Another argument in support of the proposed change is that delegates from Democratic States are, as a rule, controlled by the administration then in power, if Republican, and that such delegates can be depended upon to support the administration candidate whoever he may be, regardless of merit, strength or availability.  This argument, of course, is based upon the assumption that what is true of Democratic States in this respect is not true of Republican States.  The slightest investigation will easily establish the fallacy of this assumption.  The truth is that the federal office-holders—­especially those holding appointive offices,—­can, with a few exceptions, always be depended upon to support the Administration candidate, whoever he may be.  The only difference between the North and the South in this respect is that in some of the Southern States, where but one party is allowed to exist,—­the Democratic party,—­the Republican office-holders can more easily manipulate and control the conventions of their party in such States.  But that the office-holders of all sections constitute an important factor in the election of delegates to the National Conventions will not be denied by those who are familiar with the facts, and are honest enough to admit them.

For purposes of illustration we will take the National Republican Convention of 1908, which nominated Judge Taft.  It was known that Judge Taft was the man whose candidacy was supported by the Administration.  The proceedings of the Convention revealed the fact that outside of five States that had what were called “favorite son” candidates of their own, there were perhaps not more than fifty votes in the whole Convention that were opposed to the administration candidate, although it is more than probable that Judge Taft would not have been nominated but for the fact that he was the choice of the administration.

I am sure no fair-minded person will assert that, in thus voting, the delegates from the Democratic States were influenced by the administration, while those from Republican States were not.  It is not my purpose to assert or even intimate that any questionable methods were used to influence the election, or control the votes of the delegates in the interest of any one candidate.  Nothing of that sort was necessary, since human nature is the same the world over.

That the office-holders should be loyal to the administration to which they belong is perfectly natural.  That those who wish to become office-holders should be anxious to be on the winning side is also natural, and that, too, without regard to the locality or section in which they live.  It is a fact, therefore, that up to 1908 no candidate has ever been nominated by a Republican National Convention who did not finally receive a sufficient number of votes from all sections of the country to make his nomination practically the choice of the party without regard to sectional lines.