Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-07-24

National conventions are very ex-
psnsave affairs. Their cost to the party
holding them 10 estimated at not less
than $4,000, and perhaps more. In
each great party IL a body Of wise men
known az the National Committee"
This body is the cine OF political as
cension. A man may be a proud mem
Der Of a division committee, which Is
the first step in the ladder. But when
no reaches the dizzy heights Of ma
tiooal committeeman from his State
and appears at thsAconvention with a
badge al big as an ancient breast
plate, 10 that there can be no mistake
In his standing, the height of ambi-
item 10 reached. There is one national
committeeman from each State. This
august body meets IN Decsmber pre-
ceding a national convention, examines
the claims Of the. different cities that
dAsire the gathering. and critically
looks Into the size Of the guarantee"
~ Il II called. This latter form mean
that the city paying the most money
usually gets the convention. The guar
antss ID accepted by the committee
msz, and they then proceed to spend
Il lavfshly. Apartments Mt the most
expensive hotels are secured, a host OF
employees Is retained and business be-
Tins Ia real form. Tho hotel bills Of
tho National Committees are some
thing enormous.
Machinery Of . Convention.
while the preliminaries are being
arranged the delegates are arriving.
@he delegate to the National Conven-
ter u generally a person OF import
6nce ct his home. The Democrats re-
(uirs . two-thirds vote Of all the dele
eAteg present and voting to make q
domination. The Republicans require
Z majority Of those present and voting.
At q national convention each State
has IT. own headquarters. where the
dS1Antes gather. They do a lot Of
"confsrring" with each other and with
delegates from other States. They hold
meetings and elect chairmen AID hon
ofary vice presidents. The honorary
vice lsrssident has q 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-
tiou u 4 ~sinecure. Usually the "con7
fsrring" and the dlckering begin Jays
before the convention II to be called
70 order.
Prior to the calling Of the conve
4ion to order the National Committee
II virtually In command Of the situa-
Hon- With It lies the arranging Of the
details, the framing up Of the pro
cedure Of the irst session, the selection
oe the temporary chairman, and, In a
great many cases, though not always,
the program making Of the whole con-
vsntion, temporary and permanent or
~ganizations, nominating and platform
building.
Convention II In Order.
Now for the convention, the gres.
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 moor upon the day set
The convention called to order, the
proceedings are opened with prayer.
The chairman requests the secretary
- read the call for the convention,
which II done. Then the rollcall is
gone through, and this takes a lot Of
time. The next step Is the announce
msnt By the chairman that the commit
~ offers to the convention as Its tenn
porary chairman the name Of So-and-
10 There are loud and prolonged
casers, and by a viva voce vote Mr..
qo-and-So II unanimously elected. There
Il usually little trouble over the cleo
don Of 4 temporary chairman. The
chairman then appoints a committee to
eoooTt the temporary chairman to the
platform; the band plays, the delega-
aaben from Mr.. so-and-so's State makes
. ~ 81 Noise. ard all 10 merry.
lt II Incumbent on the temporary
cAatrnan 70 make = speech. He invari-
ably takes advantage Of the opportu-
Mty. He hounds 4 keynote It u a
epskainsd note It IL Invariably 4 trib-
IT. TO the party Of Abraham Lincoln"
q thA Republican convention. ana a
4~lcri6cation Or the party Of Thomas
3eftsre0n.s at tile Democratic. 1t lasts
Z very long time.
Aftsr the speech various resolutions
afs offered. Usually these have been
arranged for In advance, and the tenn
porafy chairman works according to a
printed schedule. calling on John Doe
and Richard Doe at the right time, 50
that there may be no hitch. Commit
Aeea ara ax1unlnt0d. OnA on resolutions