New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-03
CRITICISM
AND BOOK NEWS
Mr.. Bishops Panorama of National Campaigns
and Elections Useful Guide to Accurate
Methods Of Thought

tlOnal convention, neld IN baltimore III
1882 for the purpose of nominating
candidate for NicePresident. Jackson
had already been renominated by the
old legislative caucus method and
wanted TO have Martin Van Buren, run
with him. Merely TO emphasize his
control of the party organization he
prescribed a two-thirds vote as neces-
sary 10 nominate, since there was no
candidate in the field against Van
Buren,.
Mr.. Bishop says that this whim Of
Jackson's placed shackle about the
neck of his party in convention of which
it has been trying in vain ever since TO
rid itself" But what may have been
a counsel of vanity on Jackson's part
soon became policy Of self-interest
and self-protection with the politicians
Of the South The North outnumbered
the South in national conventions, and
the Southern leaders were shrewd
enough to see that they could control
the Presidency so long as they were
able 10 put a veto on the selection OF
any Northern candidate who refused TO
do their bidding
There was no occasion to make use
Of this veto power in 1886, when Van
Buren, was nominated unanimously 10
succeed Jackson, or in 1870, when ne
was nominated unanimously 20 succeed
himself and was defeated by william
Henry Harrison. But in 1914. when
Van Buren, was again candidate Tor
the nomination, the South had already
beoun to distrust him. He had a nom
inal majority Of % in the convention.
Yet the Southern politicians persuaded
n part OF his following TO join them IN
riveting the one-thrd veto scheme on
tie party and he was finally set ASIDE
for lanes K. Polk. Thus It Was the
farseeinr strategy of the Slave Power
in tho convention OF 1914 (Mr. Bishop
wrongly calls it the convention OF ls4e,
on page so. not a mere fancy OF An
drew Jackson. which Fastened the two,
thirds rule shackle about the neck OF
the Democratic party -
Acain. Mr.. Bishop has many hare
words TO saw about the steam rolier
methods by which control Of the Re
nublican National Convention OF l9lZ
was achieved by the faction in power
in the outgoing National Committee
Few persons will now deny that inc
convention misrepresented the VIII OF
the Republican voters. The result Oh
the election of 1912 is decisive on 'hs'
point. r.or, ,be
In settling the contests NV" ~
Southern states to say noIhlhg W
those from Arizona and Washington
The National Committee was RUE
unto itself. Its verdicts we're goVerneu
ynora nv factional interest than D!
oonitv Yet il shows lack OF ms
torical perspective to condemn the CON
noittee's action as an exceptional vlo-
iation Of recognized standards OF lar
The Republican party had long tol-
rated system under which the rot
tor. borourh states of the South were
Grossly over-represented in national
Conventions. The delegates from those
etates. having no responsibility 10
yot;nC nublic at home, had become
mere political pawns, disposable IN e1-
change for Offices or promises OF once
Contests were perennial, and the tltie
of snv one set Of claimants was usual
" as unsubstantial as the title OF the
The evil effects Of this system we're
orIv a little less noticeable in the con-
ventiops of 1892 and 1896 than they
,vore in the conventions OF 1908 ana
1919 The Tribune time and again
warned the party of the peril involved
in this vitiation OF the prlnciple OIL
lust and equal representation. oens-
tor Matthew S. Quay tried 10 get the
convention of 1900 to end growing
marty scandal. But the leaders IN
control would not listen. Representa-,
tive Burke, Of Pennsylvania: renewed
the effort in the convention OF l9Oo ana
nearly got through sensible reao.
iustment resolution. Inc deleaV Vi
the Burke resolution was the most I'M
portant action taken by the kepupllcan
convention Of 1908. Yet Mr.. Blshop
never mentions it,
If Colonel Roosevelt, then fresldent,
had given his support to the burhe
project it would have been adopteG9
and the party schism Of 1917 Woulu
have been averted. But the AomIhls,
tration in 1908 was reluctant 10 one
ia own band-picked Southern delega-
t;o,s and a great opportunity to re-
store genuine self-government within
| tbo nartv was muddled. From the MS
torical noint Of view all elements and
| factions in the Republican party must
share responsibility for the irregular
| tiles and injustices which caused the
smash-up Of 1912.
In one particular the author has IN
] necessarily weakened the case he is
! making against the Taft managers. IN
the states which held primary elections
I in 1912 Colonel Roosevelt got 278 dele
gates and Mr.. Taft only 40. But
/ Wr. Bishop mistakenly credits Mr.. Tar
with twenty-eight primary delegate
] from Georgia. Georgia sent two sets
If delegates TO Chicago. Both those
seated and those excluded repre-
/ sented nothing but skeleton organiza-
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