New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-22
OPENING OF THE CONVENTION
A LIFELESS GATHERING MEETS IN THE RIG
CHICAGO WIGWAM.

CHICAGO WIGwAM.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL oUADRENSIAL AssEMBLY-LocAL
sPEcULAToRS sETN TO PROFIT By
THE sHow-MIsEREs OF THE
NEw-YoRK DELEGATION.
YBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TklBUSEY
| Chicago. June 2l.-The second Democratic
National Convention to meet in Chicago began
its sessions to-day with an air Of listessness and
apathy in marked contrast with the vigor and
intensity of feeling shown in the earlier CON.
test, which resulted in Mr. Cleweland's first
nomination for the Presidency, eight years ago.
The hopefulncss and energy of the opposition can
vass of 1884 have already disappeared among
the delegates who come here now, as they came
here then, with the passionate purpose to bank.
rupt and foreclose on Mr.. Ceveland's political
fortunes. There is not even now the mechanical
and prearranged display Of enthusiasm which al.
tended the unanimous denomination Of the ey-
President at st. Louis in 1888. The anti
Cleveland forces realize that they have been put
TO route once more by the over-shadowing one.
man force within the party, which has dominated
its policy and monopolized its leadership foS
two Presidential terms But they submit sui
lenly and without grace, and the cOnquering
faction is torn with doubt and secret hestatisns.
too soicitous Of after-conventon results to push
| its triumph to the point Of bosterous demon
| stration
Probably no similar opening session Of
| National Convention passed of so perfunctOrily
or with such an entire absence of partisan spirit
| or enthusiasm The convention was chary Of
applause throughout, whether for it's officers OK
for the more noted members of the National
| party who sat among the delegations The
temporary chairman. Henry Watterson's youthful
| protcge from Kentucky, w. G. Owens, was
cautious and disappointing in his brief inaugural
| address, refraining from even the slightest OF
most indirect reference to the great party leader
whose standing candidacy is about TO he made
| the sole and perpetual platform OF the National
| Democracy, or to any one of his expiring rivals
| for the nomination.
BLA1NE,s NAME EvoKEs THE ONLY REAL
FEELING.
The onry natural and spontaneous demonstration
of the day came most unexpectedly, and paradoXl-
| cay when a resolution of coincidence with MI.
! Blaine in his recent domestic aflcton was offered
and passed. On the mention Of Mr.. Balne's
name the people in the galleries broke out Ia
! hearty applause. which lasted several minutes
longer than all the other outbreaks of enthusiasm
over the stock incNents of the morning put
together.
| The preliminary arrangements for the work Of
the convention were easily conn leted in an hours
time and the delegates then dispersed In the same
lifeless and uninterested way in which they ha0
assembled. Compared with the excellently con-
strnctcd and cleverly arranged meeting hall fur
nished by Minneapolis TO the Republican convrn-
ton, Chcago's lakeside Wigwam reflects little
credit on this enterprisng and boastful metropo-
| lis Tie Wigwam is, from the outside. a huge.
unsghtly wooden structure scmi-circular In form,
with nat, wooden walls, capped by a hat board
roof inside there is in the middle a contracted
semcircular floor from which rise tiers OF seats
as in a circus tent, all the way back TO the ex-
terror walls. Facing the semi-cTrcle Of seats, Is
| the presiding officers PLATFORM and TO the right
and left Of il the places reserved for the press
| Behind the platform lew especial tiers Of
chairs for notable guests Above. are the galleries
which run all the way round the building.
| RAIN POURs THROUGH THE CANVAS ROOF
| The central part of the wooden roof is rised
some six feet above the main level, leaving ample
open space for ventilation, but az the same time
exposing the thousands Of spectators beneath 10
the freaks of the constant thunder
storms which infest Chicago at this
season The convention had not even been
called 10 order to-day before heavy clouds
gathered along the lake front and the rain began
| TO pour down in torrents. An Intellectual shield
of canvas was hastily stretched across the break
in the roof line, but the rain continued to silt
through on the spectators, who howled with
dcrision at the local managements lack Of fore
sight Umbrellas had to he hoisted in all parts
of the hall Luckily the storm soon over
and order AMI comfort were restored. The New
York delegation had been the severest sufferers
by the eakiness of the roof for a large crack
was started Just the heads OF the deegatee-
at-largc and Governor iiower and Chairman
Murphy found them elves dripping wet before they
knew what had happened. They got under an
umbrella. however and sat il out consoing them
elves that simple duclling was a small matter
after all t,ie other miscries and msfcrtunes they
have encountered here while prosecuting their
losing anti-C Cleveland canvass
LOOKING FOR PROFITS FROM THE SHOW.
At Minneapolis ample given to every
person who was entitled TO a seat, either on
the floor aud platform in the galleries, and
all the discomforts of crowding were vigorously
prevented In the Wigwam here delegates, OFF,
cials and privileged guests of all sorts have been
sacrificed 10 the not very creditable desire OF
the local committee 10 turn the convention into
vast popular spectacle and Recover some Of
the cost of the construction Of the Wigwam by
the sale of admission tickets az two or three
times the regular Barnum Il Bailey prices. The
seating room on the floor has been scrimped
and cramped to the last degree, and even the
aisles have been narrowed to mere pathways
10 enable few more spectators to be crowded
into the building and greater profits to go to
the midde-mcn and Spectators through the sale
Of seats.
The practice of turning conventions into nero
local amusement ventures, often dangerous and
annoying and always detrimental TO the trans
action of business, has been carried to an exs
which IL q