ion 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