Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-06-26

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 a body Of wise men
known as the National Committee"
This body is the acme of political as
cension. A man may be a proud mem
Der OF q division committee, which Is
the first step IN the ladder. But when
he reaches the dizzy heights Of ma
tlo9al committeeman from his State
and appears at the convention with a
badge as big as an ancient breast
plate, so that there can be no mistake
In his standing, the height Of ambi-
ton IS reached There is one national
committeeman from each State. This
august body meets in December pre-
ceding a national convention, examines
the claims Of the different cities that
desire the gathering. and critically
looks into the size of the guarantee"
as it is called. This latter form means
that the city paying the most money
usually gets the convention. The guar
antee Is accepted by the committee
men, and they then proceed to spend
1t lavlshly. Apartments at the most
expensive hotels are secured, a host Of
employees is retained and business be
the National Committees are some
thing GLORIOUS.
Machinery of n Convention.
While the prelimnaries are being
49, IL
The delegate to the National Conven-
ton is generally a person of import
ance at his home. The Democrats re
quire two-thirds vote Of all the dele
gates present and voting to make
nomination. The Republicans require
a majority Of those present and voting.
At national convention each State
has It's own headquarters, where the
delegates gather. They do a lot of
Comforting" with each other and with
delegates from other States. They hold
meetings and elect chaIrmen and hon
orary vice presidents. The honorary
vice president 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-
ton is a sinecure. Usually the "co1-
ferring" and the dickerlng begin days
before the convention is to be called
to order.
Prior to the calling Of the conven-
ton to order the National Committee
is virtually in command ot the situa-
ton. With it 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 a
great many cases, though not always
the program making of the whole CON
vention, temporary and permanent or
CARNATIONS, nominating and platform
building.
Convention Is in Order.
Now for the convention, the great
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 noon upon the day set.
The convention called to order, the
proceedings are opened with prayer
The chairman requests the secretary
to read the call for the convention
which is done. Then the rollcau is
gone through, and this takes a lot of
time The next step IS the announce
ment by the chairman that the commit
tee offers to the convention as its tenn
porary chairman the name of So-and-
So. There are loud and prolonged
cheers, AMI by viva voce vote Mr.
So-and-So is unanimously elected. There
is usually little trouble over the eiec-
ton of a temporary chairman. The
chairman then appoints q committee to
escort the temporary chairman to the
platform the band plays, the delega-
ton from Mr.. So-and-So's State makes
q lot Of noise. and all is merry.
1t is incumbent on the temporary
chairman to make speech. He invari-
ably takes advantage of the opportu-
nifty. He sounds q keynote" 1t is a
sustained note. 1t is invariably a trib-
ute TO the party of Abraham Lincoln"
at the Republican convention, and a
glorifcation of the party of Thomas
Jefferson" at the Democratic. 1t lasts
a very long time.
After the speech various resolutions
are offered. Usually these have been
arranged for in advance, and the tenn
porary chairman works according to a
printed schedule, calling on John Doe
and Richard Doe at the right time, so
that there may be no hitch. Commit
tees are appointed; one on resolutions,
which will have the drafting of the
platform one on credentials or con-
tested seats; one on permanent or
ganization. These are the important
ones, When they are all chosen, and
there has been lot of hand-clapping
and cheering, as well-knOwn men are
appointed to this or that committee.
the temporary chairman announces an