NATIONAL NOMINATING CONVENTIONS IN 1924. Held in Convention Hall, Cleveland, June 10-12. Temporary Chairman- Theodore E. Burton, Permanent Chairman - Frank W. Mondell, Chairman Resolutions Committee-Charles B. Secretary-Lafayette B. Gleason, New York. Sergeant at Arms-Col. E. P. Thayer, Indiana. Number of delegates-1,109; necessary to a Woman delegates and alternates-More 400. Candidates Presented. than For President-Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts; nominated by Marion Leroy Burton, Michigan; seconded by Martin B. Madden, Illinois; Mrs. Minnie J. Grinstead, Kansas; George E. Cannon, New Jersey; Mrs. Florence C. Porter, California; W. S. Stickney, Vermont; George H. Erie, Oregon; Isaac N. Meekins, North Carolina; Nathaniel A. Elsberg. New York. blocs and the efforts of special groups to obtain increased pensions or salaries and bonuses and to create new bureaus with hordes of officials. He also pointed out the evil consequences of the tendency toward third-party movements and urged the importance of electing real republicans to the next congress. The speaker opposed the entry of the United States into the league of nations, but advised membership in the world court of justice. Referring to the presidential disapproval of certain measures passed by congress, Mr. Burton remarked: Truth compels me to say that by far the greater share of our citizenry looks to President Coolidge rather than to congress for leadership." Ex-Congressman Frank W. Mondell of Wyoming, who was made permanent chairman, made an address along similar lines except that he avoided laying stress on the conflict between congress and the president. He was especially emphatic in denouncing insurgent movements like that of the LaFollette group. Charles B. Warren of Michigan, chairman of the committee on resolutions, presented the platform to the convention on the evening of the second day. There had been considerKlan planks and representatives from some able discussion over the world court and antiof the agricultural states wanted more definite declarations on farm-relief measures. It was, by President Coolidge and was reported to the however, adopted mainly in the form desired delegation attempted to have the LaFollette convention in that shape. The Wisconsin platform substituted, but the convention re For Vice-President-William S. Kenyon, Iowa, Nominees. For President-Calvin Coolidge of Massachu- The republican national convention of 1924 was held in the new auditorium in Cleveland, O.. beginning June 10 and ending June 12. There was no doubt as to who would be chosen as the party's leader for the presidency of the nation, as an overwhelming number of the delegates had already declared themselves in favor of Calvin Coolidge, who had succeeded to the office of chief executive upon the death of Warren G. Harding, Aug. 2. 1923. At the various state primaries held in the early months of the year it was made manifest that the Massachusetts statesman was the first choice of a majority of the republicans and that the national convention would be merely a ratification meeting. This proved to be the case. Hiram Johnson of California was an avowed candidate for the presidency, but it soon developed that his following was too small to make him serious contender in the race. Wisconsin was for Robert M. LaFollette, but he had little support in other states. Interest in the Cleveland convention therefore centered upon the platform to be constructed and the selection of a candidate for vice-president. Congressman Theodore E. Burton of Cleveland. O.. was chosen temporary chairman of the convention and as such delivered the "key note" address at the opening session. He paid a warm tribute to Warren G. Harding and praised the record of the republican administration, calling attention especially to what had been done to help the farmers and disabled war veterans and to the efforts to curb extravagance in expenditures. Mr. Burton pointed out the demoralizing effects on legislation from the formation of minority then, with equal unanimity, voted to accept the platform reported by the committee on resolutions. (The platform is given in full elsewhere in this volume.) Paul Howland, chairman of the committee on rules, submitted a report which was adopted unanimously. The most important provisions in this document were the following: Hereafter the convention shall be constituted as follows: Four delegates at large from each state. Two additional delegates at large for each representative at large in congress from each state. Two delegates at large each for Alaska. District of Columbia, Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippine islands. Three additional delegates at large from each state casting its electoral vote, or a majority thereof, for the