The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-26
Getting the Nomination.
ny FREDERIC .. HAsrxIN.

4! Getting the
BY FREDERIC .. HAslxlN.
With the Republican convention just
behind and the Democratic convention
lust before them. the American people
lare greatly exercised at this time about
THE who's, why's and hows OF getting
1.-THE nomination." So Tar as national
politics is concerned, one might search
1.-The Constitution and the laws forever
land never find one word to authorize
la political convention. or to give power
ito conventions mandate. Yet vast
number OF the voters OF the United
States place the action of the corven.
sI,ion above their, own convictions and
,Ivote for the nominee regardless OF
Ibers of the electoral collese-none has
lever disobeyed ~the command OF his
sIparty convention.
Political party nominations arn
necessary TO the career OF the Ameri-
lean statesman. No man IS SO great
the aid of nomination to help MIN
Ito office, or the capacity TO control
nominations TO help others to office.
1.-THE infrequent successes OF independ-
lent candidates for minor offices marx
1.-THE exception which but proves the
lrule. Therefore, 1t is apparent that
the whole fabric OF our political inset
buttons rests upon the political party
nomination. The voters can choose
inc better man for President than is
called independent voters can never
.lselect man to serve In the White
House. That section OF the public may
linduce party to take It's choice by
.lbartering a promise OF the "independ-
lent" vote, but under ordinary clrcum-
t.,,o t. ct Hotx h a
jgive IL; the greater OF two goods. or
the lesser OF two evils.
Just at this time it is interesting to
mark the progress OF the nominating
machinery of the American political
Iparties. In the beginning there was
1.-The caucus. then came the delegated
convention. and now the direct pri-
mary election bids fair to carry the
machinery to Its most democratic e1-
tremity. There is great talk of con-
ventions that are boss-ridden and the
like. There has been such talk before;
ever since conventions We're held, in
fact. The greater volume OF complaint
now is but the evidence OF the in
lcreasing purpose Of the people to take
the power OF nominating into their
5 Town hands.
Leaving aside the hosts OF municipal.
county. State and congressional offices.
flor which nominations are already
made by direct primaries in many
Estates. 1t Is interesting TO apply the
THEORY of the direct primary to the
nomination for the presidency. the most
important function exercised by politt-
!, lcal party.
The trainers OF the Constitution did
mot believe the people possessed SUIT
Efficient wisdom and judgment to select
1.-THE Chief Executive of the Federal
government They battled long over
the proposition OF leaving that selec-
|tion to the National Legislature. or of
!, |intrusting 1t to the several State Leg
islatures, In the end, they left It to
, electors to be appointed by the various
Statesmen by the people Of the States
,|-in such manner as each State Legis-
Nature might direct.
II The Constitution was null and void
from the very beginning, SO far as the
Esprit OF this provision was concerned.
5 The people had every confidence In
Their ability to select President and
Ithey We're very careful to choose as
) ELECTORS only those persons who would
ireflect the popular will. Thus the cleo
toral college came to be merely an
: empty form. 10 far as the constitutional
function of choosing President is
> lconcerned. 1t is very far from being
an empty form in that it provides
8 system which gives the smaller States
more power in proportion to their pop-
ulation than would obtain in a direct
vote; and thus makes the selection OF
/
Tho fathers declined the proposition
to vest the power of selecting a Presi-
q dent In the hands OF Congress out OF
consideration for the integrity of the
3 ltri-partlte system OF government they
We're establishing, in which the checks
{ and balances of and between the Ex-
|ecutive, judicial and Legislative De-
partments were SO nicely adjusted. But
Congress soon perceived that the cleo
toral college was amenablc to the pop
ular will. Therefore. 1t set about to
captain and command that will thus
VIRTUALLY giving Congress the power to
name the President.
81 Political parties appeared In Con-
i lgress before lines were drawn among
. the people. The congressional caucus
!. was the result From 1888 until 1900
! the Presidents We're named by informal
party caucuses OF members Of Con-
. gress The attacks on King Caucus
were begun in the public press as early
as 1900, although the first formally
/, Iconvoked nominating caucus was not
!; |1s24 "King Caucus ruled supreme
!. and the Presidents were, in fact, CHI osen
Iby the members OF Congress.
q If that method of selecting party
4 candidates for President had prevailed
Il Is safe bet that the list Of Pr : y,
I would not contain single name which
allt now bears. Congress has always
Hooked at things from a point Of View
: |quite different from that Of the voter.
: lit does not require great mental agil-
3|ity to Imagine that the present sRepub.
l.|lican members of Congress would moi
! choose Mr.. Taft or that the Democrats
! in Congress might prefer another than
Mr.. Bryan. Certain It Is that no con-
gressionnl caucus. would 1, have noml-
/ mated Theodore Roosevelt Abraham
! Lincoln or Andrew ] ackson.
!, '1t was the certainty that q caucus
!, would not nominate Jackson that led
!, to the establishment Of the conyen-
: ton system by the overthrow Of kin 6
!, Caucus.,'s In 1922 the Tennessee Legis'
: |lature BY an informal vote placed the
name OF Andrew Jackson in nomina-
: ton for President. This established q
7 prcced emit, and two years later, the
!, |Iegislatures Of various States by sol
/ emn and formal legislative enactment
! placed the names of their favorites
!, In nomination for the chief mag lstracy
! 4 When Jackson did become President
he recognized the power of the politl-
I -. - A. 49, EfHff {r,s