The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-07
The Democratic Delegates at
Denver Number LOGS.
A Two Thirds Vote Is Required
to Nominate.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
This Convention Recalls the
Nineteen Preceding 1t.
Review Of the National As
semblies of the Party.

Denver, July TN the new audi
forum here today, the twentieth ma
tional convention of the Democratic
party began it's work of nominating
candidates for president and vice
president of the United States.
A two-thirds vote of the zoos dele
gates, or 672 votes, will be required to
nominate. In Republican national
conventions a mere majority is suffi-
cient. The Democrats adopted the
two-thirds rule at their first national
convention. seventy-six years ago. OF
the candidates for the presidential
nomination at this convention may be
mentioned William j. Bryan of Ne
braska John A. johnson of Minnesota,
David r. Francis of Missouri and
George Gray of Delaware. The con-
vention was called to order by Thomas
Taggart, chairman of the Democratic
national committee.
The First Convention.
The first Democratic national con-
vention opened in Baltimore May 81,
1882. Its chief duty was the nominal
ton of a vice presidential candidate.
President Andrew Jackson, then near
the close of his first term, was so uni
versally popular with his party that
no other name was considered for the
presidency. A resolution indorsing
jackson IN ABOUT hundred WOruS WAS
the only platform adopted. Martin
Van Buren, of New York, Jackson 8
own selection, was named for the vice
presidency.
Prior to 1892 presidential candidates
were nominated by mass meetings,
caucuses, legislative resolutions and in
other ways not national in character.
In the Baltimore convention all the
states except Missouri were represent
ed by delegates. Since 1892 the
L \.
ventions, and eight of them, including
the first, have met at Baltimore.
At President Jackson's instance the
convention which named candidates
for the election of 1886 met May 20,
1895 nearly eighteen months prior to
election day. thus giving Martin Van
Buren, and Richard NJ. Johnson, the
nominees, the longest campaign in the
history of America. This convention
adopted no platform. Andrew Jack
son was the Democratic platform. The
whole power of Jackson's administra-
ton was exerted toward the election
of Van Buren, in order to overthrow
John C. Calhoun. with whom "Old
Hickory" had quarreled.
Early Convention History
President Van Buren, was renomi-
mated in 1910, the convention meeting
May 5. as the unanimous choice of the
party. The convention refused to re-
nominate Vice President Johnson,
making, in fact, no nomination for
that office. Nevertheless Van Buren,
was badly defeated in the election by
William Henry Harrison. while John
son was elected vice president by the
United States senate. The convention
of 1910 adopted a platform. the first
ever adopted by any national convsn-
ton. 1t declared that the federal gov
eminent is one of limited powers
which should be strictly construed by
all the departments.
The convention of 1914 met May 81
and nominated James K. Polk of Ten
nessee for president and Silas Wright
of New York for vice president but
Wright refused to accept the nominal
ton. George NJ. Dallas of Pennsyl-
vania was placed on the ticket
instead. Wright's refusal was because
of pique at the defeat of Van Buren,
who tried to break down the two
thirds rule and secure a denomination
for himself. Polk was the first dark
horse" nominee in our history. He
had not been mentioned for the presi-