Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-06-29
Democratic Convention Snapshots
THE STORY OF I6 NOMINATIONS.
BY A. H Vandenberg
The Story Begins.

IN i democratic national cOnVen
tions dncluding two in 1900 sine,
1856-tl1e year when the present his
toric conflict between republicanism
and democracy began--six states, none
of them included in that persistensly
i democratic section of the country
known as the SOLID South,' have mo-
nopolized the honors of providing the
party with presidential nominees New
York leads the list with seven sucn
recognitions for her sons; New Jersey
and Nebraska divide second honors.
each with three nominations to its
credit; Pennsylvania has furnished two
nominees, and Illinois and Kentucky
one each. Meanwhile, the party's vice
presidential honors have been divided
between nine states, in the following
inventory: Indiana 6; Illinois z; SITS
souri, 2; Ohio Q; Kentucky 1 Georgia
/; Oregon /; Maine l.; West Virginia
IA.
Chicago and St Louis lead the rolls
as the 'favorite convention cities" in
which these great national conclaves
have occurred. Four times the con
ventions have gone to each of these
places. Baltimore has been three times
the mecca; Cincinnati has two conven-
tions to her credit; and Richmond,
New York, Kansas City and Denver
have each entertained the convention
once.
In two ways, democratic national
convention history; and in both in
stances, convention ,"rules" are in
volved.
A majority suffices to nominate re-
publican candidates; but ever since
1892, when Andrew Jackson establish
ed the 'two-thirds rule" to aid n1iI m
forcing Van Buren's nomination for
vice president, a two-thirds majority |
has always been necessary to nominate
democratic candidates. Frequent eff
forts have been made to change this
rule. but it still stands and has never
been suspended.
It's companion the unit rule un-
der which majority of a states dele
cation controls the entire delegation
also differs from standard republican,
practice. 1t. too, was sacred for three
,uarters of a century-until AMENDED,
It last in 1916, consonant with the
reed to recognize the integrity of in
tructions from presidential primaries. ,
The 'two-thrds rule has some
ines prevented majority nominees |
rom reaching the final goal-like E
IAN Buren, in 1S4S, who had presi- I
entail majority of 26 but could not f
ct the necessary two-thirds; and like c
lark in 1912, who had presidential \
Majority on the tenth roll call but fall- C
,,,,Iy
Naturally this rule has prolonged h
emocratic conventions zeyond the re- q
ublican average Since 1856, the aV- n
"a pe number of republican roll calls q
, nominate a president has been be- f.
yeen four and five; the average num- s
er of democratic roll calls has peen
etween nine and ten. The hardes'
phts were in 1850 when So roll calls G,
ere necessary to name Douglas; IN Il
,12 when 46 roll calls were necessary is
name Wilson; and in 1868 when 22
III calls were necessary to name Sey-
our. Meanwhile, democratic conVeh- f,
ons. like republican conventions e
ave made little contest over seconu-
ace Thirteen times, vice-presiden-
., nominees have been named on one K
allot. tf
Of tho II nominations which thus h
,nap- Shot" series will now proceed to "
cord, five have won the electlors at
q succeeding November polls.
ITO be Continued Tomorrow with t,
q story of the 1856 Convention.) M