republican nominee in the last preceding presidential election. One district delegate from each congressional district. One additional district delegate from each congressional district casting 10.000 votes or more for any presidential elector in the last preceding presidential election or for the republican nominee for congress in the last preceding congressional election, One alternate delegate to each delegate to the national convention. A national committee shall be elected by each national convention called to nominate candidates for president and vice-president consisting of two members from each state, territory ог territorial possession. The roll shall be called and the delegation from each state, territory and territorial possession shall nominate, through its chairman, one man and one woman to act as such members. When the law of any state provides a method for the selection of members of national committees of political parties, the nomination of the members of the republican national committee in accordance with the provisions of such law shall be considered nominations to be carried into effect by the delegation from each state; provided, however, that in the republican national convention of 1924 every state and territorial possession shall nominate for membership in the national committee a woman as well as a man to serve pending an appropriate amendment to the state laws. Dr. Marion Leroy Burton, president of the University of Michigan, though not a delegate to the convention, had been selected to nominate Calvin Coolidge for the presidency, and this he did at the morning session on June 12 in a speech which, despite its length, was well received. The nomination was seconded by eight delegates, whose names given at the head of this article, and then the balloting for president began. Only one ballot was taken and this resulted in 1,065 votes for Coolidge, 34 for LaFollette and 10 for Hiram Johnson. State. Alabama Arizona Arkansas Mississippi Missouri Montana Ballot for President. are LaFol- John- 16 9 14 27 12 39 11 Lowden Declines Nomination. When the nomination of candidates for the office of vice-president was called for on the afternoon of June 12, eight names were presented. That of Frank O. Lowden of Illinois was included, although he had frequently and emphatically announced that under no circumstances would he consent to make the sulted in 222 votes for Mr. Lowden, 172 for race for vice-president. The first ballot reKenyon, 149 for Dawes, 139 for Burton, the remainder of the 1,103 votes cast on this Hyde, Hines, ballot being divided among Watson, Curtis, Jackson, Norris. Taylor and others. A second ballot was taken with no one having the necessary 555 votes, though Lowden led. Before the result could be announced Minnesota changed its vote to give 27 to Lowden and then a stampede for the ex-governor of Illinois followed, the bulk of the vote of nearly all the states being cast for him. Wisconsin gave 25 votes to Senator Brookhart of Iowa. The final lineup on the second ballot, as announced by the convention officials, was as follows: After the result of the second ballot had been announced a recess was taken. Chairman Mondell on behalf of the convention sent the following telegram to Mr. Lowden: "The republican convention, notwithstanding the fact that the delegates had been informed from the platform by Mr. Oglesby that you did not desire the nomination for vice-president and that your declination should be considered final, proceeded to place you in nomination by a majority that was made. amid great enthusiasm, practically unanimous. "Following this action further messages were read announcing that you had been informed of the action taken and had declined to accept the nomination. "Notwithstanding the receipt of these communications, a resolution, offered by Mr. Warren of Michigan, instructed me to communicate with you and urge you to inform the convention, through me. as its chairman. whether your declination must be considered as final. and provided that in the meantime the convention stand in recess until 9 o'clock this evening. "I am sending you this message in accordance with that resolution, and most earnestly io urge you to reconsider your decision and accept this great honor so generously and enthusiastically conferred upon you. The convention awaits your answer. and I most earnestly urge an immediate and favorable reply." 