The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-21
BAL T|MORE
THE MECCA
NEXT WEEK
When the Twenty-first Ma
tional Democratic Conven-
ton Will Be Held in the
.Oriole City.
(NationaI News Association


WASHINGTON, d. c., June I'll
The convention which opens at Balti-
more next Tuesday will be the twenty
! first national assemblage of the Demo-
cratic party, while the one now in ses-
sion in Chicago is only the fifteenth
Republican national gathering. But the
| Democratic party surpasses the Repub-
/ ltcan in age much more than this diff
ference would indicate. Born in the
bank controversy of 1871, christened
by Jefferson, it's founder, in 1892, and
strengthened in the division among
the people which Washington's neu-
trality proclamation at the beginning
Of the Anglo-French war in 1893 caus-
ed, the Democratic party passed it's
centennial mark more than a decade
ago.
But the history of the party's con-
yentions dates back only to 1882, In
which year the national delegate con-
vention method of nominating candi-
dates for President and Vice President
was adopted. The first national Demo
cratic convention was held on May II,
1882, at Baltimore, and adopted two
OF all subsequent conventions. One of
these provided that the delegates,
when so instructed, should cast the
votes of their States as unit, and
the other that no candidate should
be nominated without a two-thirds'
n.ajority. Andrew Jackson was nomi-
lated for President and Martin Van
A3uren for Vice President. They were
elected.
The second national Democratic con-
vention met on May 25, 1886, also at
baltimore, and nominated Martin Van
Ruren for President and Richard M.
johnson for Vice President. The ticket
was successful in the subsequent cleo
ton.
Polk Beats Van Buren,.
The third convention, held on May
s., 1840. at Baltimore, renominated
Van Buren,, but named no candidate
for Vice President, leaving that to the
several States. 1t also put forward the
first complete platform ever adopted
by the party. Parts of this platform
were incorporated into the deliverance
of every national Democratic conven-
ition prior to the civil war, and it's lead
ing ideas have reappeared in many of
the party platforms of the last so
years.
In 1914 the national Democratic con-
vention again assembled in Baltimore.
Van Buren, had a majority of the in
,structed delegates for his nomination.
] Iamas X pollr candidate for
vice President. Unfortunately for Van
iBuren he was not on the popular side
in regards to the burning question of
Z the annexation of Texas. Again the
fwo-thihs rule was introduced, and
assured Van Buren's defeat. After a
three lays struggle the nomination
was gwen to Polk.
In the convention of 1S4S, also in
Baltimtre, took place the first of the
great Fwalk-outs" in Democratic ma
,tional lssemblages, the others being in
1850 I'D 1896. The party in New
York las divided into two hostile fac
.t,ons.| The national convention at
ltemp.d to patch up truce between
them by admitting the delegations
.whic each chose, allowing each to
icasthalf the votes. The result was
sthatthe action whose choice was de-
:featd Indignantly withdrew from the
.conenton. Lewis Cass of Michigan,
was named for President and William
10. 5utkr of Kentucky for Vice Presi-
idct. his ticket was defeated by
,Taflorand Fillmore, Wings
{ A Dark Horse Wins.
rraklin Pierce of New Hampshire,
IA ''dak horse" whose name had not
Tbeen pnbf"ly mentioned as a candi-
date,."- = presidential nomination