The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1912-07-20
GREAT CONVENTIONS 7
MATTERS OF GROWTH


You can probably count on Jne fingers
of one hand the events that make hot
and cold wiggles run up and down your
back to witness in any one year the foot
ball game between Princeton and Yale
or Yale and Harvard in November or the
deciding game in the series for the
worlds base ball championship, with
''Matty" in the box and BAKER at the
bat, or Fifth avenue at l o'clock on Eas-
ter Day. But once in four years comes
a chance for few lucky persons to see
a greater show than any of these. 1t
is the biggest, nosiest and most exciting
thing in American life, and not the least
of its fascination is that none OF those
who watch it has the faintest idea of
what is going on.
Meaning to say? Meaning to say a
national convention, assembled to nomi-
nate a President OF the United States.
MATTERS OF DIFFICULTY.
The two great politicar rarties-.he
Republican and the Gemocratic-has
each it's own separate show, and as they
are held in different weeks an able-bod-
led man could attend both or them, II
his appetite for excitement wasn't glut-
ted by the first. But being visitor to
a national convention isn't something
anyone can be. Quite aside from the
cost of railroad fare to the convention
city and the hotel expenses there, it is
no easy matter to get into the conven-
ton hall. Admission is by ticket, and
the tickets cant lie bought; you must
know some body who has an official part
in the convention.
Though the United States has had 81
Presidents, yet there have been only IL
nominating conventions such as are now
held. The present form of convention
was given it first tryout in 1910; before
that various ways of nominating were in
use.
PRODUCT OF EVOLUTION.
The idea of the national nominating
convention is neither a political inheri-
tance nor a conscious cOntrivance. 1T is
"a product of evolution which has, like
'Topsy, lust growed" to meet the ext
;sencies of the unique method provided
- ythe Constitution for choosing new
president or President every four
years.
The first Presidents were noe nominat-
I'D at all, but received the votes of the
Presidential electors OF their respective
parties by sort of spontaneous consent
In the first two elections, those or 1888
and 1892. because the whole nation want
ed George Washington at its head there
twas no call for nomination Upon his
retirement the preponderant feeling OF
,one party was for John Adams, that OF
the other for Thomas Jefferson, and ii
occurred to no one formally to set forth
what was unanimously understood.
In 1850 came the first hint OF what is
today the National Convention. While
agreed on their Presidential choice il
Jefferson, the Democratic) Republicans
hesitated as to their candidate for the
Vice-Presdency. A meeting of the Re
publican Congressional MEMBERS wal
summoned to recommend Aaron Burr fol
this office. Though small and secret thu
meeting is noteN orthy rot only because
it was the first Congressional caucus, bu
because it was the first thing to be don'
III lnt way Dl Il parry UDHilHdL lDi
METHODS OF LONG AGO.
From 1900 to 1924 nominations were
made by Congressional caucuses. 1h'
death knell of this method was sounded
by public sentiment, which cried on
against the practice as being an AFRO
CANT usurpation of the rights of thu
people.
A solution was not at once forthcom
ing. The present day national convention
was undergoing a series of metamor
!phuses from 1924 to 1910, nominations
i,eing rregularly made by State Legisla
lures, popular meetings and resolutions
of Endorsement of "a favorite son.
Gradually the party conventions tool
shap.. lmtil in 1910 was evolved the plal
Thai obtains today.
What is the exact mo1us opcruuui o
she National Convention. Those who arr
s,onversant with matters political, thos,
who have seen the seamy side of thu
grand and elaborate show, take rather
cynical view of the whole affair If you
imagine the Polo Grounds flooded ove1
with fans all engaged in the obsolete
game of battledore and shuttlecock, eacl
batting some others feathered ball, ant
if in the array of confusion your eye b!
some chance falls upon two or three
central figures playing very calm ant
orderly game with Onty one sIuut,-cOci
you will have some sort OF adequate com
parison. Otherwise expressed, Il con
ventions while they make SHOW of in
1ricacy and uncertainty, have been prac