Show spirit of american life typified by national nominating conventions by FRANK B WILLIS former bomer governo Go vernot ol of ohio A national nominating convention is an institution typically american not only this but it personifies better than any other convention or governmental agency the spirit of american life the delegates are fresh from the people they have but recently smelled the smoke of battle in the conflict of ideas which attends the nomination of a candidate of one of the great political parties the vast majority of these delegates are imbued with the desire to serve their country best by serving berving their party wisely they are inspired by the elevating thought that they are for the time being a part odthe of the real government of the country and havea have a serious responsibility to perform incidentally it may be said eaid that it will be a sad day for the country when the government usurps the activities that belong to the individual citizen there comes from the deliberations of a great nominating convention a asensi sense of responsibility and self sacrificing patriotism which would be blunted and finally killed by the effort to fit these voluntary political activities of the citizens interested in party organization to the procrustean bed of the forms of the law the primary has its proper place in the nomination of county district and state candidates but to attempt to extend it to the nomi nomination dation of candidates for the presidency would tend to kill the national spirit which in recent years has halabut had but a feeble existence |