=The Split in the Republican Party.=—­The country then witnessed the strange spectacle of two men who had once been close companions engaged in a bitter rivalry to secure a majority of the delegates to the Republican convention to be held at Chicago.  When the convention assembled, about one-fourth of the seats were contested, the delegates for both candidates loudly proclaiming the regularity of their election.  In deciding between the contestants the national committee, after the usual hearings, settled the disputes in such a way that Taft received a safe majority.  After a week of negotiation, Roosevelt and his followers left the Republican party.  Most of his supporters withdrew from the convention and the few who remained behind refused to answer the roll call.  Undisturbed by this formidable bolt, the regular Republicans went on with their work.  They renominated Mr. Taft and put forth a platform roundly condemning such Progressive doctrines as the recall of judges.

=The Formation of the Progressive Party.=—­The action of the Republicans in seating the Taft delegates was vigorously denounced by Roosevelt.  He declared that the convention had no claim to represent the voters of the Republican party; that any candidate named by it would be “the beneficiary of a successful fraud”; and that it would be deeply discreditable to any man to accept the convention’s approval under such circumstances.  The bitterness of his followers was extreme.  On July 8, a call went forth for a “Progressive” convention to be held in Chicago on August 5.  The assembly which duly met on that day was a unique political conference.  Prominence was given to women delegates, and “politicians” were notably absent.  Roosevelt himself, who was cheered as a conquering hero, made an impassioned speech setting forth his “confession of faith.”  He was nominated by acclamation; Governor Hiram Johnson of California was selected as his companion candidate for Vice President.  The platform endorsed such political reforms as woman suffrage, direct primaries, the initiative, referendum, and recall, popular election of United States Senators, and the short ballot.  It favored a program of social legislation, including the prohibition of child labor and minimum wages for women.  It approved the regulation, rather than the dissolution, of the trusts.  Like apostles in a new and lofty cause, the Progressives entered a vigorous campaign for the election of their distinguished leader.

=Woodrow Wilson and the Election of 1912.=—­With the Republicans divided, victory loomed up before the Democrats.  Naturally, a terrific contest over the nomination occurred at their convention in Baltimore.  Champ Clark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Governor Woodrow Wilson, of New Jersey, were the chief contestants.  After tossing to and fro for seven long, hot days, and taking forty-six ballots, the delegates, powerfully influenced by Mr. Bryan, finally decided in favor of the governor.