Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-29

Parker was selected. but in all subse-
quent proceedings Mr. Bryans influence
was dominant, his candidate for perma-
nent chairman, Ollie NJ. James Of Ken
lucky, being chosen. The sensational
declaration that he would support no man
who was acceptable to the New York
delegation. Until that time Speaker
Champ Clark had been leading in the
voting. and he remained in the lead until
the thirteenth ballot, when he was passed
by Woodrow Wilson. On the forty-fffth
ballot most of the Underwood and Clark
strength went over to Wilson. and he
was nominated on the next ballot, with
800 votes. Gov. Thomas r. Marshall of
Indiana, who had held the thirty votes
Of his state for first place through
twenty-seven ballots, was selected for
Vice President.
Other National Conventions.
July IL the national prohibition conven-
ton. In session at Atlantic City. N. j..
nominated Eugene w. Chain for Presi-
dent and Aaron s. Watkins for Vice
President The socialist national con-
vention. in session at Indianapolis. May
II. nominated Eugene v. Debs for Presi-
dent and Emil Seidel. socialist ex-mayor
of Milwaukee for Vice President:
The campaign fairly bristled with mover
features. The appearance or ne"
party of unknown strength and POSSIBLE
tiles led by former President whom the
third-term dissenters regarded as as
qualified was not the least interesting OF
these. Another striking popularity OF
the campaign, which was shared ABOUT
equally by the three larger parties IN the
field. was the comparative shrinkage IN
campaign contributions and expenditures
1t will pass into tradition as one OF the
most economical campaigns In the history
of the country, certainly the most mex,
pensive since that of 1876 which had held
the record. :.
The shooting of the progressive canai-
date by the paranoiac Schrank. at NIL
waukee. was an unfamiliar feature OF the
American presidential campaign Hith-
erto aspirants for the presidential once
had traversed the country in active 1ur-
therance of their ambition with no
thought of personal danger to Interfere
with their laudable design of showing
themselves to their supporters. At Mil
waukee. on the evening of October IA,
Col. Roosevelt had just entered wait
ing automobile which was to take him to
the building in which great audience
awaited him. Among the crowd throng-
ing the street was a man who managed &c
work his way to the side of the automo-
bile and to fire revolver at such close
range as to have made a miss impossible
The bullet passed through the victim
overcoat and thence through the manu-
script sheets of speech which was in ar
inner pocket, penetrating the right breast
to depth of three inches.
Roosevelt's Remarkable Campaign.
AS a matter of permanent record, men,
ton should be made of the remarka BILE
campaign made by Col. Roosevelt pre-
vious to the Milwaukee incident. October
3 he returned to his home at Oyster Bay
after a tour lasting thirty-one days. COM
prising more than 10000 miles Of travel
and speechmaking in twenty-seven states
After resting a day or two, the progress
sive candidate appeared before the ClapI
investigating committee in Washington
and testified in regard to his knowledge
of campaign contributions in 1904. Octo'
Der he started westward on another ex-
tended campaigning tour, with the inten'
ton Of remaining until the eve Of cleo
ton day. Schrank's bullet compelled the
instant abandonment of the plan and the
substitution of sojOurn of several days
in Chicago hospital. weary return tc
Sycamore Hill and a practical conclusion
of the itinerant progressive campaign sc
far as it's chief exponent was concerned
Although Gov. Wilson did not cover
| such wide field or make SO many
speeches, he went on an extensive tour
of the middle west in September and in
October he spoke in Kansas and Colorado
His campaign was conducted with marked
dignity and tact. and his speeches were
concerned mainly with the tariff, the con-
troll of corporations and the economic
policies of well conducted government
President Taft showed little activity In
his campaign for reelection. few adj
dresses and prepared interviews compris-
ing his entire personal effort. The exer-
ton made by the Taft campaign commit
tee for his denomination was notably ag-
ciu hIf 10
Taft-Sherman ticket was lacking in vigor.
The death of Vice President Sherman to-
ward the close Of the campaign empha-
sized the lethargy which seemed to have
enveloped the party.
Wilson's Vote, 6,4OO, 900.
The outcome of the election was a
democratic victory, comparable, in some
measure. to the republican sweep Of 1872,
when Horace Greeley, the democratic and
liberal republican standard bearer, was
defeated SO overwhelmingly by Gen.
Grant. In that election Greeley carried
only six states-Georgia, Kentucky. Mary
land, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. In
the recent election Mr.. Roosevelt car
ried five states and Mr.. Taft two. Grant $
popular vote in 1872 was $500 and
Greeley received 2.s34 ,o7o. President-elect
Wilson's approximate popular vote was
q. 100000. Col. Roosevelts 100000 and
President Taft's 100000.
There has never before been anything
like it in American politics 1t has
shown. for one thing. that 1t is possible
to elect. by the practically unanimous
vote of the electoral college. a candidate
for President who has not received ma
jority of the whole popular vote cast at
the election. The large increase in the
socialist vote. notwithstanding the de-
feat of that party in it's chief stronghold
Milwaukee. was another noteworthy fea-
ture of the election. In 1908 Eugene "
Debs, the socialist candidate, received
42O.79S votes. At the recent election his
vote was. approximately. 6s4.43 Still
another popularity of the election was
the falling off in the total vote. Despite
the increase in population and the addi-
ton of woman voters in several states.
the total vote did not materially exceed
that of 1908.
Divided on Local Matters.
Quite as remarkable as was the divi-
sion of the political parties was that of
the voters themselves in state and local
matters. In Tennessee. for instance Will
son received a large majority and a