Show Burton Tells Convention History This week the Democrate are meeting in Chicago for their Na National National Na- Na Convention Just a few weeks ago Convention Chairman Chairman Chairman Chair Chair- man Jerry Ford pounded the gavel to end the Republican counterpart at Miami Beach It might be interesting to take a look at past conventions- conventions some of the interesting ones and even a few which had a little humor to them And Im I'm sure you'll agree after six hours of straight talk debating nominations and ballyhoo which we all experienced the third night at the GOP Miami the Convention-the humor was a bit drained The nomination convention is actually an American invention It came about purely because the people wanted a voice in the selection of the man to head the nation Before the Revolution a select group of people selected select select- ed the nominee the man who was best known to most The group of people met in what was called a Caucus The words word's beginning is not known for sure although some attribute its birth to the Al Algonquin Algonquin Algonquin Al- Al In Indian d i a n word Kaw meaning to consult to speak Anyway in the caucus the Colonists chose their leaders And the idea spread to Congress and the S State tat e Legislatures From 1796 Congress chose its national leaders and the legislatures legislatures legislatures legis legis- chose the state leaders Still the political few were in charge and the p people e 0 pie still wanted a voice In New York in 1824 a state nominating convention was held The Idea spread to other states and finally took hold on the national level But it took an obscure party to do it The A Masonic Anti n t i M iM M party one of those political groups which came to life Ufe and died in one campaign held their national convention in Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadel Philadel- phia September 1830 The N National a t Ion a 1 Republican Party which Party which closed its career in the same was campaign-was the first real party to use the new method nominating Henry Clay at Baltimore December 1831 Andrew Jackson unopposed on the Democratic ticket thought the Convention idea so good that he called for one in New Hampshire but for the purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose of choosing his running mate Jackson used the convention convention convention conven conven- tion again at the end of his second term to nominate VanBuren Van VanBuren VanBuren Buren as his successor The opposition Party no nominated nominated nominated no- no in the old way But four years later under the Whig Party Party- a convention was held in Harrisburg Pennsylvania It was during this convention that Thurlow Weed made his speech about a delegation from froma a state being polled and voting as a bloc for one thus man-thus the origin of the unit rule The first Dark Horse Horse- candidate appeared at the thi Democratic Convention of 1844 Van Buren was the leading candidate but couldn't garner enough votes On the eighth ballot the name of a rumored vice-presidential vice nominee James K Ke Polk was given 44 votes for President Dark Horse Candidate Polk emerged as the victor It was another the first-the first time a convention was r reported e po r t e d by telegraph Morse used his telegraph telegraph telegraph tele tele- graph bringing news from the convention so some m e 45 miles away every 30 minutes The reports were r fisted Isted on the walls of the Capitol rotunda In 1920 at Chicago two men ss were deadlocked for the Re Republican Republican Republican Re- Re publican presidential nomination nomination nomination nomina nomina- tion each with votes General Leonard Wood and Il Illinois Illinois' Illinois Illinois' Illinois Illinois' Il- Il Governor Frank Lowden argued the matter in a taxi taxicab taxicab taxicab cab in a half hall hour ride along Michigan Avenue They couldn't agree on who would take second place on the ticket so both lost to Warren G G. G Harding Its It's interesting to note that with this weeks week's Democratic Convention in Chi Chicago c ago the windy city has hosted more conventions con con- than 24 than 24 any other city 14 Republican and 10 Democrat Demo Demo- crat But all conventions didn't produce the serious notes Ive I've described There was some humor mixed in too The current liquor by the drink problems in Utah remind me of the problems the Democrats Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- experienced in Syracuse some years ago They were caught between the saloon and saloon anti-saloon forces Party members members members mem mem- bers wanted both sides appeased Included in the Demo Democratic platform platform platform plat- plat form was We are in favor of ofa a law which absolutely prohibits the sale of liquor on Sunday but we are against its enforce enforce- ment time One-time congressman and humorist Will Rogers attended many national conventions as a reporter In 1924 he wrote We have heard nothing since 10 o 0 o'clock o'clock clock this morning until 6 to tonight tonight tonight to- to night but the man I 1 am going to name Then they talk for another 30 minutes A woman woman woman wo wo- man from Oregon seconded McAdoo McAdoo McAdoo Mc- Mc Adoo for the ninth time with witha a voice that probably could have been heard if she would have stayed in Oregon A guy ras s s sus spas sas from Utah talked so long and loud that all of us couldn't see how it could be anybody In the world he was nominating nominating nominating but buthe buthe ing but Brigham Young- Young he crossed everybody by seconding McAdoo's nomination nomina nomina- tion I just returned from Chicago where I attended field hearings for the Sma Small 11 Business Administration Administration Administration Ad Ad- ministration of which I 1 am a member of the Select Committee Commit Commit- tee And just like the Republicans the Democrats have gone all out with the red white and blue bunting and all kinds of crazy signs with the possible exception exception exception tion of a little stronger show of security Barbed wire encircles Convention Convention Convention Con Con- Center the Illinois National National National Na Na- Guard is on the ready as asis asis asis is Chicago's police force some force some strong and the addition of hundreds of FBI and Secret Service men But this is all for the out out- side Inside Convention Center Im I'm sure it will have the trademarks trademarks trademarks trade trade- marks of past conventions conventions- whether they be Republican Democrat or Whig Party In Inside Inside Inside In- In side the ballyhoo will go on the j hours of speeches the bands and banners and of course mixed in with the Inh int in- in t h r rest st and humor the one thing that counts at every convention- convention th the nominating of a man and his running m mate ate to carry the banners to the November elec elec- tion |