The Dickinson press., 1896-06-20
THE WORK BEGINS.
FIRST SESSION OF THE NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.


Delivers a Prayer and Hon.
Charles Fairbankx Is Chosen
nation and Makes u Speech.
st. Louis. June 1G-Auspiciously and se-
renely, beneath a sky across whose arched
dome not cloud fioated. the chicftains of
the Republican party, from the pincries of
Maine to the orange groves Of California;
from the everglades Of Florida to the placid
waters OF Puget Sound. met in council to-
day and in the presence Of about 5000
spectators. entered upon the task Of select.
Ing candidates and enunciating policies for
the campaign of lS86. The first session Of
the Republican national convention was
therefore formal. Chairman Carter, of the
national committee, dropped the gavel at
l2:2O O'Clock and sixty minutes later an ad-
1ournment was taken until 10 o'clock to-
morrow. There was not Il jar curing the
proceedings, there were no sensational in
cidents to arise, nor any demonstrations to
thrill the vast concourse Of people.
The temporary chairman. G. W. Fair
dress. strong. forcible statement. an ar
raisnment of the present administration
ana dehncmcnt of the issues; the COM
mittee selections of the various delegations
were annonnced-that was all. Those who
expected some allusion to Mckinley, which
was to loose the bottled-up enthusiasm for
the little Napoleon, or who imagined that
perhaps. some Of the great leaders of ora
tory Of the party would be CALLED to the
platform to fire their imaginations and
quicken their pulses. were disappointed. 1t
was purely formal session. The recug-
hized heroes and generals Of the party ell
tered the hall without demonstrations.
flatt Lodge. Depew and Quay were ap-
plauded. but Mark Hanna, the Warwick,
diu NOT create ripple when he entered
with smiling and confident air The
fiery rivalry that attends contests between
struggling giants where the question Of
supremacy Is still to be fought and the bat
tic yet 10 BE- Won; which arouscs clans and
factions to the widest pitch Of excitement
ana enthusiasm, was lacking. While there
may be Eain hopes. blghted ambitious, and
bitter animoslties, still tossing beneath the
onward sweep of the McKinlcy tide, those
VIII" 10 not favor the Ohio candidate as
their first choice are looking forward with
relief To the end of the unequal struggle,
knowing that it will bring peace and good
will In the end
This being the situation, the main inter-
est today centered In the personality of the
great men who assembled in the conycn.
tion hall. That hall to which the vast pro-
ce>Sion wended its way, although unprc-
tcnions In exterior, is admirably adapted
for the purposes to which 1t is put. A
vast oblong structure, it is about 300 feet
long by 40 wide, and almost 100 feet
high. The two galleries which extend all
about the interior descend abruptly to the
edge of the broad pit from which to-day
9OO delegates and as many altcrnatcs looked
up into the face Of the speaker The
decorations are simple but effective. Bunt-
Ing and flags conceal the trusses and pill
lars.
The galleries are adorned at intervals
with the coats-of-arms Of the various states,
while In conspicuous places hang portraits
OF Grant, Lincoln and other heroes of the
past. The galleries to-day were well filled
but not crowded, it being estimated that
about 5000 persons were present The
campaign clubs which had marched to the
hall TO the clangor of martial music were
present In uniform and IL very large pro-
portion of the spectators were ladies'. The
band In the gallery over the platform ell
livcned the brilliant gathering with pop
ulay airs at intervals.
On the platform ranged behind the chair
man. sat his colleagues on the national
committee, u notable group of party gen.
q In ~
the chosen leaders of their states. Most
prominent Immediately below the stand
was the big soldier Of Ohio, the king
maker, the dashing Foraker. Gov. Bush
nell and Gen. Grosvenor. Directly in their
rear were the Indiana delegates. cluster
ing about Gen. Lew Wallace, whose name
Is famed in politics. literature and war,
while In the rear of them were the Penn
sylvania delegates, headed by the majestic
Hastings and the silent sphynx-like Quay,
the conqueror Of so many hard-fouyht
political battles. In the next tier OF seats
were the New York contingent with l'latt,
the old associate Of the imperial COnking,
at tho head Of the dominant faction, and
the suave Depew and Warner Miller, the
leaders OF the opposition.
Massachusetts, with Senator Lodge in
command. was just in front Of the stand
near Senator Teller, to whom the radical
silver forces clustered. his face grave, stern
aud determined Scattered throughout the
pit were others no less renowned in the
councils Of the party;Gov. Bradley of Ken
tucky. who seconded Grants nomination In
Maryland. who sat opposite, succeeded last
fni In t1,nfr
ic rule: Gen. "Dave" Henderson. the bril-
liant Iowa. orator, and his colleagues. Sen
ator Gear and Col. Hepburn, who took
charge of the Allison boom; ex-Gov. Mcr-
ram Of Minnesota, the champion Of gold;
the venerable white-hared Dick Thompson
OF Indiana, who has figured SO conspicu-
Ousy in the history of his country. is 81
years old. but seemingly with many years
Of life and vigor yet before him; Gen. Walk
er OF Virginia, who succeeded to "Stone
WALL Jackson's command: Powell Clayton,
the old Republican war-horse of Arkansas;
the genial Hobart Of New Jersey, and Evans
or Tennessee. both aspirants for the vice
presidential nomination; William Platt kel-
logg OF Louisiana, who was governor Of
his state In the wild days Of the Hayes
Tilden returning board Gen. Russell A.
Alger Of Michigan, who was an aspirant for
the nomination in the bitter struggle Of
1SSS; Kerens, Patterson. Tanner. Buckley
and host Of others. Altogether it was a
magnificent body OF men but many of the
notable figures OF the past were sadly
missed. Conkling. Frey and Hale, Cameron,
picturesque "Billy" Mason, Ingersoll, Har-
Ian, Plum and Garfield were not there.
Ex-senator ingalls, was not in the pit
but on the platform reserved for the news
paper men representing the convention,
along with such old journalistic veterans
as "Field Marshal" Halstead, Joe Howard
and others as brilliant Of the younger gen.
Grafton.
The only significant demonstration to-
day came when G. W. Fairbanks. the
temporary chairman. outlined the position
the party should take on the financial Is
sue which now. as at all times since the
DELEGATES hepan to arrive. has been the