Proposed Reforms of Presidential Nominating Methods

Archive Report

Introduction

Twelve years ago, as a result of the rejection of Roosevelt's candidacy by the administration controlled convention at Chicago and the elimination of Champ Clark after he had secured a majority. of the votes at Baltimore, widespread dissatisfaction with the convention method of nominating candidates for the presidency developed throughout the country. The presidential primary system, which various states had recently sought to graft upon the convention system, was called a “farce” and it was widely asserted that “the people of the United States have as much influence in selecting the president as the British have in choosing a crown prince.”

Due to the current criticism and distrust, many observers believed in 1912 that the country had seen its last old-fashioned political convention. President Wilson's ...

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