The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-06-17

loose the bott1ed-up enthusiasm for the
little Napoleon, or who imagined that,
perhaps, some of the great leaders Of
oratory of the party would be called
to the platform to fire their imagin-
ations and quicken their pulses, were
disappointed. It was purely a formal
session.
The recognized heroes and generals
Of the party entered the hall without
demonstrations. Plat, Lodge, Depew
and Quay were applauded, but Mark
Hanna, the Warwick, did not create a
ripple when he entered with a smiling
and confident air. The fiery rivalry
that attends contests between strug-
Cling giants, where the question of SUI
premacy is still to be fought and the
battle is yet to be won; which arouses
clans and factions to the widest pitch
of excitement and enthusiasm, was
lacking. While there may be vain
hopes,
BLIGHTED AMBITIONS
and bitter animosities beneath the on
ward sweep of the Mckinley tide, all
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
interest today centered In the person
ality of the great men who assembled
in the convention hall. That hall to
which the vast procession wended Its
way although unpretentious in ex-
terror, is admirably adapted for the
purposes to which it is put A vast OBJ
long structure, it is about 300 feet long
by $50 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
today delegates and alternates looked
up into the face Of the speaker. The
decorations are simple but effective.
Bupntings and flags conceal the trusses
and pillars.
The galleries are adorned at intervals
with the coats-of of the states,
while in conspicuous places hang the
portraits of Grant, Lincoln and other
heroes CT the past. The galleries today
were well filed but not crowded, it
being estimated that about 5000 per-
sons were present. The campaign
clubs which had marched to the hall
to the clamor of martial music were
present in uniform and very large
proportion Of the spectators were Ia
dies. The band, In the gallery over the
platform, enlivened the brilliant gath
ering with popular airs at intervals.
On the platform ranged behind the
chairman, sat his colleagues on the
q
party generals In frcnt of him sat the
delegates, the chosen leaders in their
states. Most prominent Immediately
below the stand was the big soldier Of
Ohio, the king maker; the dashing For
aker, Governor Bushnell and General
Grcsvenor. Directly in their rear were
the Indiana delegates clustering about
Gen. Lew Wallace, whose name is
famed in politics, literature and war,
while in the rear Of them were the
Pennsylvania delegates, headed by the
majesty Hastings and the silent
sphynx-like Quay, the ccnqueror Of SO
many hard fought political battles. In
the next tier Of seats were the New
York contingent with Platt, the old as
sociate Of the imperial Conkling, at the
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 and determined.
Scattered throughout the pit were
others no less renowned in the councils
of the party; Gov. Bradley, Of Ken
lucky, who seconded Grants nomina-
tion in 1880, and who, like Senator
Wellington, of Maryland who sat op-
posite, succeeded last fall in wrestling
a state from democratic rule; Gen.
Dave Henderson, the brilliant Iowa
orator and his colleagues, Senator Gear
and Col. Hepburn, who took charge Of
the Allison boom; Merriam of Mime
sota," the champion Of gold; the vener-
able white-haired Dick Thompson, of
Indiana, who had figured SC conspic-
uously in the history Of his country, 81
years old, but seemingly with many
years of life and vigor yet before him;
Gen. Walker, of Virginia, who succeed
ed to "Stonewall' Jackson's command; /;
Powell Clayton, the old Republican
war-horse CT Arkansas; the genial Ho-
bart, of New Jersey, and Evans, of
Tennessee, both aspirants for the vice
presidential nomination; William Pitt
Kellogg, of Louisiana, who was COVER
nor 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