1908 Republican National Convention

The 1908 Republican National Convention was held in Chicago Coliseum, Chicago, Illinois on June 16 to June 19, 1908. It convened to nominate successors to President Theodore Roosevelt and Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks.

U.S. Secretary of War William Howard Taft of Ohio won Roosevelt's endorsement and received the presidential nomination. The convention nominated New York Representative James S. Sherman to be his vice presidential running mate.

The Platform

thumb|Entrance ticket, featuring an illustration of historic Republican president [[Abraham Lincoln (who had hailed from the host state of Illinois and been nominated at the 1860 convention held in Chicago)]]

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), additional government supervision and control over trusts. It championed enforcement of railroad rate laws, giving the Interstate Commerce Commission 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 and the Philippines with citizenship for residents of Puerto Rico.

In other areas, it advocated court reform, creation of a federal Bureau of Mines and Mining, extension of rural mail delivery, environmental conservation, upholding of the rights of African-Americans and the civil service, and greater efficiency in national public health agencies.

The platform lastly expressed pride in U.S. involvement in the building of the Panama Canal, the admission of the New Mexico and Arizona Territories; called for the celebration of the birthday of Abraham Lincoln; 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

thumb|right|320px|The 1908 Republican National Convention in session at [[Chicago Coliseum.]]

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, Michigan Senator

June 17

Prayer by Rev. William Otis Waters
Henry Cabot Lodge, Massachusetts Senator

June 18

Prayer by Rev. Dr. John Wesley Hill
George Henry Williams, Former Attorney General
Henry Sherman Boutell of Illinois, Lawyer and diplomat
Joseph W. Fordney, Congressman of Michigan
Frank Hanly, Governor of Indiana
Charles A. Bookwalter, Mayor of Indianapolis
Stewart L. Woodford, Former Congressman and Judge of New York
Theodore E. Burton, 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
Henry Cabot Lodge (For a Second Time)
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
Julius C. Burrows of Michigan

Presidential nomination

Presidential candidates

File:William Howard Taft, Bain bw photo portrait, 1908.jpg|War Secretary William Howard Taft of Ohio

File:Philander C Knox-H&E.jpg|Senator Philander C. Knox of Pennsylvania

File:Governor Charles Evans Hughes.jpg|

File:JGCannon.jpg|Speaker Joseph G. Cannon of Illinois

File:Charles W Fairbanks by Harris & Ewing.jpg|Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana

File:Robert M La Follette, Sr.jpg|

File:Senator Joseph B. Foraker.jpg|Senator Joseph B. Foraker of Ohio

File:Leslie Shaw, Bain photo portrait.jpg|Former Treasury Secretary L. M. Shaw of Iowa (Not Nominated)

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The Republicans faced difficulties selecting a successor to Roosevelt. Elihu Root was favored by Roosevelt, but his age and alignment with corporations made him unpalatable. U.S. Senator Joseph B. Foraker sought the nomination and was financed by Winthrop M. Crane and Henry Cabot Lodge.

Roosevelt supported Secretary of War William Howard Taft. U.S. Senator Jacob H. Gallinger was among the supporters of a movement to stop Taft's nomination. Taft won the presidential nomination on the first ballot, overcoming Fairbanks and the other favorite son candidates.

Withdrew Before Convention

File:Cortelyou-george-bruce.jpg|Treasury Secretary George B. Cortelyou of New York

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Declined to Seek Nomination

File:Elihu Root, bw photo portrait, 1902.jpg|State Secretary Elihu Root of New York

File:President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904.jpg|President Theodore Roosevelt of New York

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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! colspan="3" | Presidential Balloting

! Candidate !!1st!! Unanimous

!Taft

|style="background:#fbb;"|702

|style="background:#fbb;"|980

!Knox

|style="background:#fdd;"|68

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!Hughes

|style="background:#fee;"|67

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!Cannon

|58

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!Fairbanks

|40

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!La Follette

|25

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!Foraker

|16

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!Roosevelt

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

!Not Voting

|style="background:#d3d3d3"|

Presidential Balloting / 3rd Day of Convention (June 18, 1908)

File:1908RepublicanPresidentialNomination1stBallot.png|1st Presidential Ballot

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Vice Presidential nomination

Vice Presidential candidates

File:James S. Sherman 1909.jpg|Representative James S. Sherman of New York

File:Franklin Murphy (NJ).jpg|Former Governor Franklin Murphy of New Jersey

File:A record of the dedication of the statue of Major General William Francis Bartlett (1905) (14794194863).jpg|Governor Curtis Guild, Jr. of Massachusetts

File:SHELDON, G.L. GOVERNOR LCCN2016857010.jpg|Governor George L. Sheldon of Nebraska (Not Nominated)

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Taft preferred a progressive running mate such as Indiana Senator Albert Beveridge or Iowa Senator Jonathan Dolliver, 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.