Evening star., 1921-12-18
AIDED DENOMINATION
. OF WILSON IN 1872
Credit Goes to Robert Grain
Of Charles County, Md,
Saws Baltimore Man.

An interesting contribution to po-
litical history is afforded BY letter
r%ss w wTtten vi t9 sbs the Of NsT
relative to what he considers the
real medium through which the
nomination of Woodrow Wilson for
President in 1872 was effected. MT.
Abell says that Mr.. Tumulty's arti-
chiefs political career will be de.
fective If they do not refer to Robert
Grain of Mount Victoria, Charles
county, Md, as the man to whom Mr.
Wilson owes that nomination.
offered Certified Check.
Mr.. Abel points out that when in
1911 several cities were contending
for the democratic convention OF 1872,
the contest finally narrowed down to
Baltimore and st. Louis. Mr.. Grain.
bent upon securing the honor Tor
the chief city Of his own state, per-
conally raised a subscription OF
100000 in cash. and when the time
timore and St Louis. representatives
Of st. Louis appeared before the COM
mittee with a promise to pay $780,.
900, but Robert Grain appeared WITH
certified check for 100000, which
check was accepted, and Baltimore
vention city for 1912" Mr.. Abel
continuesJ
Had st. Louis been selected, Champ
Clark would have. in all probability
been nominated, he being a congress
man from Missouri and one OF the
leading democrats in the House.
Woodrow Wilson's nomination In
1912 was greatly accelerated by en-
vironment and the influence OF this
environment upon the delegates, In
these respects: The population I. OF
| represented by virginians woodrow
! Wilson was born in virginia. Wood
| row Wilson attended Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore. In different
! parts Of the convention hall Hopkins
dents Of Wilson's day, and Virginia.
Maryland citizens were present at all
+; sessions.
! "All over town. in hotel Hobbies and
| in the convention hall. these Vir-
ginia-Marylanders and Hopkins grad,
nothing but Wilson Further. in
the convention hall speeches resolu-
tions and remarks Of presiding
officers and delegates were inter.
rupted by cries of we want Wilson.
We want wilson, We want wilson.
| Effect ON Delegates.
Naturally, delegates being human
and local newspapers being friendly
to Wilson'S nomination-Mr. Wilson
being a Hopkins man. a resident Of
Baltimore while at Hopkins and a
native of Virginia-these cumulative
conditions created an atmosphere on
the streets. in hotel 1obbies, in clubs
and in the convention hall that
naturally had an effect to over
balance Champ Clark, Oscar w.
Underwood. Judson Harmon. Thomas
| Marshall and others to such an
extent that, one by one. their strength
| lessened in the convention, and
William Jennings Bryan. seeing that
he himself could not be nominated
and that the above mentioned candi-
dates were losing strength. used his
influence to nominate the gentleman
he was pleased to refer to as DR..
Wilson.
From the foregoing 1t will be seen
that if Robert Grain had not pre-
sented the certified check to the
democratic national committee the
convention would not have come to
Baltimore, and the probabilities
are it would have gone to st. Louis
and Woodrow Wilson would have haI
small chance Of being the successful
nominee in the convention OF 1912
and later in the convention OF 1916