The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-19
DEMOCRATS ARE TO
BEGIN NEXT WEEK
National Convention of the
Party Opens at Baltimore
on Next Tuesday.
(National News Association)

(National News Association)
BALTIMORE, Nd. June 19.-One
thousand and seventy-four delegates
will assemble in the Fifth Regiment
Armory in this city next Tuesday to
name a candidate to run as the Demo
cratic party's choice for President or
the United States.
These delegates represent the
Democratic voters of fortnight states,
the District of Columbia, the District
of Alaska and the territorial posses
sions of Hawaii, Porto Rico and the
Philippines. The number of delegates
exclusive of the territories and 1nsular
possessions is twice the number OF
United States senators and members
of the house of representatives
Each delegate to the national con-
vention represents a section OF the
country peopled by approximately 81
972,266 people according to the CEN
eus of 1870, of whom at least 27,O0O,-
900 are male adults of the voting age
The 1,074 delegates meet to select
a man who will represent the ideas OF
the Democratic voters as to necessary
qualifications for a President of the
United States and to voice their ideas
as to general policies which should
be followed by the chief executive for
the four years succeeding March a,
1913. The delegates will voice these
policies in series OF resolutions,
ic
called a platform" They are also to
select candidate for Vice President
to serve in case of the death or inabili-
ty of the President
The Fresh Subjects.
Theoretically the choice of the
nominees and the framing OF the plat
form are matters which the delegates
take up as quite fresh subjects, ana
upon which they have varying opln-
ions, but practically, and as result OF
widespread discussion in the daily
press and elsewhere, there are always
of late years some we'll settled ideas
on the subject of candidates and is
sues. and a certain unanimity on many
matters from the outset. In the pre-
sent instance, however, considerably
more doubt surrounds the actions and
decisions of the convention than has
been the case for many years. 1t is
generally admitted that the choice or
candidates and the framing of the plat
form will depend in great measure
upon the results of the Republican ma
tional convention now in session IN
~,h;ooo. ~ u
The Democratic convention noml-
mates a presidential candidate by
two-thirds vote, there the winner In
the convention must secure TIC vote9
No candidate in the race has any
where near enough instructed votes
tn secure the nomination on first bal
lot. In the order of their strength, as
indicated by the number OF delegates
pledged to support them. the leading
candidates are Champ Clark OF MIS-
souri,, Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey,
Oscar Underwood of Alabama and Jud-
son Harmon, of Ohio.
The standing of these four candl-
dates indicates their relative strength
on the first ballot in the convention
next week. Their actual strength Will
not be known, however, until after the
first ballot when about 27O unlnstruct-
ed delegates and scattering vote OF
ninety delegates for Governors Foss'
of Massachusetts,, Baldwin, or Connec-
+;cut. Marshall, of Indiana, and Burke,
pf North Dakota, will be cast. These
four fayorite sons are expected to
drop out of the contest after the flrst
ballot, leaving the fight to the remain
ing four candidates, Speaker clark
Governor Wilson, Governor Harmon
and Representative Underwood. Whlie
the second ballot will probably dis
close the actual strength Of these foul
candidates, it will probably require
number of ballots before the Leading
candidate obtains the two-thlrds vote
necessary to nominate. In the EVEN
that the convention is unable to make
choice from among the leading can
didates and a deadlock ensues. one o
the other four candidates may be nam
ed, or, what is considered even more
likely, dark horse" may capture the
nomination. In connection with the
talk of a dark horse the names o
William J.. Bryan and Mayor Gaynol
of New York city are most frequentl,
mentioned.
National Chairman Mack of Buffalo
Secretary Woodson, of Kentucky, ant
the members of the Committee on AT
rangements are in the city and tomor
row meeting will be held to com
plete the final details of the conven
ton arrangements. The Armory II
which the convention is to be hell
stands in readiness for the gathering
of delegates. Headquarters of the Ma
tional Committee and OF the severa
presidential candidates are RUNNING
full blast. The entire business section
of Baltimore is putting on gala attir
and before the end of the week tn
delegates, marching clubs, pol1tica
leaders and lay visitors will be marcn
ing into the city by the hundreds.
will be Baltimore's first experience L
entertaining a national political cor
vention. since Horace Greeley wa
nominated for President by the Demo
Gratis assembled here an even fort
years ago.
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