Alaska sentinel., 1908-08-27

holding them Is estimated at not le3s than S150.00o, 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 tension. A man may be a proud mem Der of a division committee, which is the first step in the ladder. But when he reaches the dizzy heights Of na- tiooal committeeman from his State and appears at the convention with, 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 h 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 It lavishly. Apartments at the most expensive hotels are secured, 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 Convention.
 While the preliminaries are being arranged the delegates are arriving The delegate to the National Conven- tion 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 nomination. The Republicans require majority of those present and voting.
 At national convention each State has its own headquarters, where the delegates gather. They do a lot of "conferring" with each other and with delegates from other States. They hold meetings and elect chairmen and hon vice president has seat on the plat form and m extra ticket, but little else. The chairman does the dickering In some cases: in some cases the posi- ton Is sinecure. Usually the "co1- ferrlng" and the dlckering begin days before the convention Is to be called to order.
 Prior to the calling of the conven- {o ho Is virtually In command of the situa- tion. 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 ganizatiols, 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 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 rollcall Is gone through, and this takes a lot of time. The next step Is the announce p, ,o,,f br tho cha jrmop n fhat tho oorp p,i{ tee offers to the convention as its tenn porary chairman the name of So-and- So. There are loud and prolonged cheers, and by viva voce vote Mfr. So-and-so is unanimously elected There Is usually little trouble over the cleo tion of a temporary chairman. The chairman then appoints a committee to escort the temporary chairman to the platform; the band plays, the delega- tion from Mir. So-and-So's State makes a lot of noise. and all Is merry.
 It Is incumbent on the temporary chairman to make speech. He invari- ably takes advantage of the opportu- nifty. He sounds keynote" It is a eusldiuSu IL lS uI lhDly d ute to the party of Abraham Lincoln" at the Republican convention, and glorifcation of the party of Thomas Jefferson" at the Democratic. It lasts Q 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 q printed schedule, calling on John Doc and Richard Doe at the right time, 70 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
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