The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-06-11
Convention Notes.
CHICAGO, June 2, 1884

upon this, the day before the battle
opens, the crowd has increased to mob.
Hotels and club roolHs are taxed To their
utmost. It takes considerable time to
elbow your way from the Grand Pacific
to any of the headquarters. The New
York delegation hold the main parlor,
and the Blaine headquarters have been
smaller rooms.
Sunday was busy day at all the ho-
tells, and the excitement was high in
the Blaine camp. Those southern fel-
lows, white, wise and otherwise, We're
going over, Or at least appeared to be,
from Arthur to Blaine, and there was
sorrow and rejoicing accordingly. In
the central committee room, as We pass
ed. two gentlemen from Arizona were
calling each other hard names and dis
putting as to the sentiments of the re-
publicans of that territory. One said
Blaine, the other said Arthur. While a
small audience were left to see this inn
portant question settled, we went over
in the Blaine parlor and took a seat in
the window overlooking the street and
the magnificent post office and custom
house opposite. We soon fell into con-
versation with substantial looking del
egate from Maine, who enthusiastically
informed us, when we asked him if the
wire to Blaine's house was in working
order, that Mr.. Blaine had not spent II
cent-no, not even a postage stamp-to
secure the nomination that he did not
even answer letters in regard to the sub
ject, and that this demonstration was
spontaneous and the hearty gift of the
republican party that there was some
thing of the spontaneous combustion
about it appeared at that instant when
fellow jumped up on a chair and call
ed for three cheers for Blaine, which
were given with a will. AS the hum of
hundreds of voices earnestly talking
politics was entering one ear the other
caught the faint echo from the voice of
an old white-haired woman standing in
the broad steps of the post office opposite,
as with one hand stretched upward she
sent her supplications to heaven for
mercy to erring humanity.
What sight and what food for refec-
ton, as the little band of religious fana-
tics on the steps of this grand govern
ment building started a hymn; the
political fanatics at the same instant
send up cheer for their chief from the
parlor of the great hotel. These appeals
to God and humanity meet in the street
and struggle upwards through telegraph
wires, smoke and fog to-Where? to
what? Such is Sunday afternoon in
Chicago.
To-day we are getting some smart
hail storms and thunder showers, bat it
does not seem to dampen the ardor of
the "boys.n
One of the mathematicians of the Lo
gan headquarters has just explained to
us how he shows by complex caIcula-
tion that Logan will be nominated on
the fourth ballot next Thursdayfa after
noon. These headquarters sf the Fiji
nois delegation are decorated With nu-
merous flags and a large pictdre of
Logan surrounded with the names of
the battles in which be fookspart. UponI
the table are piles of circulars which,
call attention, among other things, tO
the fact that the soldier candidate al
ways wins, appealing to history, from
Washington to Grant, A list of patriot
ic songs, to the tune of Logan, with his
picture are also distributed from this
room.
At the Arthur headquarters of the
different hotels to-day, a fine glee club
has been going the rounds singing lusti-
ly among other things a stirring song
full of "our flag" "a beacon light,n
'ArUnur anQ 1lDoTJy.
One of the questions of the day is why
have so many of the delegates changed
from Arthur to Blaine? Some say dol
lars, and others say sense.
For real high pressure steam, how
ever, the Blaine headquarters is the
place. This afternoon the parlor was
eight hundred people present, while
from the top of a table in the center,
Tom of Ohio, Dick of New York, and
Harry from California, make hurrah
speeches for Blaine. Somebody left in
this room hundreds of copies of the first
page of the New York Graphic of May
9th, CONSUMING picture of Arthur in
the act of being thrown from his horse
before stampede of cattle, each mark
ed as Blaine delegate. Underneath is
written:
"Woe to the rider and woe to the steed,
Who fall in front of their mad stampede"
In these rooms anyone who viii wear
it can get neat badge, upon which is
printed the name of their state or terri
tory, together with "For President, Jas.
G.. Blaine
The headquarters of all the states and
other delegations are very tastily and
neatly decorated.
Upon strolling along through one of
the halls of the Palace, we saw the name
"Vermont,n and as that was the state of
"our man." we walked in, and were
agreeably surprised to find some of our
old friends of the wool persuasion"
We had good genuine Yankee talk,
and swore in good round Yankee oath
that "by thunder we believed that the
solid men and the brains were with us
for Edmunds, and that he would get
the nomination after Arthur and Blaine
had tired themselves out. We figured
that the independents that can carry