The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-05-31
How Delegates Are Chosen.

now UelegdteS are Cn0Sen.
How are the delegates to these con.
ventions chosen?
Acknowledgements states choose
their delegates by the direct primary
method. by the direct vote of the peo-
pie. The remaining twenty-six states
continue to use the old convention
method-that is, each section holds its
own little convention and names dele
gates to state conventions. These in
turn name the delegates to the national
conventions. The number of delegates
allotted to each state is governed by
the population.
How many delegates were chosen this
year by the direct primary method?
Acknowledgements. GA. or little
more than 81 per cent; Republicans.
613, or more than 81 per cent.
Which states have adopted the direct
primary method?
Observation-Disclosures Indiana New
Hampshire, North Dakota. Michigan.
Wisconsin. New York. Illinois. Iowa.
tchraska. Montana. Massachusetts.
Ohio, Maryland. California. Pennsylva-
pia, Oregon, New Jersey, South Da-
kota. West Virginia. Vermont and Min
nesota.
Who selects the cities in which the
| conventions are to be held and fixes
1 the dates?
! Answer.-The national committees
attend to this. These committees con.
sist of one man from each state. They
select also the temporary officers of the
conventions and appoint smaller COM
mittees to look after details.
/ When and where was the first COLI
vention to nominate candidates for the
/ presidency and vice presidency held?
/ Answer.-The first was held on Sept.
26, 1890, in Philadelphia by IA party
that has long since passed into OBJ
liviOn. This was the anti-Masonic
party. However, no nominations were
made at the Philadelphia meeting. as
it was largely gathering to effect an
organization. The nominations were
made eighteen months later at a con-
vention in Baltimore.
! The First Convention.
When and where was the first con.
vention of one of the larger parties
/ held?
Answer.-The first was the Demo-
! cratic Republican convention held in
/ Baltimore ON May 81, 1882. What is
now known as the Democratic party
was known in those days as the Demo
cratic Republican party.
; Can you give a brief history of that
convention?
/ Answer.-Prior to 1882 the nomina-
tons were made by what was known
as the caucus method" When the
party spirit became strong the nOmi-
/ mating was done by congressional and
legislative caucuses, and the caucus re-
NAMED king of the situation until 1t
was overthrown by the convention idea.
Andrew Jackson had notion that the
king was somewhat of scoundrel
and that there were often ringers In
the woodpile" at the caucuses. TO
overcome this the party of which he
was leader evolved the convention
plan, and 1926 delegates gathered In
Baltimore and, of course, renominated
Jackson. No platform was adopted, as
word from "Old Hickory was all
that was needed. Thus the convention
system started and has reigned for
eighty-four years, but its end may be
in sight with the growth of the direct
primary system.
Democratic Candidates.
Can you give a list of the conventions
that have been held by what is now
the Democratic party since the first
and also the candidates nominated for
the presidency?
Answer:
1S32-Democratic Republican, Baltimore.
Andrew Jackson.
lS36-Democratic, Baltimore. Martin Van
Buren,.
1S40-Democratic. Baltimore, Martin Van
Buren,.
ls44-Democratic. Baltimore. James X.
Polk.
lS4s-Democratic. Baltimore. Lewis Cass
is52-Democratic. Baltimore. Franklin