The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-26
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dent since his day has used the power
OF patronage for political purposes. to
an extent varying with the personal
characteristics OF the man In office and
the necessities Of the OCCASION.
jackson forced the nomination OF his,
his successor. He used the Federal!
officeholders to get the nomination for
Van Buren,. Mr.. Roosevelt may have
used the officeholders for a like pur-
pose, and the "aliics" may have cursed
bitterly, but they said the same things
wore heard when jackson was III tho
White House.
The difference nowadays is the In
Icreasing Importance OF the primary. a
direct primary for presidential noni.
nations has not been suggested seri-
ously as yet But many States are
already deciding the question OF In
istructlons to delegates by primary.
MIR. Taft defeated Mr.. Roosevelt In the
California Republican plebscite this
spring. Mr.. Bryan was given insttuc-
lions by Wisconsin and Alabama by a
popular party vote.
Complaints that delegates to conven-
| tions are not left to do thcif will. and
10 follow their judgment, but are
driven under the whip by the control
OF the party leader, arc often heard.
Bryan are called the bosses" of the
two great parties. Yet glance at the
past will show that no party leader can
control delegates at national conven-
ton to go against the Will OF the
masses OF the party. a leader often
can compel the delegates to go against
their own will II he has the masses on
his side.
What did the power OF the admlnis-
tration amount to in the convention to
nominate candidate to succeed Ar
thur? II was used, but all in vain. Mr.
Cleveland, like Mr.. Roosevelt had very
pronounced ideas about the civil SER
vice and "pernicious activity" In poll
tics: but they did not prevent the
power Of the Cleveland off!ceholders
from being used in conventions. What
did 1t amount to in Chicago In 1895
after Mr.. Bryan brought In the cross
of gold and the crown OF ihorns3
There was q time when the national
conventions met without any ones be-
ling able to forecast the outcome
There would be a dozen candidates to
start with. and frequently dark horse
would win. II was exciting, 1t was in
iteresting, but II WIS not always for
/ the best. The delegates had much more
freedom than they have in these latter
days. 1t is true, but the very nature OF
a convention prevents true elaboration
Delegates left unhampered by instruc-
ttions are apt to be swayed by the most
artificial devices; they are very un-
likely to consider the genuine needs
/ OF the party and country.
After awhile the people began to
object to the introduction OF so many
dark horses. Instructions to delega-
tions became more frequently the ex-
preston OF the opinion OF the party in
| a State as to the relative merits OF
the leading aspirants: less frequently
| a compliment for q favorite son and
basis for trading and dark horsing."
The primary election has given the
voters control of the nominations for.
smaller offices. and they are reaching
tout to control the greatest OF them
lall. This is the reason the national
conventions have become but ratifica-
ltiop meetings which formally register
1.-THE will Of the party.
The tendency toward yesting more
power in the primary means great
lchange in American politics. Until
this time the greatest interest has been
lin taking sides with some aspirant and
aiding him to work the machinery In
the direction of getting the nomina-
tion.'' II the present tendencies are
carried out. the interest In the future
will be changed to the business of tax
ling sides with some idea and aiding In
1.-THE work OF making the nomination.,
Copyright. 1905, by Frederic j.
49,