The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-07-10
THE NOMINATION OF A
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

he recognized the power of the political
use of the patronage of the Office,
He used this power to build up
machine, to establish the conven-
ton system and to inaugurate pres
ent day political party methods.
the power of patronage for political
purposes, to an extent varying with the
personal characteristics of the men in
office and the necessities of the occasion,
jackson forced the nomination of his
cabinet minister Martin Van Buren,, az
his successor. He used the Federal Of
flee holders to get the nomination for
Van Buren,. Mr.. Roosevelt may have
used the office holders for like purpose,
and the "allies' may have cursed bit
terly, but they said the same things and
breathed the same curses which were
heard when jackson was in the White
House.
The difference nowadays is the in
creasing Importance of the primary. A
idrect primary for presidential nomi.
nations has not been suggested serious
ly, as yet. But many states are already
deciding the question of instructions to
delegates by primary. Mr.. Taft de-
feated Mr.. Roosevelt in the California
Republican plebiscite this spring MIR.
Bryan was given instructions by Wis
consin and Alabama by popular party
vote.
Complaints that delegates to conven.
'tions are not left to do their will and
to follow their Judgment, but are
driven under the whip by the control
of the party leader are often heard.
Just at this time Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Bryan are called the chooses of the
two great parties. Yet a glance at the
past will show that no party leader can
control delegates at a national conven-
tion to go against the will of the masses
of the party. A leader often can compel
the delegates to go against their own
will if he has the masses on his side.
What did the power of the admins
tration amount to in the convention to
nominate candidate to succeed Ar.
thur 1t was used, but all in vain. Mr..
Cleveland, like Mr.. Roosevelt. had
very pronounced IDEAS about the civil
service and ''pernicious activity" in
politics; but they did not prevent the
power of the Cleveland office-holders
from being used in conventions. What
ana 1t amount to in Chicago in 1896
after Mr.. Bryan brought in the cross
OF gold and the crown of thornsi
There was time when the national
conventions met without anyone Is be
ing able to forecast the outcome. There
would be dozen candidates to start
with, and frequently a dark horse would
win. 1t was exciting, it was interest.
ing, but it was not always for the best.
The Hnlpnu tac hal
than they have in these latter days, it
is true, but the very nature of a con-
vention prevents true elaboration.
Delegates left unhampered by instruc.
tons are apt to be swayed by the most
artificial devices, they are very unlike
~ to consider the genuine needs of the
party and country.
After awhile the people began TO
object to, the introduction of so many
dark horses. Instructions to delega-
tons became more frequently the ex-
preston of the opinion of the party in
state as to the relative merits of the
leading aspirants; less frequently A
compliment for a favorite son and n
basis for trading and Ozark horsing. -
Inc primary election has given the yot,
ers control of the nominations for
smaller offices, and they are reaching
out to control the greatest of them ali,
rms IS the reason the national conven.
tons have become but ratification
meetings which formally register the
will of the party.
The tendency toward vesting more
power in the primary means a great
change in American politics. Until this
tlme the greatest interest has been in
! taxing sides with some aspirant and
aiding him to work the machinery in
the direction of "getting the nomina.
ton. If the present tendencies are
carried out, the interest in the future
viii be changed to the business of TAX.
ing sides with some idea of aiding in
the work of 'making the nomination. -