The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1916-06-07
1916 CONVENTION Of
MOST UNCERTAIN
Large Number Of Possibi|i-
ties and Attitude of Pro-
gressives Add to
the interest.

"HE sixteenth national convention
of the Republican party. which
meets in the Coliseum I'm Chica-
go on June Z. will be one Of the
most interesting and exciting gather
ings ever held by that party. Excite
ment will be intensified because of the
uncertainty Of the nominee. When the
first ballot is taken there will be a
dozen men voted for. any one Of whom
may subsequently be the fortunate one.
1t is conceded that all Of these have
chance, some better than others.
Another thing that tends to add in
terest is the attitude of the Progressive
party. The split of 1912 is wildly re-
called. Will the two factions get to.
gether this year. or will there again be
a third ticket?
The history of this split Is well
known. Theodore Roosevelt. who had
served one term of his own and three
and half years of McKinley's second
term after the latter's assassination.
unqualfiedly indorsed William II.
Taft, then secretary of state, for presi-
dent i'm 1908. Mr.. Taft was overwhelm-
ingly elected.
Break Four Years Ago.
The convention of 1912 approached.
Roosevelt was then an avowed candi.
date. While he had not served two
complete terms, the third term argu-
ment against naming him was raised.
A bitter fight over seating the contest
ed delegations was raised. Finally a
majority of delegates with Taft pro-
cllvities were seated and the voting
started. On the first ballot Taft re-
ceived 5G1 votes and Roosevelt 1O7. A
few others were scattered between
Hughes of New York. La Toilette of
Wisconsin and Cummins of Iowa.
However. there were 344 delegates
who, vexed at the manner the contests
had been settled, refused to vote for
any candidate.
Colonel Roosevelt then organized the
Progressive party, was declared the
nominee for president and in the cleo
ton the following November received
a larger popular vote than did Taft,
the nominee of the regular Republican
party. The vote then was as follows:
Woodrow Wilson, Democrat. 6,293. O19;
Theodore Roosevelt, Progressive. 4,119,-
5O7; William III. Taft, Republican,
3,4S4,956. Wilson received 435 votes
in the electoral college. Roosevelt SO
and Taft only 8.
This vraS tho hirth Of tho prooroSSiva
party, which may be amalgamated with
the Republicans again at the approach
Ing Chicago convention or which may
continue to exist and again name a
third candidate. 1t will hold con-
vention I'm Chicago. also opening on
June Z.
The Republican convention Of 1860
was one of the most exciting and sur
prising ever held. Long before the
convention met 1t was seen that the
contest very likely lay between Lin
coin and Seward. All the free and
border states, with the addition Of
Texas, were represented. The first
two days were taken up with seating
the delegates and adopting platform;
on the third the candidates were for
mally presented without speeches.
Seward was popular, and his cause was
superbly managed by Thurlow Weed,
one of the shrewdest politicians the
country has produced. But there was
a growing feeling that, much as he de-
served of the party. Seward could not
carry such doubtful states as Pennsyl-
vania and Indiana. On the morning
of the third day Weed, In attempting
a Seward demonstration, was outwit-
ted. He planned a monster parade In
Stewards behalf. While his adherents
were parading the streets the Lincoln
managers packed the enormous Wig
wan, where the convention was held,
with their sympathizers. 1t was a
bold stroke. and 1t gave the Lincoln
cause the powerful aid that an enthu-
siastic audience alone can give. As
the balloting proceeded every vote for
Lincoln was cheered to the echo.
Seward led on the first two ballots,
but ON the second his gain was but 10,
while Lincoln, largely through Penn
sylvania's support, gained IS. While
tina third ballot was being counted