10 An attempt was made to make the ballot for Coolidge unanimous, but the Wisconsin LaFollette delegates declined to change their votes. To this message Mr. Lowden replied as follows: "Telegram just received. I am deeply grateful for the action of the convention. However. I have said a thousand times, I think, that I would decline if nominated. and I must keep my word. To yield now would mean the loss of my self-respect. I shall do what I can for republican success as a private citizen, but I cannot accept a place on the ticket." Upon reassembling after 9 o'clock in the evening the declination of Mr. Lowden to accept the vice-presidential nomination was announced. A third ballot was called for. This resulted as follows, according to the Carolina 2, South Dakota 2, West Virginia 1. official count: Alaska 1, District of Columbia 1. Total 79. Curtis-Alabama 1, Florida 1, Colorado 1. 11 Georgia 5, Idaho 1, Kansas 23, Louisiana 3, Massachusetts 1, Mississippi 2, Oklahoma 12. 1 South Dakota 2, Texas 1. Virginia 2, Porto Rico 1. Total 56. 4 21 .1.109 Charles G. Dawes of Illinois was thereupon declared the nominee of the republican convention for the office of vice-president of the United States. A ballots follows: summary of the three 1. MisTotal 49. Hyde-Alabama 1, Massachusetts souri 36, Montana 10, Oklahoma 1. Jackson-Louisiana 1. Maryland 19. Mississippi 2. Virginia 1. Total 23. Hines Georgia 4. Massachusetts 4, Mississippi 1, North Carolina 6. Ohio 1, Utah 11, Virginia 1. Total 28. Ballots for Vice-President. Lowden. Kenyon. -Second ballot- Third ballotLowKen- Hoo. ton. Dawes, den. Kenyon. ton. Dawes. Dawes yon. ver. 11 2 1 2 14 9 :::: HR:: :: :: : 52: : : : : : : 56: 6: 9 :: :: : : :: 13 222 172 139 149 *639 .1103 552 19 9 7 31 60 17 18 Taylor-Tennessee 27. Total 27. March-Minnesota 27, West Virginia 1. Total 28. Norris North Dakota 6, South Dakota 2. Total 81. 1109 555 Island; nominated by Mrs. Isabelle O'Neill, Name withdrawn before balloting began. For President John W. Davis of West Virginia; chosen on 103d ballot. For Vice-President-Charles W. Bryan of Nebraska; chosen on 1st ballot. The democratic national convention of 1924 was held in Madison Square Garden, New Watson-Georgia 1. Idaho 1, Indiana 33, York, N. Y., beginning June 24 and ending Kentucky 10. Total 45. Norris-North Total 29. Dakota 6. Wisconsin 23. Du Pont-Delaware 9, Missouri 1. North Dakota 1. Total 11. Vice-Chairman-Miss May Kennedy, New York. Chairman Resolutions Committee - Homer S. Cummings. Connecticut. July 10. The unusual length of time consumed was due to the inability of any one of the numerous candidates for president to secure the vote of two-thirds of the delegates and to the unwillingness of the leaders in the race to abandon the contest until the last hope of victory was gone. To begin with there was considerable delay in the adoption of the party platform owing to the divergent views of the delegates on the Ku-Klux Klan, wet and dry and league of nations issues. Even before the convention opened these questions had aroused much discussion and the presidential candidates were favored or opposed according to their stand on these problems. The matter of condemning the Klan by name or merely by inference aroused the most feeling, as it involved both religious and racial prejudices. The committee on resConnecticut was chairman. could reach agreement on this question, though the majority opposed naming the Klan. When the platform finally came before the convention majority and minority planks on the Klan issue were reported. The majority plank declared for freedom of religion, speech and press with this addition: Secretary-Charles A. Greathouse, Indiana. Sergeant at Arms-J. J. Hughes, Iowa. Official Reporter-Louis Granat, New York. Delegates. Number of delegates, 1,098; necessary to a choice, 732. Candidates Presented. For President-Oscar W. Underwood, Alabama: nominated by Forney Johnson. Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas; nominated by Charles H. Brough. William G. McAdoo, California; nominated by James D. Phelan. Alfred E. Smith, New York; nominated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Willard Saulsbury, Delaware: nominated by Thomas F. Bayard. David F. Houston, New York; nominated by Lewis G. Stevenson. Samuel Ralston, Indiana: nominated by Frederick Van Nuys. Jonathan M. Davis, Kansas; nominated by William A. Ayres. Albert C. Ritchie, Maryland: nominated by Howard Bruce. Woodbridge N. Ferris, Michigan: nominated by A. M. Cummings. James M. Cox, Ohio: nominated by Newton D. Baker. Charles W. Bryan, Nebraska; nominated by Eugene D. O'Sullivan. Fred H. Brown, New Hampshire: nominated by Clyde Keefe. George S. Silzer, New Jersey; nominated by John A. Matthews. Carter Glass, Virginia. nominated by Claude A. Swanson. John W. Davis, West Virginia; nominated by John H. Holt. For Vice-President John C. Greenway, Arizona: nominated by W. L. Barnum. Alvin Owsley, Tex s; nominated by T. H. Ball. George L. Berry, Tennessee: nominated by C. M. Bryan. George S. Silzer, New Jersey; nominated by John A. Matthews. Mrs. Leroy Springs, South Carolina: nominated by Thomas G. McLeod. Jonathan