THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENCY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20448, 30 June 1928, Page 12

THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENCY.

The party conventions for the nomination of candidates for the presidency of tho "United States have this year been robbed of certain of their usual bizarre accompaniments by reason of the fact that there was only the semblance of a contest for the selection in both the Republican and the Democrat camps. The enthusiasm and excitement which the American elector is able to call up, and indeed demands, on the occasions of the party conventions presents a phenomenon which has no parallel in British experience. To the onlooking world it may indeed appear that there is something remarkable in the manner in which these great conventions are conducted, but apparently tradition must have its way. It is when there is a sharp contest between conflicting interests for the selection of a party candidate that a convention is seen at its very best—or worst. In 1924 the Democratic National Convention met at New York on June 24 and did not conclude its deliberations till July 10, its twenty-nine sessions making it the most protracted national convention in the history of the country. This was due to the long deadlock in the balloting for a candidate for the presidency. It required 103 ballots to nominate Mr John M. Davis. Prior to that tho largest number of ballots taken on, a similar occasion was 59 at tho Democratic National Convention at Baltimore in 1860. It rarely happens that any aspirant is able to command at the beginning a majority of tho whole convention. In the present instance the name of Governor Al. Smith has, not unexpectedly, asserted a pronounced ascendancy as that of the Democratic nominee. Not uncommonly where there is a close contest between two candidates, who occupy the positions of the two leading favourites, tremendous efforts are made to persuade the second favourite’s supporters to abandon their chief and “ swing into line ” iu favour of some “ dark horse ” —a procedure which has more than once upset the general calculations. On this occasion, however, tho “ dark horse ” element seems to have remained conspicuous by its absence from both conventions. Tho opposition to Mr Hoover, widely expressed before the Republican Party Convention was held, died away at the convention itself where he was recognised as the candidate possessing the best prospects of success, and as one, moreover, claiming the advantage of the support of the retiring x resident, Air Coolidge. On the Democratic side the personality of Governor Al. Smith of New York seems to have dominated the whole party.