Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-07
Story Of Democratic
CONVENTIONS To Date
BY A. II. ~vANDENBERG
The Story Begins

In II Democratic National Conven-
lions ~(including two in 1S6O) since
1S56-the year when the present MS
| toric conflict began-six states, none
of them included in that pers1stently
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 even
such r~ecognitions for her sons; New
Jersey and Nebraska divide second
honors, each with three nominations
to its credit: Pennsylvania has fur-
nished two nominees, and Illinois ana
Kentucky one each. Meanwhile, the
Party's ice-Presidential honors nave
been divided between nine states IN
the following inventory: Indiana, o;
Illinois. 2; Missouri. 2; ohio.2 Ken
lucky, 1: Georgia. 1: Oregon, 1; lame
/; West Virginia, ].
Chicago and st. Louis lead the rolls
as the "favorite convention cities IN
which these great national conVlaves
have occurred. Four times the con-
ventions have gone to each or these
places. Baltimore has been three times
the mecca; Cincinnati a w con-
ventions to her credit; and dchmond,
New York, Kansas City and Denver
have each entertained the convention
once.
In two ways, Democratic National
Convention history Is strikingly differ
ent from Republican National Con-
~vention history; and in both instan-
ces, convention rules" are involved.
A majority sufices to m Re-
publican candidates, but ever sinc
1889, when Andrew jackson estab-
lished the 'two-thirds rule to ala
him in forcing Van Buren's nomina-
- - yyI-- D--oiIAnt n Ua-third
majority has always been necessary
nominate Democratic candidates.
efforts have been made to
change his rule. but it still stands
and has never been suspended.
It's companion. the unit rule, un-
which a majority of a states dele
CATION controls the entire delegation,
also differs from standard Republa-
can practice. 1T, too, was sacred for
three-quarters of q century-until
amended, at last. in 1916, c%onsonant
rity of instructions from Presidential
The "two-thirds rule" has
times prevented majority nominees
from reaching khe final goal-ike
Van Buren, in 1S4S, who had q Presi-
Dental majority of 26 but could not
get the necessary ~two-thirds: and II
Clark In 1912. who had a Presidential
majority on the tenth roll-call but
failed of the ultimate two-thirds.
Naturally this rule has prolonged
Democratic conventions beyond the
Republican average. Since 1855, the
average number Of Republican roll
calls to nominate a President has
been between four and Ave; the aver
age number of Democratic roll-calls
has been between nine and ten. The
hardest fights were in 1850 when SO
roll calls were necessary to name
Douglas; In 1912 when As roll calls
were necessary to name Wilson; and
in 1868 when 20 roll calls were nee
essary to name Seymour. Meanwhile,
Democratic conventions. like Repub-
lican conventions, have made little
contest over second-place. Thirteen
times, Vice Presidential nominees
have been named on one ballot.
OF the II nominations which this
Snapshot series will now proceed
to record, five have won the elections
at the succeeding November polls.