El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-31


nominating the party candidate for
president. that was the most natural
thing to do in initiating the English
example of the control OF political par
ties by the members of that party in
parliament. The caucus justified this
assumption. when it began TO be cna4-
lenged on the theory, as II was COM
posed of members Of congress actual
" resident in the capital that It's
members were Of necessity better
judges Of the qualifications of rival
aspirants for the chief magistracy than
persons not familiar with the actual
workings Of government IN Washington
possibly could be.
The caucus held, and in so holding
was true to all the traditions OF gov
eminent from the beginning OF MS
tory, that experienced men were re-
QUired to administer government and
that only statesmen were possessed
Of statecraft. Thus, Washington was
succeeded by Adams, who had been
vice president. Adams by Jefferson
who had been vice president; Jefferson
by Madison, who had been secretary OF
state; Madison by Monroe, who had
been secretary Of state; and, in lSz4
when the question of Monroe s success
sor came up, the candidates were the
secretary of state, John Quincy Adams
OF Massachusetts, the secretary Of the
treasury, William II. Crawford, OF
Georgia; the secretary OF war, John Z.
Calhoun, of South Carolina. and the
speaker of the house Of representa-
tiyes, Henry Clay, Of Kentucky Each
Of these men was experienced in state
craft, each Of them had distinguished
himself at Washington either in al
ministrative or legislative work, and
each was entitled to consideration BY
the then supposed and completely DOM
inant Republican party
Moving to Its Destruction.
But the very reasons advanced by
the caucus 10 justify its claims TO Sc
lect the standardbearer Of the party
were urged BY the opponents of the
caucus as reasons for its destruction
The caucus boosted that il would Sc
lect only IGen Of experience Its op-
pOnents charged that 1t would select
only a man representing a small clique
of professional office holders and ring
politicians. The opponents Of the con-
gressiOnal caucus did not value eXpe-
rience in statecraft as 1uch as they
valued devotion 10 the common people
The government under the COnStltu-
tiOn had been in operation for 40
years. With the exception of the fOu-
years Of the disastrous administration
of John Adams, the president always
Lad been a member Of a small clique
OF Virginia Observation-Disclosures So
cially, no matter how democratic some
OF them may nave been politically. FL
forts to demOcratize the elections had
IaueQ, anu IN 1ozU. nine OF the "A
states chose their electors by their leg
iSlatures. In many Of the other states Z
where the electors were chosen by pop |
to considerable degree by property I
and other qualifications. 1t was noe 4
believed that the congressional caucus ]
If permitted to continue its sway, ever
would select president who would be I
sufficiently democratic to bring about /
an extension Of the franchise. TO bring |
q bout direct election of electors in all !
o. the states and to effect other DOpu- Z
lar and democratic reforms 1t was be- I
lieved. on the other hand, that the |
caucus would continue TO select a I
president from the ranks not only Of l
experienced statesmen, but also from |
among the old aristocratic families.
Time Ripe For Revolt.
The times were ripe for revolution. I
That that revolution was to accom-
plish the separation OF party control [
from government affairs in a fashion I
never before or since attempted in any |
country in the world, was not then I
dreamed Of The movement began in I
the west, or what was then the west.
When the citizens OF BlOunt county,
Tennessee, held mass meeting at 4
Maryville early in the year 1922. they /
a revolution, and yet III is that mass /
meeting that we owe our present sys-
TEN of selecting a president and 1t IS 4
10 that mass meeting that the national
convention, the national committee and
even the nOnOfficial boss trace their ]
origin. That meeting, however, was
conscious Of the fact that ii represent
ed widespread feeling that the pres
idency of the United states should be
within the scope of the ambition OF
any man, whether schOoled or un-
schOoled. whether experienced or IN
eNDerienCed.
The Tennessee mOuntainecrs met at
the courthouse in MdryYille on a FIRST |
Monday, and after denOuncinS King
cratic Virginia clique that controlled
the presidency. and after denOuncl1S |
Jointly and severally all OF the eN-
per1enced" statesmen, II nominated Tor
president, Andrew Jackson Of Tennes-
see. The fact that Jackson had him
self been a senator did not WelSn
against him, for il was agreed tnaI re
had not been much Of a senator. Il
vas certain that he was great sol
der, great backwoOdSman, and
Democrat.
Not long after. the Tennessee legis-
Il ture formally nominated Cen Jack
son for the presidency and he became
a fullfledged candidate With his can
dldacy the opposition to the caucus De
came more pronounced WhlIe the FlNaI
ambitions of the experienced states
men in the cabinet and in congress
tended further to discredit its sway.
The Last Caucus.
When, on St Nasentlne uay' -,
the last congressional caucus was
held only 65 of the 261 members OF
congress attended They nominated
William r. Crawford. Of Georgia Tor
president, and Albert Ga1atln' OF 5fhil
sylvania, for vice president ana ~
that very act they apologlzeo lor lhelr
presumption by adopting this resoIu-
ton
IN making the foregoing recon-
mendatfon the members OF this meet
ing have acted i'm their individual char
acters as citizens. they have been IN
duced to this measure from deep and
settled conviction of the Importance OF
union among Republicans throughout
the United States. and as the best
means Of collecting and concentrating
the feelings and wishes of the people
Of the union upon this important sub
iect."
The caucus was a failure. its nomins-
lions were not recognized: and there |
followed a free for all race in which the I
H. Krupp & Brothers. says: so far !
safe. An the boys in good spirits" |