The popular PresidentTheodore Roosevelt had easily ensured himself of the nomination; a threat had come from the Old Guard favourite Ohio SenatorMark Hanna, the loyal kingmaker in Republican politics, but he died early in 1904, which ended any opposition to Roosevelt within the Republican Party.
There were also very informal talks with future president William Howard Taft about trying for the nomination, but Taft refused these motions as evidenced by a letter to Henry Hoyt, the Solicitor General, in 1903.
Roosevelt was nominated by 994 votes to none, while the only other serious opponent to Roosevelt, Indiana Senator Charles W. Fairbanks, was nominated for vice president by acclaimation.
Two delegations, one all-white lily-white delegation led by Henry C. Warmoth and a mixed-race black-and-tan delegation led by Walter L. Cohen, were sent from Louisiana. The credentials committee voted to seat the black-and-tan delegation on June 16, but later changed it to accept four at-large delegates from both factions and each one holding half a vote.[2]
The 1904 Republican platform favored the protective tariff, increased foreign trade, the gold standard, expansion of the Merchant Marine and strengthening of the United States Navy; it also praised Roosevelt's foreign and domestic policies.
Vice presidential candidates
As Theodore Roosevelt had ascended to the presidency following the death ofWilliam McKinley on September 14, 1901, he served the remainder of McKinley's term without a vice president as the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution had not yet been passed. This also left the convention with the task of choosing a running mate for Roosevelt.
Entering the convention, Senator Charles Fairbanks of Indiana was considered the likely favorite for the vice presidential nomination, but the Roosevelt administration favored Illinois Representative Robert R. Hitt or Secretary of War William Howard Taft of Ohio;[3]SpeakerJoseph Gurney Cannon of Illinois also had support among the delegates, but Cannon had no desire to leave his position in the House.[3] After the administration decided not to launch a fight over the nomination of Fairbanks, he was nominated by acclamation.[4]
Speakers
There were significantly fewer speakers at the 1904 convention than there are at a typical convention today. This is because the convention at the time was much lower in viewership (as there were not the mass media devices of TV or radio at this time only those actually invited saw it). Also, this was before the primary era so the delegates were expected to nominate the candidate at the actual convention as well as more typical tasks such as electing the chairman and handling other business which varies in importance at the Republican Convention today. Nonetheless, there were speeches by the following individuals at the 1904 Republican National Convention:
Tuesday, June 21
Opening prayer by Rev. Timothy Prescott Frost, D. D.
Roosevelt and his running mate Charles W. Fairbanks were unanimously nominated, but unlike candidates today, they did not give convention speeches, instead having individuals give nominating speeches for them. Roosevelt's nomination speech was made by former New York Governor Frank S. Black and was seconded by Indiana Senator Albert Beveridge. Fairbanks's nomination speech was made by Iowa Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver and was seconded by New York Senator Chauncey Depew.
