United States 1924 Presidential Election: Democratic Convention (June 24- )


Figure 1.--k

The Democratic Convention was a very different affair than the rather decorous Republican Convention. The Democrats met in New York--Madison Square Garden. The Washington Post described the delegates as "Tammany shouters, Yiddish chanters, vaudeville perforners, Sagwas Indians, hulu dancers, street cleaners, firemen, policemen, movie actors and actresses, bootleggers, ....". They still maintained a two-thirds vote rule which made it virtually impossible to achieve agreement on a nominee. There were 15 candidates, but two leading candidates. One was was the progressive govenor of New York--Alfred E. Smith. The other major candidate was William McAdoo, a California lawyer. He had been a fixture in the Wilson Administration. He served as Secretry of the Treasury and innaddition was the president's son-in-law. The two men could not have been more different, personally and politically. Smith was outgoing and affable, Catholic, wet (opposed to prohibition) and came from big city ethnic politics. McAdoo was tacitern, Protesant, dry (stroing supporter of prohibition), and was supporte by the conservative rural West and South. Before beginning with the nomination process, the Democrats had a bruising plafform fight. The two most difficult platform issues centered on prohibition and the Ku-Klux-Klan both of which divided Smith and McAdoo suppoters. The delegates managed to reach a compromise position on prohibition--the Democrats committed to enforcing all laws, but did not specifically mention prohibition. The Klan issue proved much more difficult. There were many Klan members among the McAdoo supporters and they hated Catholics like Smith only slightly less than Blacks and Jews. The issue was a plank condeming violent secret socities. The issue was wether to specufy the Klan. The debate in the platform committe spread to the floor and became physical. Pro- and anti-Klan delegated brawled over control of the state banners, The govenors of Kentucky and Colorado were involved in the resulting fist fights. And as the Convention was covered by radio, the American people had a ring side seat go the comotion. Eventually the Convention decided by 1 vote not to name the Klan. The platform was finally settled, but many delegated were unhappy--some down right angry. This left the seething Convention in no mood to compromise on their choice of candidates. One author described a "torrent of oratory" with few equals in American history. In the midst of enumerable, lengthy, and windy nominating and seconding speeches was one bright spot. A crippled Franklin Roosevelt who was recovering from polio made his first appearance in public since his illness when he delivered a stirring nomination speech for Smith--with the memorable phrase describing the govenor as the 'Happy Warrior'. A notable feature of the Convention was the gallery. Smith as govenor of New York with a large following in New York City suceeded in packing the gallery with his supporters. Not only were the several thousand Smith gallery contingent loud, but they armed themselves with drums, tubas, trumpets and anything else they could find to make noise. This included the sireeens off New York City fire trucks. With the Smith gallery wa in full cry, they actually drove delegated out of the Convention hall because of the ear-splitting noise. The Washington Post reported, "It sounded like 10,000 voodoo doctors in a tropical jungle beating 10,000 tomtoms made of resonant washtubs." Govenor Smith was opposed by the southern Democrats who saw him as their worst nightmare--a Yankee, a Catholic, and the product of corupt political machine politics. His leaading opponent was William G. McAdoo of Tennessee who not a personable candidate like Smith, but at least was a safe Protesant. McAdoo was not viewed as an anethma by the northeastern delegates, but he did not inspire enthusism either. The Democrats held over 100 ballots, a convention record. The Ku Klux Klan became an especially devisive issue at the Convention. John Davis of West Virginia eventually emerged as compromise candidate.

New York City

The Democrats met in New York Cit's Madison Square Garden. Holding the Convention in New York was an advantage to Govenor Smith with all his local partisans. New York City at the time was the largest and most important city in America. It was both a cultural and financial center. And as in most big cities, booze was readily available, illegal but available. As a result, many rural and Southern delegates viewed in as a kind of modern Babylon.

The Delegates

The Democratic Convention was a very different affair than the rather decorous Republican Convention. Primaries were not yet a major force in the nomination process. None of candidates had any where the number of delegated need to win the nomination--even the leding candidates. As is traditionally the casee, the Democratic delegates were a much more diverse and raucous grou than the Republicans. The Washington Post described the delegates as "Tammany shouters, Yiddish chanters, vaudeville perforners, Sagwas Indians, hulu dancers, street cleaners, firemen, policemen, movie actors and actresses, bootleggers, ....". And this was even before the hoopla really got going.

