The 1908 Republican National Convention was held in

Chicago Coliseum Chicago Coliseum was the name applied to three large indoor arenas in Chicago, Illinois, which stood successively from the 1860s to 1982; they served as venues for sports events, large (national-class) conventions and as exhibition halls. The ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

on June 16 to June 19, 1908. It convened to nominate successors to

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks. U.S. Secretary of War

William H. Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

won Roosevelt's endorsement and received the presidential nomination. The convention nominated

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Representative James S. Sherman to be his vice presidential

running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a p ...

The Platform

The Republican platform celebrated the Roosevelt administration's economic policies such as the keeping of the protective tariff, establishment of a permanent currency system (the

Federal Reserve The Federal Reserve System (often shortened to the Federal Reserve, or simply the Fed) is the central banking system of the United States of America. It was created on December 23, 1913, with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, after a ...

), additional government supervision and control over

trusts A trust is a legal relationship in which the holder of a right gives it to another person or entity who must keep and use it solely for another's benefit. In the Anglo-American common law, the party who entrusts the right is known as the "sett ...

. It championed enforcement of

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prep ...

rate laws, giving the

Interstate Commerce Commission The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, to elimina ...

authority to investigate interstate railroads, and reduction of work hours for railroad workers, as well as general reduction in the work week. In foreign policy, it supported a buildup of the armed forces, protection of American citizens abroad, extension of foreign commerce, vigorous arbitration and the Hague treaties, a revival of the U.S. Merchant Marine, support of war veterans, self-government for

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...

and the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

with citizenship for residents of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

. In other areas, it advocated court reform, creation of a federal Bureau of Mines and

Mining Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the econom ...

, extension of rural

mail The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal sys ...

delivery, environmental conservation, upholding of the rights of

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ensl ...

s and the civil service, and greater efficiency in national

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

agencies. The platform lastly expressed pride in U.S. involvement in the building of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a condui ...

, the admission of the

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

and

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

Territories; called for the celebration of the birthday of

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

; and generally deplored the Democratic Party while celebrating the policies of the Republicans. The platform explained the differences between democracy and republicanism in which the Republicans made clear that democracy was leaning towards socialism and republicanism towards individualism.

Speakers

The following individuals spoke at the 1908 Republican National Convention. Many spoke with the goal of nominating a specific nominee as this was before the age of the primary and the nominees were all decided at the convention.

June 16

* Prayer by Rt. Rev. P.J. Muldoon V.G. *

Julius C. Burrows Julius Caesar Burrows (January 9, 1837November 16, 1915) was a U.S. Representative and a U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan. Early life and education Burrows was born in North East, Pennsylvania and moved then with his parents to Ashtabu ...

, Michigan Senator

June 17

* Prayer by Rev. William Otis Waters *

Henry Cabot Lodge Henry Cabot Lodge (May 12, 1850 November 9, 1924) was an American Republican politician, historian, and statesman from Massachusetts. He served in the United States Senate from 1893 to 1924 and is best known for his positions on foreign polic ...

, Massachusetts Senator

June 18

* Prayer by Rev. Dr. John Wesley Hill *

George Henry Williams George Henry Williams (March 26, 1823April 4, 1910) was an American judge and politician. He served as chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, was the 32nd Attorney General of the United States, and was elected Oregon's U.S. senator, and serve ...

, Former Attorney General * Henry Sherman Boutell of Illinois, Lawyer and diplomat *

Joseph W. Fordney Joseph Warren Fordney (November 5, 1853 – January 8, 1932) was an American Republican politician from Saginaw, Michigan. He represented Saginaw County and the surrounding area of Central Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives for twenty ...

, Congressman of Michigan *

Frank Hanly James Franklin Hanly (April 4, 1863August 1, 1920) was an American politician who served as a congressman from Indiana from 1895 until 1897, and was the 26th governor of Indiana from 1905 to 1909. He was the founder of Hanly's Flying Squadron ...

, Governor of Indiana * Charles A. Bookwalter, Mayor of Indianapolis *

Stewart L. Woodford Stewart Lyndon Woodford (September 3, 1835 – February 14, 1913) was an American attorney and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and Lieutenant Governor of New York. Born in New York City, Woodf ...

, Former Congressman and Judge of New York *

Theodore E. Burton Theodore Elijah Burton (December 20, 1851October 28, 1929) was an American attorney and Republican politician from Ohio. He served in the United States House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the Cleveland City Council. Early years Bur ...

