The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-27

In his book, 1.-THE American Gov
eminent" Mr.. Frederick J. Haskih
offers interesting material for con-
sideration during our present presi-
dental contest. His chapter on the
National Political Campaigns -
suggestive:
This great battle of the ballots
calls forth on election day nearly
10000, 900 American voters. who rep
resent the IniEhtiest expression OF
popular sentiment of all politician his'
tory. Less than ninety years ago
the popular vote in presidehtiai
election was $4,000
THE first election In which there
were rival candidates for the presi-
dency was in 1896, although there
were neither conventions. nominations
nor platforms. Inften of the sixteen
States the electors were chosen by the
legislatures, while in none of them
was there popular election zig Is
known today.
Early in 1923 mass meeting was
held in the little frontier town OF
Maryyflle. Rlount county, Tenn, when
was destined to work complete
revolution in the American system OF
choosing presidential candidates. The
people had II right to choose their
own candidates, and that. too, with
out regard to whether or not they
were schooled In statecraft-
This Blount county mass meeting
protested vigorously against the
choice of presidential electors by Tn.
legislatures. demanded their selection
by popular vote. and insisted upon
the abolition Of property qualification
for suffrage. The election of 1874
was the first presidential year in
which a record of the popular vote
was kept, and from this time dates
the real history Of popular presa-
Dental campaigns
sit Is interesting to contrast the
first three delegated conventions with
those now held by the two big po-
-htical parties.
Then a thousand pilgrims TO the
convention city was great crowd.
Now hundred thousand In not ex-
ceptionaI. Then few letters by
stage constituted the newspaper re-
ports. Now a single big metropolitan
paper uses as much as seventy columns
of space in reporting convention.
Then the telegraph was unknown /
now the telegraph companies can
handle all the business that comes.
"At the Denver convention the limit
was 10000 words for big paper;
but there is not limit at such centers
as Chicago and st. Louis. Then the
convention hall could seat only a
thousand or SO: now 1900 fs the
minimum and 5000 the maximum.
Then the political badge had not
made Its appearance: now 1t takes 500
pennyweights of gold. 500 ounces Of
plate and fifteen miles Of ribbon 10
make the official badges Of big ma
tionai convention. II requires v
thousand big flags, six miles of red,
white and blue bunting. and other pa
triotic paraphernalia- In proportion,
for a single convention. Even as late
as 1850 the cost OF nominating Abra-
ham Lincoln. including music, head
Quarters, kilograms, etc. was only
$500; today a single delegate may
spend as much.
but some things have not changed.
The national convention still con-
siders the dark horse. or eleventh.
hour candidate, Just AZ when POLK was
nominated In 1914. The vice-presi-
dencv is still used to placate the de-
Coated element, just as when Silas
wright was named more than three
score wears ago. The friends Of the
~ivaI candidates stiii seek to pack
the raIIeries' with their partisans. Just
as when the Seward supportefs were
outrerAraled by the Lincoln ciaque
in 1860.
aOratory nav have declined in the
halls az the parliaments. but X still
f,owers in the national convention az
n dfd when Jngersoll dubbed Blaine
the Plumed KNIGHT: when Conkling
sought to Name Grant for the third
term by picturing Appomattox and Its
fsmous ample tree; or when BRYAN