Nominating Rules

The Democrats still maintained a two-thirds vote rule which made it difficult to achieve agreement on a nominee. And with a Convention sharply divided among two rival candidates--virtually impossible.

Candidates

There were 15 candidates, but two leading candidates. One was was the progressive govenor of New York--Alfred E. Smith. The other major candidate was William McAdoo, a California lawyer. He had been a fixture in the Wilson Administration. He served as Secretry of the Treasury and innaddition was the president's son-in-law. The two men could not have been more different, personally and politically. Smith was outgoing and affable, Catholic, wet (opposed to prohibition) and came from big city ethnic politics. Smith's name rather hides his origins to modern readers who may not be familiar with his background. His four grandparents were Irish, German, Italian, and English. He grew up in the mide of the New York melting pot and was very much part of it. He identified most with the Irish Catholic side of his family. McAdoo was tacitern, Protesant, dry (strong supporter of prohibition), and was supported by the conservative rural West and South.

The Platform

The Party Platform was after the seating of delegates the first order of business. Before beginning with the nomination process, the Democrats had a bruising plafform fight. The two most difficult platform issues centered on prohibition and the Ku-Klux-Klan both of which divided Smith and McAdoo suppoters. The delegates managed to reach a compromise position on prohibition--the Democrats committed to enforcing all laws, but did not specifically mention prohibition. The Klan issue proved much more difficult. There were many Klan members among the McAdoo supporters and they hated Catholics like Smith only slightly less than Blacks and Jews. The issue was a plank condeming violent secret socities. The issue was wether to specufy the Klan. The debate in the platform committe spread to the floor and became physical. Pro- and anti-Klan delegated brawled over control of the state banners, The govenors of Kentucky and Colorado were involved in the resulting fist fights. And as the Convention was covered by radio, the American people had a ring side seat go the comotion. Eventually the Convention decided by 1 vote not to name the Klan.

Nominating Speeches

The platform was finally settled, but many delegated were unhappy--some down right angry. This left the seething Convention in no mood to compromise on their choice of candidates. One author described a "torrent of oratory" with few equals in American history. In the midst of the enumerable, lengthy, and windy nominating and seconding speeches was one bright spot. A crippled Franklin Roosevelt who was still recovering made his first appearance in public since being struck with polio. The extent of his disability was hidden from the delegates. He delivered a stirring nomination speech for Govenor Smith--with the memorable phrase describing the govenor as the 'the Happy Warrior of the political battlefield'. The delegates and especially the gallery virtually exploded.

The Smith Gallery

A notable feature of the Convention was the gallery. Smith as govenor of New York with a large following in New York City suceeded in packing the gallery with his supporters. Not only were the several thousand Smith gallery contingent loud, but they armed themselves with drums, tubas, trumpets and anything else they could find to make noise. This included the sireeens off New York City fire trucks. With the Smith gallery wa in full cry, they actually drove delegated out of the Convention hall because of the ear-splitting noise. The Washington Post reported, "It sounded like 10,000 voodoo doctors in a tropical jungle beating 10,000 tomtoms made of resonant washtubs."

The Nomination Fight

The Democrats were used to raucous conventions and extended votes before the two-thirds vote was achieved by one of the candidates. No one in the hall or among the radio listeers were prepared for what was going to happen. Govenor Smith was opposed by the southern Democrats who saw him as their worst nightmare--a Yankee, a Catholic, and the product of corupt political machine politics. His leaading opponent was William G. McAdoo of Tennessee who not a personable candidate like Smith, but at least was a safe Protesant. McAdoo was not viewed as an anethma by the northeastern delegates, but he did not inspire enthusism either and his Klan support genernerated intense resentment among big-city ethnic Democrats. The Democrats held over 100 ballots, a convention record. The Ku Klux Klan became an especially devisive issue at the Convention. John Davis of West Virginia eventually emerged as compromise candidate.







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Created: 5:54 AM 3/8/2008
Last updated: 5:54 AM 3/8/2008