Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1908-08-01
MANAGING A national
POLITICAL CONVENTION
Slight Variation in the Procedure Between
Republicans and Democrats.
Great Power Welded Vigorously by the National Committee
Preliminary to the Gathering-Handfu of Leaders Control
Machinery, Nominations and Platform.

National conventions are very az
pensive affairs. Their cost to the party
holding them Is estimated at not less
than $4,000, 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
ccnsion. A man may be proud MEM
Der of division committee, which Ia
tho first step In the ladder. But when
he reaches the dizzy heights Of ma
tiooal committeeman from his State
and appears at the convention with 4
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 II December pre-
cedlng a national convention, examines
the claims of the different cities that
desire the gathering. and critically
looks into the size of the guarantees"
as II is called. This latter form means
that the city paying the most money
usually gets the convention. The guar
nntee is accepted by the committee
men, and they then proceed to spend
II 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 y Convention.
While the preliminaries are being
arranged the delegates are arriving.
The delegate to the National Conven-
ton is generally a person OF import
ance at his home The Democrats re-
quire a two-thirds vote OF all the dele
gates present and voting to make a
nomination The Republicans require
4 majority Of those present and voting.
!. At a national convention each State
has it's own headquarters, where the
delegates gather. They do a lot OF
'conferrlng" 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 seat on the plat
form and an extra ticket, but little
else. The chairman does the dickerine
In some cases: In some cases the posi-
ton Is sinecure. Usually the 'col.
ferrlng' and the dickerlng begin days
before the convention is to be called
to order.
Prior to the calling Of the convcn
ton to order the National Committee
Is virtually In. command OF the situa
ton. With 1t 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
great many cases. though not always
the program making of the whole con
vention, temporary and permanent or
ganizatlols. nominating and platform
building
Convention L. in Order.
Now for the convention. the Eres
meeting that the country has lookes
forward to for 80 many weeks. tn
chairman OF the National Commits
calls the convention to order, usual,
about noon upon the day set
The convention called to order, tn
proceedings are opened with prayer
The chairman requests the secretar,
to read the call for the convention
which is done. Then the rollcsll
gone through, and this takes 4 lot o
time. The next step is the announces
ment by the chairman that the commit
tee offers to the convention as It's tem
porary chairman the name OF So-and
So. There are loud and prolonge
cheers, and by viva voce vote MI
So-and-So is unanimously elected. Their
is usually little trouble over the slet
ton of a temporary chairman. Tn
chairman then appoints a committee t
escort the temporary chairman to To
platform the band plays, the delegs
ton from Mr.. So-and-So's State make
lot Of noise. and all is merry.
1t is incumbent on the temporar
chairman to make a speech. He invar
ably takes advantage of the opportl
nifty. He sounds keynote" 1t is
sustained note. 1t is invariably tril
ute to the party Of Abraham Lincoln
at the Republican convention, and
glorifcation of the party Of Thoms
Jefferson" at the Democratic. 1t las
very long time.
After the speech various resolution
are offered. Usually these have bee
arranged for In advance, and the ter
porary chalrAQn works according to
printed schedule calling on John Ok
and Richard Doe at the right time,
that there may be no hitch. Commi
tees are appointed; one on resolution
which will have the drafting of II
platform one on credentials or co
tested seats; one ON permanent o
ganization. These are the imperial
ones. When they are all chosen, al
there has been a lot of hand-clappiI
| and cheering rs Well-knOWn men n