Semi-weekly herald., 1912-01-08
DEMOCRATS
CONFERENCE
National Committee Meet
to Choose Place for
Next Convention

st. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago, Dem
yer, Baltimore, New York-where
shall the national convention Of the
Democratic party be held next sum-
mer? This is the leading question to
be considered and acted upon by the
Democratic national committee at its
meeting in this city Monday. Many
members Of the national committee,
together with numerous other Demo-
Gratis of wide prominence, arrived in
the capital today in anticipation of the
meeting of the committee and the ban
quet to be held at the Raleigh hotel
Monday night in memory Of the pa
tron saint of Democracy, Andrew
jackson.
The speakers at the banquet will in
clude number of the most prominent
Democrats in the country, several Of
them candidates for the presidential
nomination. The list is as follows:
Senator James A. O'Gorman of New
York, toastmaster; Norman e. Mack,
chairman of the Democratic national
committee; Speaker Clark, Judge AL
ton B. Parker of New York, Repre-
sentative Underwood of Alabama, w.
r. Hearst of New York; Governor
Woodrow Wilson Of New Jersey, Sen
ator Robert l.. Taylor of Tennessee,
Governor Baldwin of Connecticut, W.
J. Bryan Of Nebraska, former Gov
ernor Joseph W. Folk of Missouri,
Senator Francis C. Newlands of Ne
vada, Governor Thomas r. Marshall
of Indiana, Senator Pomerene of Ohio
and Representative James T. Lloyd of
Missouri.
The choice Of the party for a con-
vention city promises to be brlrnful
Of politics. Tbs contest for ths Dem.
focratic nomination between tecoe effzet
representatives Of the conservative
and progressive wings of the party
makes the choice of the convention
city one of the main factors to be
considered by the national committee
If it were foregone conclusion that
any certain candidate would be nomi-
mated by the Democrats, it would not
matter much where the convention
was held. AS the situation stands,
however, the choice of convention
city may have most important bear
ing on the nomination.
The first matter to be determined Is
whether the convention shall be held
in the east or the west. No Demo-
cratic candidate for president has been
named in the east since the civil war
and many Of the party leaders be-
lieve it would be poor politics to take
the gathering away from the west at
this time.
Many influential Democrats are
more than half inclined to believe that
the convention will go to Chicago.
They predict that If it does not it
will go as far west as Kansas City
or Denver. The claims Of st. Louis,
which is well able to take care Of the
convention, will receive consideration.
New York apparently is in earnest
in her desire to secure the conven-
tion, but il the gathering is held in
the east it is believed that Baltimore
will get the prize. The Maryland city
was the first to put in bid and has
been conducting hard campaign for
nearly year. If the Democrats are
superstitious and believe in luck they
certainly will hold their convention in
Baltimore, for Baltimore and Democ-
racy have four times proved a win
ner, which is more than can be said
of Chicago, st. Louis, Kansas City
or Denver.
Chicago would be regarded as neu-
trail ground for the convention. The
selection of New York, on the other
hand, would, in the opinion Of many
Democrats, give the nomination toe
much Of Tammany taint. Denver
as the convention city would give the
progressives an advantage over the
conservatives. The selection of st
Louis or Kansas City might possibly
be construed as an advantage fol
Champ Clark or Joseph W. Folk, bu'
the possibility is so remote that 1t |,
not likely to interfere with the chancei
of either city.
Politically speaking, Baltimore ma,
be regarded as favoring Harmon 70,
president. The Democrats In tn,
Maryland city belong to the conserva
tive wing Of the party. At the sam,
time It is believed that the Harmon
managers and those Of Woodrow vii
son as well would prefer that the con
vention be held in the west. In thil
matter they sare the belief Of many
other Democratic leaders that th,
nomination Of Governor Harmon, Gov
ernor Wilson, or any other Democrat
for that matter, II brought abou
among the progressive Democrats
communities Of the west, would b,
more saH6yins 10 The rank and ~