Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-07-24
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 ng-1andfnl of Leaders Control
Machinery, Nominations and Platform.

the Boss himself or one Of his most
trusted lleutenants should be a MEM
Der of the Credentials Committee. These
bodies all meet separately. All the
contests that were handled by the Ma
tional Committee the week previous go
to the Committee on Credentials unless
pressure has been brought to have the
contestants Withdraw their fight. The
Credentials Committee wires are pulled
the same as was the National Commit
tee, and the result is usually nearly
the same.
Framing the Platform.
1t Is when the district delegate sits
In the Committee on Resolutions to
draft the platform that he begins to
realize that he is only a small "I'
compared with the bosses. The genial
Mr.. Doe, who has been coming to the
national conventions since 1868, is
elected chairman with a hurrah. He
u his position and draws from
his pocket a carefully prepared docu-
ment, which the secretary proceeds to
read. The district delegate might have
had an Idea some time previously that
he would be consulted as to the plat
form. But the party leaders saved him
all the trouble and worrlment. They
had skilled men at work on the plat
form weeks before, and 1t Is built ac-
cording to their IDEAS. The committee
usually adopts the platform with a
rush. Sometimes there is a fight on
particular topics. But party expedi-
ency usually rules.
Real Work Now Begins.
The Credentials Committee ire
quently sits for three days and the
convention must wait until its labors
are finished. The Committee on Per-
manent Organization is usually a cut
and dried affair. Finally the Crede1-
tials Committee reports and the new
roll ls made up Then the Committee
on Permanent Organization makes It's
report. 1t recommends that the Hon
orable Senator or Mr.. Se-and-So" be
called upon to preside. Cheers greet
the name. and the gentleman is escort
ed to the platform. After he has been
elected he makes a profound speech, the
other officers are chosen and, like race
horses, the meet Is on.
II the Committee on Platform is
ready to report 1t reports after the
permanent chairman has made his
speech. On the report there must be
a roll call. There is always, too, the
possibility OF a fight. Certain "planks''
that please Maine may be abhorrent to
Texas. When the matter Of the plat
form Is disposed OF, either by the com
mittee reporting or by the announce
inent that it Is not ready to report, the
permanent chairman another
recess maybe until the next day, pos
sibly until later In the same day.
Nomination of a Candidate.
Frequently the time is taken up with
speeches placing the candidates for
resident in nomination. These adj
dresses are usually good in their way.
Men noted for their ~eloquence, who
can portray the virtues Of the aspirant
in languagS> that will thrill their hear
ers, are SCI .cted for this work. The
platform is , sually accorded the speak
er and his o alton is hailed with deaf
ening applause and cheers. Each can
didate is bro 1ght to the front and his
works painted n glowing colors. Then
comes the critical period. The district
delegate believes now is the moment
when he counts for something.
The roll call begins and proceeds
monotonously. The chnirmen Of the
different delegations alone do the talk
Ing. That Is all there is to It. The
lrst ballot In the convention Is usually
After that the real work begins. The
district delegate learns that he Is not
to vote as he intended, but that he will
vote for some one else on the second
ballot.
Suddenly there Is a oar In the con-
ventio1. It IL a mighty shout, louder
than cannon. Somebody has been NOM
mated for President. Amidst great
disorder the rollcall Is pushed to con-
clusion. The chairman tries to learn
how the tellers agree In their count.
But the crowd knows all about It The
chairman, powerless as Mrs. Parting
on with a broom against the waves
OF the ocean, tries to do his duty. The
shouts and cheers keep up for ten or
more minutes. Excited men parade the
ais.es, carrying their State banners,
cheering and singing. Finally. when
order is restored, the chairman nm
nounces formally the name Of the nom
inee.
World Knows the News Quickly.
h Il sreatea hu more cheering asa
everybody Is happy except the friends
OF the defeated. They move to make
the nomination unanimous with a for
nal grace that lacks enthusiasm. This
Is done and the band plays. II the
meantime the click Of the telegraph in
strumcnt shows that the news has been
carried to every town and hamlet in
the country. 1t has been cabled to for
elgn countries. The rulers Of all ma.
tons know within a few minutes after
the nomination who Is the prospective
President OF the United States
No matter how long 1t has taken to
cheese a nominee for the Presidency,
the whole performance has to be gone
through again when it comes to nom
mating a candidate for the second
place on the ticket. There are not 50
many sfayorite sons" however, and one
ballot frequently sntftees More nsiss,
more enthusiasm- the ~onvessiinp hiss
n~onlinated the ticket
Each state delegation, at one of II