The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-14
GANTZATION THE FEATURE
OF THE CONVENTION.
IT'S INFLUENCE IS BROKEN.
NOT IN THE SILVER STAMPEDE.
BUT By GENERAL DEMOCRAT
&c SENTIMENT.
COMMENTS ON THE CONVENTION.
Coliseum Failure-Chicago
am Ideal Convention City.
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
CHICAGO, July 13.-Chicago has
grown to be the ideal convention city
Of the country. use the word
grown" advisedly. The first conven-
tion | ever attended in Chicago was in
1864. when Mcclellan was dominated
for president by the Democrats. Chi
cago then had but two prominent ho-
tells, the fremont and Sherman, and in
comparison with today, was a stray
Cling village. Small frame buildings
were intermingled with brick and stone
Ia the business district, while two.
three and four story edifces predom-
mated everywhere. The city, origin
ally located in q swamp, was being
nlled in, and there were breaks in the
streets making it necessary to go up or
down five or six steps to reach a side
walk, accordingly as the filling In had
been completed or was still in pro
gress. Of course convention crowds in
those days were nothing, as compared
with the present, but the resources of
the city were overtaxed, and many
were literally compelled to sit around
In chairs all night for lack Of sleeping
accommodations I did not myself.
during the entire convention, obtain a
ped. but a. lounge in the Tribune Office
was kindly placed at my disposal after
the paper had gone to press at o'clock
IN the morning. Since Their. the situa-
tlon Is changed. New York is the only
city In the country which begins to
compare with Chicago in hotel accom-
modatlons and there, they are scatter
eo over distance Of ten or twelve
miles, making it impossible to have
consultations while the convention is
not In session, with any comfort and
convenience. Here in the space Of a
mile, hotels are located which will ac-
commodate thousands, and in fact
meet all the ordinary requirements of
a great national convention. Add
geography to this, and Chicago is be-
yond competition for such GATHERINGS.
The development of the country has
MADE Chicago the only city centrally
located, as regards population, which
can accommodate the crowds in a sat
fsfactory manner
st. Louis, last month, afforded a
marked contrast to Chicago The peo-
pie IN Chicago are no more genial than
In st. Louis and in fact do not bother
or put themselves out so much to make
1t pleasant for visitors to the conyen-
ton. as the Southern city. There was
an abundance of accommodation, at at
Louis for many thousands more than
came but it was to be found by going
little outside Of the business center.
to the residence district The average
stranger does not like to do this. He
goes to convention to be in the swim
and he generally wants to swim about
the big hotels the larger portion of the
night. Consequently he will pay from
three to five dollars per day to be one
OF four or six persons in a room. which
ordinarily goes at $3.50 per day for q
single occupant, when by going ten or
nfteen blocks, to the resident district
he would find greater comfort and in
exclusive rooms at from one to two dol
lars per day. The people of st. Louis
prepared to entertain an army, but re-
suits were disappointing. The visitors
packed themselves like sardines into
three or four hotels. AT the hotel where
l roomed, | had to pick my way at
night over score Of people lying fiat
on the floor in the hallway, while with
in three blocks, people were wailing be-
cause they had anticipated making a
few dollars from supplying accommo-
dations while no one came. Though
the crowd has beer vastly greater In
Chicago than In st. Louis, there has
been no lack Of accommodations at the
hotels. Some Of them were perhaps a
little crowded by the doubling up pro-
cess, but a person who is posted need
have no difficulty in securing room to
himseif the past week and withaI. at
reasonable prices. Not because have
any interest in Chicago per Sc, but be-
cause 1 have regard for the person al
comfort and convenience of those who
attend such gatherings, my voice is for
this city for national conventions Of all
parties, and it ought to be settled upon
as permanent policy, so that there
will be no fear of local effect either
way owing to the site of the conyen-
ton.
THE PASSING OF TAMMANY.
A Democratic national convention
without Tammany would hardly be a.
legitimate affair and still comparative-
~ rev knew that Tammany was with
us at all last week Time was when
1t was a dominating influence in the
Democratic party and people held
their breath for the coming of the Tam
many special, which was frequently
run in two or three sections, and its
brass band street parades were events
Of the occasion. A section of the con-
vention hall would be reserved for Tam
many in a body and Tammany would
come marching triumphantly in with
its brass band, while every one arose
and bowed in homage and cheered him
self hoarse IN honor of that great DEM
ocratic organization. The sachem Of
Tammany was always one of the lead
ers OF the convention, and whenever
he appeared upon the platform, or else
where in the convention, the tigers
would whoop 1t up with their yells. re-
CARELESS Of rhyme or reason. They
were there to create enthusiasm and
they had it ali pent up ready to explode
like a fire cracker, whenever a match
was touched to the fuse.
At st. Louis in 1876 and at Cincinnati
in 1880 the Tammany demonstrations
were especially notable John Kelly
was then their chieftain and he came
with his war paint on and his scalping
knife in his hand. His braves were
ready to do the war whoop act, while
he did the scalping. Tammany was
violently opposed to Tflden's nomination
at St Louis, and while Kelly and his
followers were lionized, they did not
win At Cincinnati in 1880. they were
successful Read between the lines,
there was really nothing in TiIden's
letter to the Cincinnati convention
which precluded his nomination and
having been elected in 1875 and cheated
out Of the Office, he was the logical
candidate to right the wrong. His
letter was unquestionably designed TO
prevent his getting it, while at the same
time. he threw himself upon the gener-