The Election of the Century

Upon his return to the United States in June of 1910, Theodore Roosevelt was celebrated with an astounding reception in New York City after many months on an elaborate hunting trip to Africa, and a monumental circuit throughout Europe. Roosevelt was returning home to a changing political landscape.

During this period, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party were splitting into two factions. There was the Old Guard establishment Republicans and the progressive faction, which Teddy would represent, coining the term New Nationalism. This New Nationalism sought a greater involvement in government intervention through the progressive agenda. Whereas Taft would carry the established Republicans who favored big business, the progressive thinking individuals would support Roosevelt. Wilson was a conservative Democrat who was progressive, but in a lesser sense than Roosevelt. Wilson, with the assistance of Louis Brandeis, an attorney out of Boston, would refer to his agenda as the “New Freedom.” It would become a battle between Roosevelt’s “New Nationalism” and Wilson’s “New Freedom.”

The first time Roosevelt and Wilson met one another was in 1896 while Roosevelt was the police commissioner of New York City. It is reported that they were somewhat fond of one another, and they would again have a pleasant meeting at the Army-Navy game of 1902. This gracious relationship would come to an end after Wilson entered the Democratic political scene in 1907. Wilson was referenced in The New York Times in 1907 as stating that Roosevelt, “…no sooner thinks than he talks…” Although Wilson and Roosevelt had different styles and approaches in politics, both men thought highly of Hamilton and his influence on government.

“My hat is in the ring,” proclaimed Roosevelt with exuberance as he entered the Republican race in February of 1912. Roosevelt had now created a blueprint for social and regulatory reform that was supported by the progressives within the Republican Party. Roosevelt portrayed Taft, his former friend and colleague, as someone who answered to “the great privileged interests,” and who was “disloyal to ordinary decency”. Taft answered Roosevelt by stating that Teddy and his New Nationalism were promoted by “destructive radicals,” “political emotionalists,” and “neurotics.” Ironically, while Roosevelt appeared to be the stronger Republican in the race initially, Taft had a much greater influence in the delegation. Initially, Roosevelt had won 278 delegates, Taft 48, and LaFollette 36.

It would appear that with 540 delegates needed to secure the nomination, Roosevelt was well on his way to victory. Yet, after 254 delegates were contested and the Republican establishment took control of the process at the Republican National Convention in June, 235 of the 254 contested seats were awarded to Taft and 19 to Roosevelt.

The tension eventually lead to fistfights on the floor of the Republican Convention that even the police failed to split up. About twenty minutes after the violence, and with many Roosevelt supporting delegates refusing to vote, the platform was accepted with 666 in support, 53 opposed, and 343 refusing to participate. Fights would continue to erupt and William Howard Taft would again be nominated President in the Republican contest. In the end, the final tally would be 561 votes to Taft, 107 to Roosevelt, 41 to LaFollette, and 344 delegates declining to cast their vote. Roosevelt’s reputation would initially lead him to victory over Taft in nine state primaries; however, the power that Taft held within the established sections of the party and within the party apparatus itself would advance Taft to victory in the Republican Primary.

After Taft’s victory, Roosevelt’s supporters thundered out of the convention and met up with their leader. Wearing a large sombrero, Roosevelt announced in Chicago that he would run on a third party ticket, and his supporters celebrated enthusiastically. Two months later the progressive Republicans would have their own convention in Chicago to promote Teddy’s New Nationalism. As usual, Roosevelt would give another enthusiastic speech laying out his “Covenant with the People” stating, “We stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord.” Roosevelt would later declare to a journalist, “I’m feeling like a Bull Moose!” and thus the National Progressive Party would embrace the Bull Moose as the image of their new progressive party.

In contrast, the Democratic Primary would play out quite differently. William Jennings Bryan, who was a repeat contender for the presidency himself, would be a significant factor in advancing Woodrow Wilson later in the contest. The dominant Democratic candidate up for nomination was Speaker of the House James Beauchamp Clark, also known as Champ Clark. Although Wilson had a strong and impressive record as governor of New Jersey, many within the Democratic Party were unwelcoming to the Professor. With Tammany Hall’s endorsement of Clark, Bryan would step up the aggressiveness to promote Wilson. Tammany was considered to be a corrupt organization, and therefore their endorsement of Clark would benefit Wilson in the end. It would be a struggle for Wilson, but in the end he would receive 990 votes to become the Democratic nominee, including a vote from John F. Kennedy’s grandfather, John F. Fitzgerald of Boston.

