Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-07-02

National conventions are very ex-
pensiye affairs. Their cost to the party
holding them is estimated at not less
than S150.000, and perhaps more. In
each great party is body of wise men
known as the National Committee"
This body is the acme of political as
cension. A man may be a proud men,
Der of a division committee, which is
the first step in the ladder But when
he reaches the dizzy heights of ma
tio0al committeeman from his State
and appears at the convention with a
badge as big as an ancient breast
plate, so that there can be no mistake
in his standing, the height Of ambi-
committeeman from each State. This
august body meets il December pre-
ceding a national convention, examines
the claims of the different cities that
desire the gathering. and critically
looks into the size of the guarantee"
as it is called. This latter form means
that the city paying the most money
usually gets the convention. The guar
antee is accepted by the committee
men, and they then proceed to spend
1t lavishly. Apartments at the most
expensive hotels are secured, a host of
employees is retained and business be-
gins In real form. The hotel bills of
the National Committees are some
thing enormous.
Machinery of Convention.
While the preliminaries are being
arranged the delegates are arriving.
The delegate to the National Conven-
ance at his home. The Democrats re-
quire twO-thirds vote of all the dele
gates present and voting to make a
nomination. The Republicans require
majority of those present and voting
At a national convention each State
has Its own headquarters, where the
delegates gather. They do a lot of
"conferring' with each other and with
delegates from other States. They hold
meetings and elect chairmen AID hon
orary vice presidents. The honorary
vice president has a seat on the plat
form and an extra ticket, but little
else. The chairman does the dickering
in some cases in some cases the posi-
ton Is a sinecure. Usually the "co1-
ferring" and the dickering begin days
before the convention is to be called
to order.
Prior to the calling of the conven-
ton to order the National Committee
is virtually in command of the stua-
ton. With it lies the arranging of the
details, the framing up of the pro-
cedure of the first session, the selection
Of the temporary chairman, and, in a
great many cases, though not always,
the program making of the whole con-
vention, temporary and permanent or
CARNATIONS, nominating and platform
building.
Convention Is in Order.
Now for the convention, the great
meeting that the country has looked
forward to for so many weeks. The
chairman OF the National Committee
calls the convention to order, usually
about noon upon the day set.
The convention called to order, the
proceedings are opened with prayer.
The chairman requests the secretary
to read the call for the convention,
which Is done. Then the rollcall Is
gone through, and this takes a lot of
time. The next step is the announce
ment by the chairman that the commit
tee offers to the convention as It's tenn
porary chairman the name of So-and-
So. There are loud and prolonged
cheers, and by viva voce vote Mr..
So-and-So Is unanimously elected. There
is usually little trouble over the cleo
ton of a temporary chairman. The
chairman then appoints a committee to
escort the temporary chairman to the
platform; the band plays, the delega-
ton from Mr.. SO-and-So's State makes
a lot of noise. and all is merry.
1t is incumbent on the temporary
chairman to make speech. He invari-
ably takes advantage Of the opportu-
nifty. He sounds keynote" 1t Is a
sustained note. 1t Is invariably trib-
ute to the party of Abraham Lincoln"
at the Republican convention, and a
glorification Of the party of Thomas
Jefferson" at the Democratic 1t lasts
a very long time.
After the speech various resolutions
are offered. Usually these have been
arranged for in advance, and the tenn
pOrary chairman works according to a
printed schedule, calling on John Doe
and Richard Doe at the right time, so
that there may be no hitch. Commit
tees are appointed one on resolutions,
which will have the drafting Of the
platform; one on credentials or con-
tested. seats; one on permanent or
ganiZation. These are the important
ones. When they are all chosen, and
there has been a lot Of hand-clapping
and cheering, as well-known me1 are
appointed to this or that committee,
the temporary chairman announces an
adjournment, usually until the next
day.
Pulling Wires in Committee.
At last the machinery is In motion
AID the district delegate begins to
wonder what he is on hand for. A
big man at home, he Is lost in the
hurry burly and roar Of the conven-
ton. He may be assigned to a commit
tee, but he had nothing to do with
that. The State boss decided that So
and-so should be member Of the Per-
maneat Organization Committee that
Mr.. Brown, who is political econo-
mist, should be honored by seat in
the Resolutions Committee, and that
the Boss himself or one oe his most
trusted lieutenants should be a mem
Der Of the Credentials Committee. These
bodies sall meet separately. All the
contests that were handled by the Ma
tionaI Committee the week previous go
to the Committee on Credentials unless