Writing and Research, Deja vu
In my book, The Reluctant Daughters (Double Edge Press, August 2014), I sent the Ackert-Riis family to Kansas City where the Democrats held their convention in 1900. It was Mrs. Elisabeth Ackert Riis’ plan to sabotage the presidential nomination of one of the (fictional) candidates.
Although the meeting hall was destroyed by a fire on April 4, 1900, it was rebuilt in 90 days, in time to house the convention delegates and candidates on July 4.
Now I see Kansas City is once again in the running to host the Democratic convention.
A few things have surely changed since then. Today while most delegates will fly to Kansas City; Mrs. Riis, Ledger, her daughter, and granddaughters travelled by train from Albany, New York, changing trains twice along the way. Mrs. Riis used a private car for the journey, stocked with servants, bodyguards and additional personnel to watch over her daughter who was recovering from drug addiction. Her granddaughters chose to travel first class so they could have a room of their own.
In 1900, the Royal Hawaiian Prince David Kawananakoa, heir to the throne, attended the convention with his entourage, but was refused rooms at the Baltimore Hotel where most of the delegates stayed. To save face, his people said he preferred to remain in his private train car because they were only in town for a few days. The Baltimore Hotel announced there were no rooms available.
The prince spoke at the convention on the topic of free silver.
The delegates nominated an eighty-one year old West Virginia senator for vice-president whom everyone hoped would reward the party by giving large donations from his vast wealth. He never made it on to the ticket.
Harry Truman served as a page at that convention.
The Democratic platform deliberately omitted reference to the currency issue; however, to make his position clear, Alton Parker, after his (unsuccessful) nomination, informed the convention by letter that he supported the gold standard.
The platform called for a reduction in government expenditures, a congressional investigation of corruption in the executive departments, construction of a Panama Canal, statehood for the Western territories and the direct election of senators. The convention ended July 9.
Today delegates will fly in and there is no Baltimore Hotel. No one will be turned away because of race. However, some things do stay the same. Congressional investigations might be called for regarding corruption in government. Cutting the federal budget might be discussed. Instead of the Panama Canal, the Keystone Pipeline could be an issue and perhaps statehood for Puerto Rico will come up.
In the end, William Jennings Bryan and Adlai Stevenson were on the ticket.
The Republicans won that year with William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
Although the meeting hall was destroyed by a fire on April 4, 1900, it was rebuilt in 90 days, in time to house the convention delegates and candidates on July 4.
Now I see Kansas City is once again in the running to host the Democratic convention.
A few things have surely changed since then. Today while most delegates will fly to Kansas City; Mrs. Riis, Ledger, her daughter, and granddaughters travelled by train from Albany, New York, changing trains twice along the way. Mrs. Riis used a private car for the journey, stocked with servants, bodyguards and additional personnel to watch over her daughter who was recovering from drug addiction. Her granddaughters chose to travel first class so they could have a room of their own.
In 1900, the Royal Hawaiian Prince David Kawananakoa, heir to the throne, attended the convention with his entourage, but was refused rooms at the Baltimore Hotel where most of the delegates stayed. To save face, his people said he preferred to remain in his private train car because they were only in town for a few days. The Baltimore Hotel announced there were no rooms available.
The prince spoke at the convention on the topic of free silver.
The delegates nominated an eighty-one year old West Virginia senator for vice-president whom everyone hoped would reward the party by giving large donations from his vast wealth. He never made it on to the ticket.
Harry Truman served as a page at that convention.
The Democratic platform deliberately omitted reference to the currency issue; however, to make his position clear, Alton Parker, after his (unsuccessful) nomination, informed the convention by letter that he supported the gold standard.
The platform called for a reduction in government expenditures, a congressional investigation of corruption in the executive departments, construction of a Panama Canal, statehood for the Western territories and the direct election of senators. The convention ended July 9.
Today delegates will fly in and there is no Baltimore Hotel. No one will be turned away because of race. However, some things do stay the same. Congressional investigations might be called for regarding corruption in government. Cutting the federal budget might be discussed. Instead of the Panama Canal, the Keystone Pipeline could be an issue and perhaps statehood for Puerto Rico will come up.
In the end, William Jennings Bryan and Adlai Stevenson were on the ticket.
The Republicans won that year with William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
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