Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-25
DARK HORSE IS
Of TEN WINNER
Political Equine of Sable Hue
Sometimes Plays Prominent
Part With Democrats.

Famous old Democratic presidential
nomination battles are recalled by the
| line up of candidates whose supporters
met in Baltimore today to fight
for their nomination for the presi-
dency on the Democratic ticket Nota-
BILE among these past battles of the
Democracy are the Democratic conven-
lions Of 1884 and 1896 Each of these
was held under conditions similar in
many respects to those which will en-
| shroud the coming convention and in
each of them dark horse" carried off
the prize.
The national convention of 1914, per-
! haps most resembles the coming Demo-
cratic meeting. Then, as now, the can
didates for the presidency went to Bal
timore without sufficient delegates ir-
revocably pledged to them to make
their nomination certain. Yet, then as
now. one candidate was the favorite in
the pre- nomination forecasts. The
strong Democratic candidate for the
nomination, at that time, was Martin
| VanBuren, up for the nomination to the
presidency for a second term. Van
Buren, was defeated by James K. Polk
the first dark horse" to cary off ma
tional honors in either party
VanBuren's name came before the
national Democratic convention at Bal
timore in much the same plane in point
of strength, as will the name of Champ
Clark in the coming fight. He was re-
garded as the strong man" of the
party. and since his defeat for re-
election to the presidency in 1910 his
(! friends had been quietly working for
his nomination through party newspa-
per and mass meetings. Consequently
when the convention met many of the
delegates had either been instructed
for him or were elected as his friends
Cass in Position Wilson Now is.
VanBuren's most dangerous rival
was General Cass, of Michigan, who
! held about the same relative position
with regard to pledged delegates as
does Governor Woodrow Wilson, of
New Jersey. today.
The other possible Democratic nom
inees we're John c. Calhoun and ex-
Vice President Johnson. Each of these,
however, had only a small following.
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
at that time was Henry Clay, leader
of the Wings. There were many, how
ever. who believed VanBuren would be
unable to win against Clay.
Andrew Jackson cohorts set about to
cause VanBuren's defeat by forcing a
motion through the convention to OBJ
serve the two-th thirds rule. which had
been adopted by the Democratic nation
al body in 1882 and 1885. The motion
! was carried and the balloting began.
On the eighth ballot, James X. Polk,
of Tennessee, the dark horse" made
his entry in the race by receiving "A
votes. The score now stood VanBuren.
1914; Cass, ia; Buchanan, 2; Calhoun,
2. and Polk, a. To elect, It's votes
were necessary.
Polk had not been even talked for
the presidency until after the opening
Of the convention, but a few of his
friends had previously urged his nom
ination for the vice presidency. On
the ninth ballot there was a stampede
lot stood Polk, 23S; Cass, 20, and Van
Buren,, ?.
So sudden was the change that the
Democratic leaders in Washington, who
received the news by telegraph over
the first commercial wire between
Washington and Baltimore, refused to
believe he had been nominated. The
wires between Baltimore and Wash
ington had only been completed day
before the convention opened. and the
| Democratic leaders took the ground
that the clicking instruments were a
fake
The news. however, was later con
frmed by mail. and in the election fol-
lowing, Polk swept his party to vic
tory
Another historic case Of dark
horse" winning the Democratic nomina-
| ton occurred in 1896, when William
Jennings Bryan, THE Boy Orator Of
! the Platte" made his famous Grown
Of thorns and cross Of gold" speech,
sweeping the convention off its feet
by his eloquence and winning the nom
ination hands down on the fifth ballot.
This was probably the most dramatic
example of convention stampeding III
the history of either party
When the convention met in Chicago
on July I, the delegates were over
whelmingly pledged to the reform of
! the money standard.
6ryan's Speech Wins For Him.
Bryan's speech was short. occupying
scarcely 5000 words. and during it he
dwelt upon glittering generalities in his
advocacy of free silver He closed his
masterpiece of eloquence with these
ringing metaphors You shall not press
down upon the brow of labor this crown
of thorns. You shall not cruelty man
| kind upon a cross of gold"
With this stirring admonition ringing
| in their ears, the delegates began the
| ballot. There were 76S delegates vot-
/ ing and under the two-thirds rule SIP
/ votes were necessary for a nomination
- a