Norwich bulletin., 1920-04-09

The new type of politician that-arose was not always more selfish Or cor rupt than the old, but it was noisivr and n<ore open in it's methods. Popu- lar government cannot be carried on in whisper and it is always an en- emy to decorun.
 The devotees of this passion ate, self -willed idol of the people, Elaying plans to keep themselves in power by the prestige of Jacksor's
 magic name after he iseshself should be gone, set up the hrst of our now fa-
 miliar political machines. A Kitchen Cabinet, composed of the ihtimates of the president was at the head of this organization, and a newspaper organ, fostered by the government advertising, was it's rnouthpiece. Fin ally, it invented the national ceflven- ton, with general system of nom mating conventions. for the purpose of carrying out it's objects.
 The Constitution intended that the ! members of the electoral college in their wisdom should choose the pres 1 ident, free from all outside pressure of influence But it was preposterous 1 that this great office. with its i'm l mense powers, should be left at the l absolute disposal of few men in a secret conelave, and the electoral col l lege never has been more than a l Punch and Judy show.
 At first the electors were nofninat- ed and instructed by little groups of
 managing politicians; next the nom ination of presidential candidates was made by congressional cadcases and after that by state legislatures. The l Jacksonian revolution, in giving birth
 to nominating conventions, brought l fI,a oho;oo fsr5..z.,k f1Rs a~1oov11o
 Not that the people yet choose 1 their presidential nominees A ma chine does that but it's manipulation ! is tempered by the latent power of l the people.
 Nevertheless the introduction of the convention was followed by a dis
 tinct decline in the quality of the presidents it produced. The nonina- ton of Lincoln seemed at last to vim dicate and glorify it. Alas. the irony of that exception is that he too, was nominated under the impression that he was a mediocrity in comparison with Seward.
 l Jackson had hardly taore than seated hismelf in the White House
 than his favor for the succession fell 1 tpan his secretary of state, Martin l as the old president fondly called his Van Buren of New York. "Mattys ! political heir, was a clever politician I with ingratiating manners, and, being
 a widower without any women folk I to complicate the situation for him i he was free to advanee himself in the | approval of his chief by the ready so. cial recognition which he bestowed upon Pegy O'Neal Eaton, wheE sh, 7, was being cruelty tossed about by tempest in a 5 o'clock teapot. II At first Jackson wanted only ont
 term for himself, when he intended
 to give way to his favorite. As us.
 ual when the time came, he was ir
 need of vindication in the form of 2 re. election, and he decided to give Var
 Buren the vice presidency as step.
 ping stone to the Waite House, foul
 Seejs later.
 The legislature of the president own state being opposed to Van Buren the usual method of nomination ID, legislature was discarded. Moreover
 there was need of obtaining some sem . blafice of a more popular selection fol this rubber stamp candidate, and th . first democratic national convention was called-"fresh from the people, 1 as Jackson said-to nominate not ;
 president, but a candidate for vic l president. Four years afterwar' ) another convention ratified Jackson s selection of Van Buren as his sue f cessor in the presidency, which wa t duly followed by ratihction at tn 6 polls.
 The last president in 70 years t E see a man of his own choosing sue ( ceed him, the. aged leader retired Q his farm, the Hermitage, where. h t enjoyed through his few rernaihin < years though haunted by poverty an
 debt( such an unbrolsen continuanc
 of the peoples confidence and affec
 Ition as has sweataned the retiremei
 of no other president since Jeffersol if Tomorrow: The First Politician.