Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05

rison was renoninatcd on the first ball
lot. An effort was made to put Blaine
Ia the race against him, but the Maine
statesman refused to permit the use OF
his name. Yet he received lS votes. Nc
knlcy also received 1S2 and Reed OF
Maine got and Robert T. Lincoln of
Illinois !. In 1896 II was a foregone con-
clusion for nearly n year before the con-
vontion met in st. Louis on June Is that
Mckinley would he the nominee. The
convention turned out to be a ratification
meeting On the first ballot Mckinley
received G6 1-2 votes in the convention.
Reed got "a IL. Quay OF Pennsylvania
81 10. Morton of New York IS. Allison OF
Iowa IS 10. and Cameron Of Pennsyl
vania !. AT Philadelphia in 1900 McKin-
ley was renomnatcd by reclamation, and
at Chicago in 1904 Roosevelt was nom
mated by reclamation,
TIE present campaign for delegates in
dicatcs to most observers that this years
convention may resemble in many re-
spccts the convention Of 1SSS 1880 and
1876 They point out that in three of nc
four conventions since Grants time in
which there have really been contests
the unexpected has happened. An un-
biased survey Of the present outlook in
d!cates very clearly that Taft will lead
on tho first ballot. He is the limelight
cal didate, just Blaine was in 1850, and
as Sherman was in 1883. He comes from
Ohio. as did Sherman and some Of the
prophets estimate that on the first ballot
he will receive about the same proportion
Of the total vote Of the convention that
Sherman received in that 1883 conven-
ton, 11pr tlr Erct hall nf nrit -o.y
nearly onc-fourth Of the convention vote.
# Taft gets one fourth of the coming
convention on tho first ballot he will
have 2b votes against go which Sher-
man had on first ballot. Six weeks or
two months from now it may be possible
to estimate with some accuracy what
tho first strength of the candidates will
b. this year. The politicians point out
that the 1SSS and the 1905 situations run
parallel in another respect: In 1855 Ohio
rad n candidate and in 1908 Ohio has
candidatc in 1879 Indiana had a candi-
date. and in 1908 Indiana has a candi-
date: In 1855 iowa had a candidate and
il. 1905 the same State may yet have a
candidate in Governor Cummins. In this
years contest Pennsylvania takes the
place which Michigan occupied in lsS
and Illinois his the gap winch lNanSdS
occupied in ISIS.
But there is one factor in the present
contest which was absent from the con-
tests oil 1855 1850 and 1876. In non, Of
these memorable campaign was the
President attempting to dictate the
partys action. Grant in the White House
in 1876 kept hands OFF. The party had
honored him with two terms as Presi-
dent and he was willing that it should
he left free to choose its candidate.
HAYES in the White House in 1850 was an
Inactive il not disinterested spectator
of his party's campaign. In 1884 Arthur
in tho white House tried 10 renomn
ate himself and failed. There could BE-
no federal Interference in 1883 because
Grover Cleveland was IN the White
House. In 1892 Harrison was able 10
bring about his own concentration, and
whether it be true or false the charge
has always been made that re was de-
fpated at the POLLS because he brought
about his nomination through the undue
activity Of federal oficeholders, Again
in 1895 Cleveland was in the White
House. and so there could be no exercise
Of federal power in the interest OF any
candidate; and in 1900 and 1904 ii was not
necessary for the prospective nominees
to have the support of the federal ma
chi. @.