The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-03
REVIEW OF THE WORK.
The Admirable Character and the Enthusi-
astic Spirit of the Convention.

| REVIEW OF THE WORK.
| The Admirable Character and the Enthusi-
| astic Spirit of the Convention.
| In character and numbers the convention was
one of the best ever held. Republicans long ago
established high average in such gatherings,
and, with very few exceptions it has been main
| tanned Perhaps yesterdays delegates were a
little beyond this line. for they brought to the
days work that sturdy common sense which is
always fruitful in good results. With remarka-
BILE patience it bore the tedousness of its labor,
| greatly increased by the freedom allowed to
nominating speeches. But at the same
time it was readily responsive to
| every sentiment and speech that
expressed an aggressive spirit Everything sup
ported by emphasis found the heartiest encour
agement, particularly in the speech of Senator
Harrison and the salient features of the plat
form The convention substantial proof
of what one gentleman said: ''The Republican
party is not dead yet nor likely to die" In its
numbers ittold OF wide awake interest through
out the State, and in it's enthusiasm it showed
there will be no lack of inspiriting influence
throughout the campaign.
The audience, aside from delegates, numbered
closely on to thirty-fve hundred, aud there too,
was displayed marked interest which kept the
balconies crowded until the close of the proceed
ings, at o'clock This was after eight hours of
| hard and continuous work. AS to age, the dele
| gates averaged somewhere between forty five
and fifty years. although the presence CT young
| men showed itself in many of the important de-
| csions. 1t was a convention evenly balanced,
! oasv IN haOdla free from confusion and mot
given altogether to wasting it's enthusiasm on
! unnecessary occasions. When cheers and ap-
plause came, It was to approve something worth
approval. Nor did it touch upon dullness, for
each succeeding order OF business found eyes
and ready to keep the track of the
minutest detail With such essentials the day
could not have been attended by anything else
| than successful results.
The appearance of Senator Harrison on the
rostrum brought forth the first broadside of
cheers. 1t bespoke for him hearty welcome
| and the most earnest approval Of his position as
| chairman of the convention. His speech was
| Harrisonian and warmed successful cand-
| date afterwards expressed his feeling. ''the
| cookies of the Republican heart" While he
| spoke no delegate allowed any outside incident
| to distract his attention. Every one closely fol-
| lowed the speaker in what he said and it
| was
| by any one His hearers enjoyed
the hits he gave the party of magnificent pre-
tensions" No one doubted his assertions that
the Democracy had failed to fulfill any of it's
| pledges, and the great applause attending his
raignment of the Democratic party for its yir-
tually disfranchising the Republicans of the
State expressed the heartiest sympathy with that
| sentiment. His wanting make that the issue
before the parties divided on any other led to re-
| peated cheers in every part of the hall The
| ha DamOcracv mt hod in fho
/ best Of humor and on good terms with his neigh.
| Dor. 1t was a felicitons paving OF the way for
/ the report of the committee on resolutions,
| the committee in the mean time having come
| into the hall from its prolonged deliberations
| AS these gentlemen filed on the stage another
| salvo of applause awoke the echoes of the hall.
The convention was eager to hear the plat
| form In 70 similar gathering of late years has
1 this order of business been looked forward to
| with more interest than that eyinced yesterday
4 If. there any confusion during the reading
1 by the committees chairman. it arose solely
| from those anxious to get nearer the front.
| 1t displayed a feeling to let a phrase
| or sentence escape Tor nearly every delegate
| was expected to carry to his constituents the
value of the platform. and how the people who
| heard received it. The delegates gave the
| chairman, Mr. Halford, round of applause and
| then settled down to listen attentively. Through
| out the lengthy preamble the strong Indictment
against the administration and the party that
| supported it, there was much to please the audi
ence. which did not hesitate to express its pleas
ure in cheer after cheer. Every reference
| to the political sins of Democ
racy unanimous approval, and
by the time the platform proper was reached the
feeling 20 hurrah at every proper call for became
| intense. The resolutions Geferring to soldiers
and the public schools ELECTED many responses
| of Good" Good Good" AS to the labor
plank it was received with the heartiest in
| dorsement, and SO were other references to cur
| rent questions. But the conventions enthusi-
as m reached its climax when the paragraph relat-
| ing to the liquor traffic was read In the best
| tempered audiences that have been bountiful
| in applause something is always likely to
occur to drive them Into frenzy of
enthusiasm, and the liquor resolution did this yes
| terday. The very first sentence had such ring
| ing note of emphatic denunciation about it that
| the convention broke in on the reading with de-
| light. AS the chairman read on, his voice be-
came almost indistinguishable in the repeated
cheering. He had to stop until the delight of the
moment had spent its force. But he was only
to compile the reading TO hear cries of Read it
| again, read it again." Responding to these re-
| quests. for the second time the convention heard
| the resolution, and renewed it's enthusiasm,
which was intermingled with shouts of ''Good,"
| Good" When the reading of the platform
closed, a rising vote was taken on its adoption.
| Every delegate did not content himself with
| simply rising, but he emphasized his approval
/ by waving either his handkerchief hat or tally
| tab. The people of the balconies among whom
| were many ladies. added their enthusiasm to the
general swell of approval A quartet of male
voices came In to top the delight of the moment
with acaptal song.
1he resolutions out of the way, nothing re-
/ NAMED to be DONE but to follow the order of
nominations. Unfortunately. motion to de-
I clare off all nominating speeches was cried
down. This permitted eloquence in behalf Of the