Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-07-02

in HISTORY
DENVER CONVENTION WILL BE
TWENTIETH THOUGH PARTY
HISTORY TRACES BACK OVER
100 YEARS.

WASHINGTON, D. c., July al
At this time, on the eve of the DEM
ocratic national convention, 1t Is in
teresting to recall the great conven-
tons that have been held by that
party in the past. The convention
which opens at Denver next Tues
day will be the twentieth nationall
while the one held recently In Chi
cago was only the fourteenth repub-
lican national gathering. But the
democratic party surpasses the re-
publican in age much more than
this difference would indicate Born
in 1891, and christened by Jeffer-
son year or SO later, the demo-
cratic party has long since passed
the century mark in its life.
The convention system OF choos-
ing candidates for president and
vice president superseded the con-
gressional caucus method in 1891.
In December of that year the wings
net in Baltimore and nominated
Henry Clay for president and John
Sergeant for vice president. In the
following May the democrats met in
the same city, ostensibly for the pur-
pose OF soliciting a candidate for
vice president. but II assumed the
responsibility OF nominating a cam
d'date for president. Andrew Jack
son. and Martin Van Buren, for vice
president. gH-
No platform was framed by the
democratic convention OF 1892, but
1t adopted a resolution which pro-
vided for the perpetuation Of the
delegate convention system of Sc
Letting the party candidates for
president and vice president. The
two-thirds rule was then adopted.
In 1885 the democrats met again
at Baltimore and nominated Martin
Van Buren, for president and Rich
ard M. johnson OF Kentucky for
vice president. The opposition de-
elined to make a nomination in con-
ventfon. hoping to throw the cleo
tion into the house Of representa-
eAsOo. al ouICh WdS SuCCGfSl vi Ill
this election. the opposition voting
generally for General Harrison In
stead Of Henry Clay. who was the
, idol OF the whig party, In 1914 the
twO-thirds rule was used for Van
; Buren's overthrow Though he had
been defeated in the election four
years previously by General HART.
son. the nomination OF Van Buren,
was conceded by most of his enc.
mics. But the sx-president on the
eve of his nomination wrote a let.
ter on the subject Of Texas annexa.
tion which Offended large portion
OF his southern admirers and result
ed in his defeat tin the convention
On the first ballot Van buren, had
a majority. but less than two-t thirds
On the eighth ballot. James K
Polk. ex-governor OF Tennsssee, re.
ceived the nomination., and In, the
following November he was elected
In 1910 the democratic conven.
ton at Baltimore nominated Lewis
Case, who was defeated in the cleo.
tion by General Taylor, the whie
candidate. In 1852 the democratic
convention again assembled In Bal.
timOre, this time on the first day
OF June. General Cass led at the
beginning of the balloting. but or
the forty-ninth ballot the nomina-
ton went to Franklin Pierce, q dark
horse. In 1856 the democratic con.
vention went west for the frs,
time. meeting in Cincinnati. James
buchanan was named for president
and John c. Breckenridge for vice
president.
The most fateful convention In
the history OF the democratic party
was that held at Charleston In
1860, which split the party into q
northern and southern section, each
of which held convention at an
other place, put up ticket of 1t!
own. and made a separate canvass
stephen A. Douglas was the candi
date Of the regular" convention
which met at Baltimore, and a
Richmond the seceders from tn,
Douglas convention nominated
Breckenridge. Abraham Lincoll
Vas the successful nominee OF tn,
republicans. In 1864 the democrat
met at Chicago and nominated Gen
eral Mcclellan for president ant
George H. Pendleton for vice presi
dent. In the convention OF 1878
= the only one ever held in New York
Il Seymour was nominated, but wa
easily beaten by Grant in the cleo
ton. The 1872 convention accept
ed Horace Greeley. and Grant re
peated his victory of 1868 In thei
i convention of 1875 the democrats
! meeting at st. Louis, nominate'
their strongest and ablest man. Til
den. and came within one vote II
, the electoral college Of electing him
and in 1880. with General Hancoc1
as their STANDARD bearer, they mad
!. an active canvass. which was decid
ed against them by the vote OF Ney