The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-20
AS 1t Was in Chicago So Will
1t Be in San Fran.
cisco.
ENTHUSIASM WILL BUBBLE UP.
The Greatest Political Excitement
Can Be Expected at the Repub-
lican Convention.


In the history Of american politics many
exciting and inspiring scenes hare been en-
acted at these gatherings Of the most brilliant
and diplomatic of America's statesmen, but
seldom. has there been n,assing of men whose
actions tcere so thoroughly in sympathy NTH
their feelings as at the Republican Convention
in Chicago in 1854, aohen James g. Blaine,
the Plunled Knight Of the Republican party,
tcas nominated amid the aUiIdest applause, the
echo Of ,ohich WiB go d0lon to poSterity. A
graphic story of the great meeting is here pre-
sented for the readers of "The Call" 1t shows
something of what may be expected IN San
Francisco IN 1896.
What would the securing of the Repub-
lican National Convention mean to San
Francisco? That Is the question that is
being asked all over the State. The adj
vantages to accrue from having such a
gathering within our gates are too many
and varied to be particularized in brief
article. Little more can be done by way of
prophecy than to describe some of the
scenes and incidents that have marked
ventions are very much alike so far as
their practical results are concerned. The
great cities that strive to secure the honor
of entertaining the delegates and their
thousands of friends place their efforts
upon a purely commercial basis. They
argue that the presence of so many thou
sands of people will increase the local
trade to an unparalleled degree, and will
set in circulation great many thousands
of dollars that otherwise would never
reach that particular center Of population
and commerce.
A few of the most notable advantages to
San Francisco if the convention comes
here may be specified:
It would fill the hotels so full that peo-
pie would pay for the privilege of sleeping
on he-dinIng-room floor.
After the convention thousands of poor
people could buy the extra beds and bed
steads from the hotels for so cents apiece.
The observation-disclosures would make so
much money in one week that they could
afford to reduce prices one-haH to home
patrons for year.
The streetcar companies would be COM
PEELED o build hundreds of new cars to
subsidized there would be room IN the
cars for the regular passengers, SO that
they wouldn't have to cling to the outside
platform or hold themselves up by the
straps.
Our young women of California would
have the pleasure of reviewing and meet
ing several thousand of the dashing young
business men and politicians from the
East, North and South. There is no tell
ing how many happy marriages might
result.
There would be an awakening on the
part of the rest of the country to the i'm
portance of the Pacific Coast; but better
still, there would be a genuine awakening
on the part of our people to the immense
Importance of our Californian resources.
New citizens would be gained, and those
would be of the most enterprising class of
the entire country. No snails would be in
attendance at that convention.
An interesting and diverting feature
would be the deluge of colored orators
from the Sunny South. They are bril-
liant lot of speakers, in no way inferior to
their white brethren. They are enthusi-
astic, effervescent, and cannot be kept
from sounding the praises of their favor
ties in season and out of season. Upon
the slightest provocation they will
mount tables or chairs and send forth
volumes of unexcelled eloquence. One of
them, Mr.. Lynch, was the temporary
chairman in 1884, and 1 never saw better
presiding officer. He was incomparably
superior to the man who was chosen as
permanent chairman of the convention.
IL. L.
l ever attended was the one in Chicago in
1884, at which Blaine was nominated for
the Presidency. Though eleven years
have elapsed the incidents of that
occasion were SO striking that they
remain stamped upon my memory as
clearly as If the events were but of
yesterday. 1t was my fortune to be in
Chicago thirty days before the meeting of
the convention, being at that time engaged
as newspaper printer and writer. l watched
the assem- bling of the great convention
from the beginning. Nearly week before
the date set for its opening the advance
guards of the different delegations began
to arrive to spy out the land, prepare
headquarters and organize their forces.
Saturday and Sunday before the opening
day the city was deluged with excursion
trains from every direction. On Monday
they were still arriving. There
was no rivalry among the hotels. There
were no runners at the railway stations
the attractions of their hos
telries. The only thing a hotel-keeper
could do was to stand behind the counter,
from which the registry book had been
taken, and to say, Every sorry, sir; very
sorry; but we are all full; not room
left"
Such great caravanseries as the Palmer
House and the Grand Pacific were
crowded from cellar to garnet with four
and FIVE men in each room, extra cots
and folding-beds being placed in every
apartment. The Railways were also lum-
bered with temporary beds and cots, for
which one had to pay in advance and
take his chances by being run over by the
fellows who came in late at night. which
the majority of them did. This was only
one of the phases of the crowd. In the
it was almost Impossible to
get anything to eat. Badgered waters
struggled with their orders for food, ana
were unable to meet the requirements OF