Taft’s heart was never really in the 1912 race, and he was uncomfortable running against Roosevelt. The race had become more of a battle between Roosevelt and Wilson. Eugene Debs of the Socialist Party was successfully marginalized even though he was not as extreme as other socialists, and in many ways was comparable to Roosevelt. Debs was a former Democrat who had backed Grover Cleveland three times. He was also no stranger to incarceration due to his politics. The election of 1912 would bring great speeches and much traveling on the campaign trail like never seen before.

On the evening of October 14, 1912, while Roosevelt was heading to an assembly hall in Milwaukee to give a speech, an extremist named John Shrank shot him in the chest. Roosevelt reportedly shouted, “Stand back! Don’t hurt the man!” When the doctors who were with Roosevelt urgently wanted him taken to the hospital, Teddy made it clear that he was going to finish his speech first, saying “I will make this speech or die…” By the time Roosevelt made it to the venue the crowd had been informed of the shooting and greeted him with warmhearted enthusiasm. As Roosevelt began to speak and verbally confirmed the reality of the attempt on his life, he pulled his blood drenched speech document from his pocket. The people caught their breathe in awe and became strikingly silent as Roosevelt proceeded to give an hour and a half long speech with a bullet lodged in his chest. Wilson and Taft both sent Roosevelt messages of consolation and suspended their own itineraries for a short time.

The Democratic National Committee spent $1,110,952, outspending the Republican National Committee’s $904,828 and Roosevelt’s $596,405. In the end, and primarily due to the splitting of the Republican Party, it was not a surprise to anyone that Woodrow Wilson was elected president on November 5, 1912. Although Wilson won in an electoral landslide, the popular vote would tell a different story entirely. Wilson carried forty-eight states and 435 votes, Roosevelt carried six states and 88 votes, and Taft, two states and 8 votes. In contrast, Wilson received 6,293,454 votes at 41.9%, Roosevelt 4,119,538 votes at 27.4%, Taft 3,484,980 votes at 23.2% and Debs 901,873 votes at 6%. Arthur E. Reimer of the Socialist Labor Party and Eugene W. Chafin of the Prohibition Party also ran in the presidential election of 1912.

Historically, the presidential election of 1912 was one of the most significant and intriguing elections in American history. The course of American history would be forever altered during and after this pivotal point in the American experience. From the ratification of the 16th and 17th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution in 1913, to the passing and signing of the Federal Reserve Act late in the same year, the United States was about to undergo a vast transformation. The United States would soon emerge from two world wars as the new superpower, overtaking Britain as the global financial leader.

Examining the historical details of the presidential election of 1912 and the characters involved is extremely interesting. The occasions and the manner in which these great historical figures crossed paths with one another and conducted themselves in the public arena is not only intriguing, but it’s worth researching more closely. By investigating the details of such events, the researcher can obtain a much more concise and fulfilling interpretation of history. Consequently, this knowledge can drastically impact one’s outlook on historical events, and how those events shape the world and those living in it. The presidential election of 1912 is interesting in many ways, but one aspect that is particularly fascinating is the success of Roosevelt’s third party run. The country was at a turning point, very much as it is today; however, after the 1912 election the two-party system increasingly expanded into an even more deeply divided and polarizing political system. While citizens’ rights were painfully fought for and slowly gained in this country, and while voting has finally become more easily accessible to the people, voter turnout is beyond dismal. This is due in part to disillusionment with the extremism on both sides of the aisle.

For much of the country’s history there was a fairly even split between voters identifying themselves as Republicans and Democrats. According to Gallup, 42% of those polled consider themselves independent, outnumbering both Democrats and Republicans. Gallup has been collecting this data for twenty-five years. While independent association is at its highest level in the history of the poll, Republican association is at its lowest. This data demonstrates a significant disconnect with the people toward the two-party system. Many parallels can be drawn in comparing 1912 to present day. One parallel is that there is greater turmoil within the Republican Party as the “Old Guard” within the party resists the younger, more liberal dynamic that is emerging in politics.

In conclusion, Roosevelt ran the most successful third party campaign in American history. Many would argue that America needs a third party today in order to achieve the true will of the people. Far too often political parties in the two-party system are guided by the agendas of well financed and well connected special interests’ who undermine civil liberties and the will of the people. America needs another presidential election like that of 1912.

“There is nothing I dread So much, as a Division of the Republick into two great Parties, each arranged under its Leader, and concerting Measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble Apprehension is to be dreaded as the greatest political Evil, under our Constitution”

~ Adams