, Congressman of Ohio * George A. Knight, Attorney and Businessman * C.B. M'Coy, Ohio Factory Owner * W.O. Emory, Young Black Delegate from Macon, Georgia * Robert S. Murphy, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania * James Scarlet, Prominent Attorney from Danville, Pennsylvania * Henry F. Cochems, Wisconsin Football Star * Charles A.A. McGee, Author of "The Truth About Money" from Wisconsin

June 19

* Prayer by Rabbi Tobias Schanfarber * Timothy L. Woodruff, Businessman and Former Politician * Joseph Gurney Cannon, Speaker of the House * Augustus E. Willson, Governor of Kentucky *

(again) * Chase Osborn of Michigan * James Brownlow Yellowley, Mississippi State Legislator * Thomas N. McCarter, Former Attorney General of New Jersey and public servant * William Warner, Senator from Missouri *

of Michigan

Presidential Candidates

Prior to the convention, Vice President Charles Fairbanks and New York Governor

Charles Evans Hughes Charles Evans Hughes Sr. (April 11, 1862 – August 27, 1948) was an American statesman, politician and jurist who served as the 11th Chief Justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the ...

both seemed like plausible nominees, but Roosevelt was determined to pick his own successor. Though Roosevelt preferred Secretary of State

Elihu Root Elihu Root (; February 15, 1845February 7, 1937) was an American lawyer, Republican politician, and statesman who served as Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the early twentieth century. He also served as United States Senator from ...

, Root's age and background in corporate law made him an unpalatable nominee, so Roosevelt instead supported Secretary of War

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

. Entering the convention, Taft, buoyed by the support of the popular Roosevelt, was virtually assured of the nomination. Taft won the presidential nomination on the first ballot, overcoming Fairbanks and the other candidates. Image:William Howard Taft, Bain bw photo portrait, 1908.jpg, File:JGCannon.jpg, Image:Charles W Fairbanks by Harris & Ewing.jpg, Image:Senator Joseph B. Foraker.jpg, File:Governor Charles Evans Hughes.jpg, Image:Philander C Knox-H&E.jpg, Image:Robert M La Follette, Sr.jpg, Image:Leslie Shaw, Bain photo portrait.jpg,

Withdrew Before Convention

File:Cortelyou-george-bruce.jpg,

Declined to Seek Nomination

File:Elihu Root, bw photo portrait, 1902.jpg, Image:President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904.jpg,

Vice Presidential Candidates

Taft preferred a progressive running mate such as Indiana Senator Albert Beveridge or Iowa Senator

Jonathan Dolliver Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver (February 6, 1858October 15, 1910) was a Republican orator, U.S. Representative, then U.S. Senator from Iowa at the turn of the 20th century.Thomas Richard Ross, ''Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver: A Study in Political Int ...

, but Representative James S. Sherman of New York had the support of Speaker Joseph Gurney Cannon and the New York delegation. Sherman was a fairly conservative Republican who was nonetheless acceptable to the more progressive wing of the party. Sherman won the vice presidential nomination on the first ballot, taking 816 of the 979 votes cast. Former New Jersey Governor Franklin Murphy received 77 votes while Massachusetts Governor Curtis Guild, Jr. received 75 votes, with the remaining votes going to Governor George L. Sheldon of Nebraska and Vice President Charles Fairbanks. File:Curtis Guild Jr.jpg,

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Curtis Guild, Jr. of

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

File:Franklin Murphy (NJ).jpg, Former

Franklin Murphy of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

File:GeorgeLSheldon.jpg,

George L. Sheldon of

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

File:James Schoolcraft Sherman.jpg, Representative James S. Sherman of

Declined to Seek Nomination

File:Beveridge-Albert-1920.jpg,

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Albert J. Beveridge of

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

File:Albert B Cummins.jpg,

Albert B. Cummins of

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

File:Jonathan P. Dolliver - History of Iowa.jpg,

Jonathan P. Dolliver Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver (February 6, 1858October 15, 1910) was a Republican orator, U.S. Representative, then U.S. Senator from Iowa at the turn of the 20th century.Thomas Richard Ross, ''Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver: A Study in Political Int ...

File:Herbert S Hadley.jpg,

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

Herbert S. Hadley Herbert Spencer Hadley (February 20, 1872 – December 1, 1927) was an American lawyer and a Republican Party politician from St. Louis, Missouri. Born in Olathe, Kansas, he was Missouri Attorney General from 1905 to 1909 and in 1908 was elec ...

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

File:Governor Charles Evans Hughes.jpg,

Charles E. Hughes of

References

External links

Republican Party platform of 1908
at ''The American Presidency Project''
Taft acceptance speech
at ''The American Presidency Project'' {{Authority control 1908 United States presidential election Political conventions in Chicago Republican National Conventions 1908 in Illinois 1908 conferences June 1908 events

The Platform

Speakers

June 16

June 17

June 18

June 19

Presidential Candidates

Withdrew Before Convention

Declined to Seek Nomination

Vice Presidential Candidates

Declined to Seek Nomination

See also

References

External links