Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-06-18
WILLIAM 4. TAFT, Ohio
BY II. v. ANDREWS.


PWAHE Republican national conyen.
ton Of 1912 will be the great
est in point Of numbers 10 the
history Of the purity and, the
political prophets are ugrepd. the most
momentous since wartimes. 1t will
be the climax of a REORGANIZATION con
test unexampled 10 the annals OF the
United States, If not Of the world.
For anything like parallel 1t is nee.
essary to so back to the Chicago con.
vention Of 1880, when Conkling and
Garfield were the dashing leaders Of
the opposing forces OF General Grant.
who had been put forth for third
term, and Of John Sherman, ohio's
choice for the nomination, while Blaine
loomed up as formidable competi.
tor The faithful 500 delegates who
stood fast for Grant have become al
most as famous In American political
as the Balaklava coo are In British
military history, aud from this con
vention dated the factlonal strife Of
"stalwarts' and half breeds" that rent
the party and inspired the fanatic Gui.
teau to take the life Of GARFIELD, who,
as dark horse" was the winner in
the convention.
Popularity Of "ths Plumsd knight"
barring Roosevelt In the zenith OF
his popularity, no Republican asplrant
for the presidency since Lincoln has
ellcited such enthusiasm from his sup.
porters as James q. Blaine. Unsuc.
cessful In the conventions OF 1870 and
1880, be secured the nomination In
1884, only to be defeated at the polls
He refused to be considered as a can.
didate 10 1888, but IN 1872, though
stricken With mortal dlsease, he al
lowed his name TO so before the con.
vention. where Il evoked the most re.
markabe demonstration OF enthusiasm
that a Republican nominating assem-
blage had ever known. But the crowds
IN the galleries could not vote, and the
delegates on the door when the storm
OF cheering had passed named Harri.
son for the presidency.
Since 1902 the Republican conven.
tiOns have not been memorable for hard
fought contests, Mckinley at st. Lou.
IN In 1896 overcame all opposition ON
the irst ballot He was renominated
without a contest at the Philadelphia
convention IN 1900, when Roosevelt
wns chosen to till second place on the
ticket. The latter's nomination ln 1904
wis foregone conclusion, and the
perfectly oiled machinery OF the 1908
convention accomplished the nomina
tion Of Taft without a jar.
n 10 safe to predict that. whatever
may happen at the Chicago Coliseum
on June IS aud the days following. the
proceedings will be distinctly different
from those Of any Republican conven.
tlon OF recent years
Beginning Of the Roosevelt Boom.
The Roosevelt boom may be said to
have started with the announcement
OF "the seven governors that they had
summoned the colonel FROM his pollu'
cal retirement 10 assume the leadership
OF the progressive wing OF the party
and to propose himself for third term
as president Having cast "his hat ln
the ring" the colonel delivered his
"dea" to the conservatives Tor the ire
artionarles." as be prefers to call theml
IN his Columbus speech. "A Charter OF
Democracy before the Ohio consdtu
tional convention. This speech, intend.
rd to be the keynote" OF the precon'
yentlon cnmpaign.r was chiefly re.
markable for lts setting forth OF the
dortrIne OF the recall Of judicial deci.
slons. which has ever since been one
OF the lighting issues Of the facuonal
contest President Taft for Nome time
refralned from answering the attacks
mado upon bic admlnistrnuon BY his