William McKinley was elected President and Theodore Roosevelt as Vice-President. During this period Congress was divided politically as follows: Fifty-seventh Congress. Senate-27 Democrats, 54 Republicans, 4 Populists, 3 House-149 Democrats, 195 Republicans, 6 Populists, 2 Fifty-eighth Congress. Senate 33 Democrats, 57 Republicans .Total 90 Total 90 386 Election of 1904 Democratic National Committee: Chairman, THOMAS TAGGART, of Indiana. DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. St. Louis, Mo., July 6-9, 1904. Chairman pro tem., JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS, Chairman, CHAMP CLARK, of Mississippi. of Missouri. NOMINATED For President, Alton B. Parker, of New York. For Vice-President, Henry G. Davis, of West Virginia. This convention consisted of 1006 delegates. The permanent organization was delayed by contesting cases. The Committee on Resolutions was unable to report a platform until Saturday morning, after an all-night session. On the first ballot Alton B. Parker, of New York, was nominated. The following is the vote: Idaho, Washington and West Virginia changed to Parker, giving him more than the necessary two-thirds. After the call the nomination was made unanimous. For Vice-President, Henry G. Davis, of West Virginia, was nominated on the first ballot, which was, after the call, made unanimous. A contest in the Committee on Resolutions resulted in eliminating from the platform all reference to money or monetary standards, and so it was adopted without debate by the convention. The nomination of Alton B. Parker followed immediately, after which the convention took a short recess. Upon reassembling to nominate for VicePresident, it was profoundly agitated by the announcement, of the following telegram from Alton B. Parker: "I regard the gold standard as firmly and irrevocably established and I shall act accordingly if the action of the convention to-day is ratified by the people. Inasmuch as the platform is silent on the subject, I deem it necessary to make this communication to the convention for its consideration, as I should feel it my duty to decline the nomination except with that understanding." The proceedings which ensued were dramatic; after many conferences and exciting discussion the following resolution was authorized by a vote of 798 to 184, to be sent in reply: "The platform adopted by this convention is silent on the question of the monetary standard because it is not regarded by us as a possible issue in this campaign, and only campaign issues were mentioned in the platform. Therefore there is nothing in the views expressed by you in the telegram just received which would preclude a man entertaining them from accepting a nomination on said platform." After this action the convention adjourned. The platform adopted follows: DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. The Democratic party of the United States, in national convention assembled, declares its devotion to the essential principles of the Democratic faith which bring us together in party communion. Under them local self-government and national unity and prosperity were alike established. They underlay our independence, the structure of our free Republic, and every Democratic extension from Louisiana to California, and Texas to Oregon, which preserved faithfully in all the States the tie between taxation and representation. They yet inspire the masses of our people, guarding jealously their rights and liberties and cherishing their fraternity, peace, and orderly development. They remind us of our duties and responsibilities as citizens, and impress upon us, particularly at this time, the necessity of reform and the rescue of the administration of government from the headstrong, arbitrary, and spasmodic methods which distract business by uncertainty and pervade the public mind with dread, distrust, and perturbation. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES. The application of these fundamental principles to the living issues of the day is the first step toward the assured peace, safety, and progress of our nation. Freedom of the press, of conscience, and of speech; equality before the law of all |