The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-19
LIFE AT HEADQUARTERS
What the Rhode Island Delegation
Does With Itself.
The Bitterness OF Feeling Between the
Delegates and the A)ternates.

The members OF the Rhode Island dele
CATION, In addition TO their ordinary
apparel familiar TO their constituencies ut
home, are adorned as follows:
White badge attesting their identity
with Rhode Island.
Olive green badge, attesting the en-
dorsement by the national committee of
their identity as duly authenticated Gele-
gates to the convention.
Reed button.
Brown pin.
gold bug pin.
In addition each delegate and alternate
carries in an inside pocket:
1 ticket OF admission to Convention
hall.
meal ticket that entities the bearer to
three meals per day.
And, moreover, each member carries
tin cane. The tin canes are all over
town. Several cases of them arrived yes
terday with Mckinley tags TO them and
some.remarks about Mckinley and Ameri-
can tin. The Rhode Island delegates have
to.explain the carrying of the canes TO
their Reed brethren but they are not
reriously compromised.
The headquarters are situated In the
corner first floor room OF the Lindell,
fronting on.washington avenue and Sixth
street. No headquarters in town are bet
ter located. Two rooms are occupied.
Next.door is Wisconsin. Alaska and Ver-
mont are.the other States represented in
the hotel. The Lindell is a fine old
fashioned hostelry. In 1855 at the Demo
center OF interest. But all the hurrah
now is up at the Southern and Planters
The Lindell is chock full OF course, and
the delegates are treated well.
Ever morning before breakfast the dele
gates float into the headquarters and then
rff In, 10 hraa III nat lnp.x
the papers and .ind out about what it
was they participated In the day
before. Along about ten O'Clock
Chairman freeman calls meeting
of the delegates to discuss where
they are at. These meetings are held in
the smaller OF the two rooms In this
room are the cigar and other stores with
which visitors to the headquarters are
regaled. While the delegates meet the
aIternates are unable to getiat the cigars.
The alternates are never invited TO meet
with the delegates. Which makes the
alternates wonder what they are here for.
The alternates are thinking Of hold
ing meetings themselves just TO maintain
sem blance OF properly accredited activ-
lty In the goings on. Personally the al
ternates have no feelings against the del
egates, but as alternates they rightly re-
gard the delegates as..G~legates as cocly
lot .whosc assumption of superiority
would never be sanctioned could the
convention that appointed the double
octette be appealed to.
The slternates propose 10 take retail
tatory measure. They Will decline to fill
the places of the delegates should any of
the latter want to leave the convention
hall.
Visitors drop in at the headquarters
pretty steadily. Some are old
Rhode Islanders. some of them are rela-
tives OF Rhode Islanders. Some know
somebody that lives in Rhode Island.
Most OF the calls are of a social nature,
but good many come on business. The
business callers are largely in search of
Senator Read. who Is The membe of the
platform committee. About one man in
three now resident in this town has in
vented, devised or drawn a currency plank
and they go around among the delega-
tions hunting for the platform commit
teemen TO urge upon them their ideas OF
wbatsthe currency plank should he like.
Senator Read has in his possession
enough proposed currency planks to build
a house as big as Convention Hall
Another delegate who is sought for Is he
credential committeeman. There are 16S
contested seats which means that 80 fell
lows are not after the credsntial commit
teenen.
Colonel Joirn born, delegate
from Newport as the committee man to
60 to Canton and notify the candidates,
has the most envied lot of all tine deloga-
tion. Ex-Mayor Olney received the high
est honor accorded by tho delegates. he
was selected as Rhode Islands vice-presi-
dent IN the permanent organization of
the convention. Captain George l..
Smith ~ the assistant secretary repre-
senting Rhode Island in the convention,
Colonel Francis of Woonsocket on the
permanent organization committee, Mr..
Chester of Westerly on the rules and or
ders committee.
Secretary of State Bennett has the best
billet -of the whole lot. He is assistant
the convention hall. He wears a crushed
strawberry badge and becoming smile
and his post of duty Is right under the
platforms, where the speakers aud dis
tinguished guests are. From the location
of the Rhode Island delegates ard alter
mates Is about as lar distant from the
rostrum az is the Burnside statue from
the baseball grounds in Providence.
Secretary Bennett is regarded through
opera glasses with envioTn eyes General
Brayton is also an assis0 AT sergeant-at-
arms, aud ne goes where he pleases with
that abandon of his so familiar to Rhode
Islanders. The Rhode Island delegates
are IN a worss location in convention hall
than are the alternates ana the alter mates
are glad OF il. So far as the alternstes
are concerned they wouldn't care a hang
il tho seats of the delegates were out on
the curb stone. Such is the bitterness OF
feeling.
The ALTERNATE DELEGATE.