M. Davis, Kansas: nominated by G. H. Claypool. Wil liam A. Gaston, Massachusetts; nominated by W. J. Lamoreaux. John F. Hylan, New York: nominated by Robert Dinsmore. Edwin T. Meredith. Iowa; nominated by Charles Mullen. William S. Flynn, Rhode no "We insist at all times upon obedience to the orderly processes of the law and deplore and condemn any effort to arouse religious or racial dissensions." The minority plank substituted for this declaration the following: "We condemn political secret societies as opposed to the exercise of free government and contrary to the spirit of the declaration of independence and the constitution of the United States. We pledge the democratic party to oppose any effort on the part of the Ku-Klux Klan or any organization to interfere with the religious liberty or political freedom of any citizen, or to limit the civic rights of any citizen or body of citizens because of religion, birthplace or racial origin.' The minority anti-Klan plank was offered as an amendment to the plank as incorporated in the platform, but was defeated by a very close vote. Nearly one-half of the delegates were in favor of condemning the Klan by name. Newton D. Baker, former secretary of war. attempted to have the convention adopt an amendment urging the participation of the United States in the league of nations, but was defeated by a vote of 742% to 353%. The platform as reported by the committee on resolutions was adopted without change early on the morning of June 29. (The platform is printed in full elsewhere in this volume.) While the platform was under consideration the other business of the convention was under way. The feature of the first day was the "keynote" speech of Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi, the temporary chairman. His text was the necessity of democracy rededicating itself to "purging corruption from ALMANAC AND YEAR-BOOK FOR 1925. to the He referred the public service." charges brought against various men holding office in the republican administration and said that "oil has become the open sesame of Mr. Harrison criticized President power." Coolidge's leadership, derided the claim that taxation had been materially reduced and asserted that the administration had been stonyfarmers. Referring to hearted toward the the reputation of Calvin Coolidge for silence the speaker said: "What America needs now is not a sphinx but a Paul Revere to call it back to duty and high resolve." Senator Thomas Walsh of Montana, who was chosen permanent chairman of the conhe in which vention, delivered a speech officials eulogized Woodrow Wilson, pointed out the in republican involving scandals Washington, assailed the attitude of President Coolidge in respect to the disclosures of corruption, charged that the republican tariff from prevented agricultural relief and declared that the history of the democratic party 1913 to 1921 had been "glorious." The committee on rules and order of business, of which L. G. Ellingham of Indiana was chairman, reported in favor of adopting the rules of the last previous democratic naand tional convention, including the two-thirds rule for the nomination of president vice-president. The report was accepted without opposition. measures. From the first day when nominations for On July 2 twelve more ballots were taken. received 530 votes-the peak of his strength. Only seven ballots were taken on July 5. Early on the morning of Wednesday, July 9. Mr. McAdoo. after a conference with his On the 101st managers, announced that he had decided to withdraw from the contest. ballot only 52 votes were cast for him and only 121 for Smith, while Davis received 316. The 102d ballot gave Davis 415 2-3 votes. Underwood 307 and Senator Thomas J. Walsh The 103d ballot gave Davis 839 votes, or 119 more than necessary under the two123. thirds rule. His nomination was thereupon made unanimous. the on For purposes of comparison the first, sixtyand ballots 103d seventy-sixth candidates are reproduced ninth, presidential The first shows the strength of herewith. the various aspirants at the start of the contest; the sixty-ninth is the ballot showing the maximum vote received by Mr. McAdoo -530; the seventy-sixth ballot was the one in which Mr. Smith first reached the peak The 103d or final ballot of his vote-368. shows how the victory was won by John W. Davis. Other tables show the total number of votes received by Mr. Davis on each ballot from first to last and the maximum votes received by other candidates. Total First Ballot. J.W. UnderMcAdoo.Smith.Cox.Davis. wood. 6 Arizona 18 Arkansas 42 26 California 26 12 Colorado 24 1/2 6 Delaware 12 Florida 28 Georgia 8 Idaho 58 Illinois 30 Indiana 26 Iowa 26 20 Kansas 26 Kentucky 16 Maryland 36 Massa'setts.. 11⁄2 33 30 Michigan 24 Minnesota |