The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1908-06-02
The National Convention.

Democratic National Convention, or
I,OO8 if the representatives from the
Philippines are seated. says the New
York World. In the Republican con-
vention there will be 992 delegates.
This difference in number is due to
Territorial representation. The Demo-
cratic convention allows six delegates
each to Alaska, Arizona, District of
Columbia, Hawaii, New Mexico and
Porto Rico. In the Republican conven-
ton only Alaska, New Mexico and
Arizona are allowed six delegates.
The others, including the Philippines,
have two each. In other respects the
basis of representation is the same
every State having two delegates for
each electoral vote.
The unit in the Democratic conven-
ton is the State, in the Republican
convention. the Congressional district.
Hence a Democratic State convention
can instruct all the delegates from
that State to vote for particular can
didate. A Republican State cOnven-
ton can instruct only the four dele
gates-at- Large, and each Congressional
district can instruct its own two dele
gates as it pleases. Democratic
national convention recognize the unit
rule, by which when so authorized by
a State convention, majority of the
delegates from that State can vote the
entire delegation as a unit. Thus forty
delegates from New York can cast
New York's seventy-eight votes. Re-
publican national conventions do not
recognize the unit rule. The vote of
every delegate is counted.
In a Democratic national convention
the votes OF two-thirds of the delegates
are necessary to nominate candidate.
In Republican convention majorl-
ty dominates.
The two-third rule was adopted by
the first Democratic national conven-
ton held in 1882 in order to give a
semblance of unanimity in the nomina-
ton Van of Buren, for Vice President.
Folks supporters revived it in 1874 in
order to defeat Van Buren's renomina-
ton for President. The rule has been
adhered to. in every Democratic con-
vention since that time. Its purpose
is often defeated however. by the unit
rule, which makes it actually possible
for a little more than one-third of the
delegates to nominate the candidates
through the simple process of allowing
a majority of one in each State delega-
ton 10 vote the minority.
Thus a Republican national conven-
ton may be more representative and
more democratic than a Democratic
convention.
The national convention is the most
distinctly original American contribu-
ton to the art of government. 1t is a
product of evolution and with as no
legal status.
The men who framed the Constitu-
tion made no provision for nominating
candidates, and, in fact, had never
heard of nominations. 1t was their in
tenti1n that the electors should chose
the President uninfluenced by popular
passion of prejudice. There were no
parties or party organizations, and
everything was left to the wisdom of
the electors, who were to be chosen by
the State in whatever manner the
States pleased
Before Wsshington's administration
had ended two parties had formed, and
nominating machinery was soon provid-
ed in a Congressional caucus, by which
the Congressman of each party select
ed the candidate and the electors rati-
fed this selection. Thus the legisla-
tive department virtually chose the ex-
ecutive in spite of all constitutional
precautions to keep the departments
independent.
The Congressional caucus lasted un-
til 1924, when the Jackson men bolted
the nomination of Crawford. The
overthrow of liking Caucus" was
popularity regarded as the greatest
political reform since the establishment
of the Republic.
The early national conventions were
hardly more than conferences. the first
having been held in 1881 by supporters
of Clay. There are thousands of men
still living who were on their way to
manhood before the national conven-
ton became an established political in
stitution. with no laws except its own
laws, with no power except voluntary
consent, yet q effective in enforcing
its DEGREES as the Government of the
United State or the government of any