The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-06-14

NhsnllgIOn, June II SpeclaI- /
Theodore Roosevelt has beer the chief
figure In every Republican convention
since 1900. when he was nominated
for vice president. William J. Bryan
began his career as the chief figure In
Democratic national conventions four
years before Roosevelt, but Roosevelt
had been a delegate and an active
man In a convention as far back as
1884, when he was one OF the leaders
against Blaine.
But the swirl of the convention ed
dies, the talk In the conferences and
corridors, the speculation and guesses,
the outcome and future results, all
were around this remarkable man.
More hinged on Roosevelt than on any
other person or all other persons, for
that matter.
Fight For Harmony.
The Republicans were so determined
to have harmony that they were ready
to fight for tt-in fact, much Of the
time Of the leaders was devoted to Sc
curing harmonious action. 1t was a
contrast to the gathering four years
ago, when there was an intense bit.
terness between two rival factions.
Then the Taft men and the Roosevelt
men would do anything they could to
cut each others Threats. This time
the leaders smoothed down the feath-
ers OF those who showed irritation, and
there were u~nmistakable signs OF an
effort TO get together.
That statement does not apply TO
some of the Roosevelt supporters who
were so pronounced I'm favor OF the
colonel that they were ready to show
their teeth when any one spoke for
another candidate.
When the Bosses Don't Know.
IL Is always assumed that the bosses
run national conventions. When we
strike a convention where the bosses
don't know what Is going to be done
there are frantic appeals made to them
for Information. There seems TO be a
disposition to credit these men with
powers OF determination when In fact
they have no control and when they
do not know what will happen. The
impression has been created that a few
men control every convention and d.
rect every movement. That was not
the case I'm the convention Of 1910.
Primaries Not Tried Out7
There Is some question whether the
primary system has beer tried out or
IL so whether 1t has proved satisfac-
tory. Men bark back to the time when
by an overwhelming vote the primaries
decided In favor of Champ Clark. and
yet he was not nominated. So far as
II could be seen the primaries were In
favor of Justice Hughes during the
preliminary canvass, yet the greatest
advocates OF the primary systematic
Progressives-did their best to nomi-
nate another man.
A Convention Essential.
To secure a nomination In n national
convention the most essential thing Is
delegates. The man who hasn't got
the delegates and does not know just
where he can get them Is not success
full. There are various methods OF get
lklk ucttkhltS. lDc 1ulllh III
was to go u and get them. Other
men have waited and allowed dele
gates to come to them, but they rem
orally had attractions which brought
the delegates In line when needed.
The Powerful Committee.
National committees are powerful or
CARNATIONS. In the first place, nation
al committees determine what dele
gates are entitled to sit In the V
ton, and where there are many con-
tests this is important as the
settlement OF contests often determines
the results o. the convention. 1t sell
iom happens that a credentials commit
tee will change the action OF the IA
tional committee.
The national committee also has the
power of allotment of seats In the con-
v~ention, which Is important I'm the
matter Of giving certain people places.
And the national committee Is the
guiding power for four years after
each national election.
interesting Campaign Ahead.
a. NoAhiik NahApuiSh lioiiklc1C w bO
interesting. Some Of the politicians In
Washington think II will be equal TO
any since the Mckinley Bryan cam
paign of twenty years ago.
Convention Anecdote.
One of the New England delegates
on waking one morning and opening
the door of his room found his shoes
missing from the threshold where he
had placed them for the hotel boot
black to shine. AS he wandered dis
consolately up and down the corridor
searching for his footgear ne met a ma
tive, who gave him the latest tidings
Of his shoes, saying he had seer them
scattered several rods" down the cor
ridor several hours before. Incidental
ly II you ask a Chicagoan how far
away your destination is he will just
naturally inform you that 1t 10 "about
so many rods farther on"