Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-06-28
FORMER BATTLES
ARE AGAIN RECALLED
The Convention at Baltimore Recalls
Those Held When Conditions
Were Similar

OF candidates whose supporters will
meet in Baltimore on Tuesday to fight
for their nomination to the Presidency
on the Democratic ticket. Notable
among these past battles of the
Democracy are the Democratic con-
yenuons of 1884 and 1896. Each Of
these was held under conditions SINH
lar in many respects to those which
will enshroud the coming convention
and in each of them a dark horse"
carried off the prize
The national convention of 1914,
perhaps most resembles the coming
Democratic meeting. Then, as now,
the candidates for the presidency
went to Baltimore without sufficient
delegates irrevocably pledged to them
to make their nomination certain;
yet then, as now, one candidate was
the fayorite in the denomination
forecasts. The strong Democratic
candidate for the nomination, at that
time, was Martin Van Duran, up for
the nomination to the presidency for
. second term. Van Buren, was de-
feated by James K Polk. the first
dark horse to carry of national hon.
ors in either party.
Van Buren's name came before the
Democratic national convention IN
Baltimore in much the same plane in
point of strength, as will the name OF
Champ Clark in the coming fight.
He was regarded as the strong man"
of the party, and ever since his de
feat for reelection to the presidency
in 1910 his friends had been quietly
working for his nomination through
raryt newspapers and mass meetings,
Consequently. when the convention
met many of the delegates had either
been instructed for him or were elect
ed as his friends. Van Burens most
dangerous rival was General Cass of
Michigan, who held about the same
relative position with regard to pledg-
ed delegates, as does Governor Wood
row Wilson, of New Jersey today.
The other possible Democratic
nominees were John c. Calhum, and
ex-yice president Johnson. Each of
these. however, had only a small fol-
lowing.
When the convention convened the
Democrats faced much the same prob.
lem as they will on Tuesday. This
problem was the selection of a man
to wage a successful fight against the
nominee of the opposing party, who al
that time, was Henry Clay, leader Of
the Wings. There were many, how
ever, who believed Van Buren, would
be unable to win against Clay a
This sentiment grew and was fos-
tered by the cohorts of Andrew Jack
son, who had become estranged from
Van Buren, on account of his agree
ment with Clay to eliminate the Texas
annexation question from the cam
paign These men set about securing
Van Burens defeat by forcing a mo-
ton through the convention to OBJ
serve a two-thirds rule which had
been adopted by the Democratic ma
tional body in 1892 and 1885 The
motion was carried and the balloting
began.
There were 267 delegates to the CON
vention and in order to secure the
nomination, Van Buren, needed ITS
votes. On the first ballot he secured
14e votes to 12O for all the others.
On the second ballot Van Buren, Sc
cured 127 votes, Cass SO, Johnson "a
Buchanon 4, Woodbury. 2, Stewarts L.
Calhoun 6,
On the third ballot Van Buren's vote
slumped to 121. on the fourth he regis
tered Ill, on the fifth 1903, and on the
sixth 10l votes.
On the seventh ballot General Cass
Of Michigan, took the lead with 123
votes, with Van Buren, next with 80
and Buchannou and Johnson bringing
up the rear with - and 81 votes res
spectively.
At this time Van Buren's waning
power before the national body and
Cass's corresponding gains seemed to
indicate that the latter would be the
Democratic presidential nominee On
the eight vote however, James x.
Polk, of Tennessee the dark horse
made his entry in he race by receiF-
ing A votes The score now stood
Van Buren, 104; Cass ia; Buchannon
.; Calhoun 2, and Polk A.
Polk had not even been talked OF
for the presidency until after the
opening of the convention, but a few
of his friends had previously urged
his nomination as candidate for the
vice-presidency The appearance OF
his name on the eighth ballot was
therefore considerable surprise,
both to the delegates and TO the party
leaders. 1t seemed, however, as
though he was almost universally re-
cognized as the only man to pacify
the warning factions and lead the
Democrats to success, for on the
ninth ballot there vas a stampede IL