masses Of the Republican
party will allow to be nominated il
President Roosevelt is living when the
convention assemblies. Already great
part Of the states have pledged their
delegates to him, something never be-
fore done SO far in advance, and in the
few remaining states the delegates Will
favor his nomination, not merely be-
cause the majority favors him, but be-
cause they honestly wish to see it
brought about as the best that can be
done, best for the party and for the
country
Occasionally some Washington cor
respondent, or some professional busy
body in distant state, seeks to make it
out that there is no harmony on this
point among the Republican leaders;
that this prominent man or hat one is
seeking the nomination or being given
support and encouragement by his
friends. Prompt and emphatic denials
follows each such story and there is
never any trouble in proving that they
are absolutely without foundation.
Never before in the history of the
country, so long before the national
convention assembled, was the result of
that convention so certain as it is in
this instance.
1t is interesting to look back over the
political history of the country and find
how rarely the distinction of an UNI
opposed nominal ton has been conferred
uron candidates of any of our great
parties. The convention system, as it
is now carried out, did not begin to
take shape until the early 30s, and in
the great majority Of the conventions
of the leading parties, since that time
there have been either heated prelimi-
nary struggles before the balloting be-
gan. or else active support given in the
convention to various favorite sons,
necessitating several ballots before a
choice was reached.
In few instances the choice has been
had by reclamation and without oppo-
sition before the convention or during
it. For instance. Henry Clay was
chosen by unanimous vote at the con-
vention of 1891. and again III 1914 was
nominated by reclamation by the Wing
convention. In 1882, ]. Jackson was
nominated by resolution by the nation
nj Democratic convention, after he had
secured IA number of state nominations
under the old system. Van Buren, re-
ceived every vote at the Democratic
convention OF 1885. and was nominated
by resolution four years later. These
are the only instances OH record until
the Civil War. Even Lincoln did not
get the absolute endorsement of the
Republican convention in 1864, for the
Missouri delegates were forced by their
instructions to give formal vote to
Grant. Later, in 1868 and 1872, General
Grant broke the record by being given
two unopposed nominations. Cleveland
was nominated without opposition in
1883; AID, i'll 1900, both Mckinley and
Bryan were unanimously chosen by
q their respective parties.
1t appears that none of the vice presi-
dents who have succeeded to the higher
Office on the death OF a President, has
been fortunate enough to secure the
nomination at the following convention
OF his party. Tyler was discarded by
the Wings and regarded by them as a
traitor; Fillmore was beaten by Gener-
al Scott at the convention; johnson
was cast aside by his party with small
ceremony; and Arthur, although he had
strong support, went down in defeat at
the convention before the magnetic o.
the brilliant Blaine, whom the masses
demanded. But President Roosevelt is
not Tyler, Fillmore or Johnson.
and there is no Blaine to wrest the
nomination from him next June He is
not only much more popular than any
vice president who ever succeeded to