The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-27

III
my we'll laid scheme for spending few
days on the seashore, and some time in
the mountains of Virginia, all came to
nothing through the receipt of letter;
and | shortly found myself on the way
to the National Republican Convention
at st. Louis. Through the kindness of
friend / was in at the start, and also
at the fnish,-an experience not to be
forgotten. nor set down among the COM
mon place events of life.
Since l did not go as delegate or
voter, my point of view was not theirs;
and | sometimes laughed-possibly in
the wrong place. But that mattered
not since every man, woman and child
in Convention Hall felt bound to make
some kind of noise to "whoop up" the
Mckinley boom, and quiet laugh was
not even noticed. "Whooping up" has
many notes in its gamut, from the refined
hat salute of the cultured man to the
"blatt" of sheep, while everything
waves" from a twelve foot broom-to
sweep the political cobwebs out of the
sky-to the red, white and blue flag of
the free.
Our seat was on the main floor, No.
1879, behind the Chairman's platform,
and to avoid too much of a." here
after will use it for convenience. The
brass bands and bunting are much
in evidence; and the characteristic
fringe of rural spectators line the curb.
stones leading thither. There is the
usual accompanying hubbub and fakir
pow-wows which always bud and burst
into widest flower wherever mankind
congregate en- nsasse
The platform was made and promul-
gated by the prophets and seers who
unite on politics as on other movements
long before it was passed upon by the
Committeeman the ticket, oh, let it
turn out as it may, some knowing
ones cannot be overtaken by surprise.
These and many other striking points
appear to the woman-who cannot vote
as simply funny, and prove man to be
bundle of complex human nature that
is not 30 very much unlike woman's ma
ture. where she can have hand in
what is going on, as in recent suffrage
convention here which split"
The Convention hall can seat twenty
thousand people, but while it held vast
audiences beyond the control of any
Chairman, or the sound in remote COR
ners of any voice however loud-it was
at no time full to the brim, or the raj.
ters which upper chairs almost touched.
1t was we'll arranged for seeing if not
for hearing. 1t is not within the power
of any architect to construct an edifce
with two tiers of galleries all around
large enough to seat twenty thousand
persons and bring them all within hear.
ing distance. And as it had plenty
of exits in case of panic, No.
1879 sat quietly and enjoyed the hub
bub with satisfaction. To see it was
enough. Gould not one read every word
said in the double daily papers almost
as soon as one reached home
The delegates with alternates, 1900
souls, sat on the floor directly in front of
the Chairman's platform, and to the
right and left of this the newspaper
fraternity took it all down stenographic-
ally or through the telephone, graphic
phone or other modern convenience for
getting the news Uerbdtim without the
writers cramp".
The cable and telegraph office oc-
cupied central spot to the left of the
delegates. A frieze of state seals are
round the first gallery, entwined with
bunting and streamers. Army and navy
colors on the upper one, or were fes-
tooned across the ceiling.
The Union Jack was suspended as a
centerpiece over the delegates, heads.
and "E pluribus Unum" never was
more needed than on this occasion when
discussions on the monetary questions
threatened to wreck the party.
All this made spectacle never to be
forgotten, to say nothing of the chair
man, Thurston, Fairbanks. of Indiana,
the Mckinley manager, Hanna, Foraker
of Ohio, and Teller of Colorado. Dodge
of Massach usetts, Depew of New York.
and other celebrities rising from time
to time to take hand in manipulating
the outcome of the Convention; each
one Of whom it was privilege to thou
sands to simply see, if they could not
hear them.
Thursday expectation and enthusiasm
rose to climacteric height. Early in the
day crowds began to gather. and there
were more women among them than on
any previous one. Mrs. j. Ellen Foster,
noted speaker on reforms and politics,
was present every day, and the last para
graph of the platform was doubtless
placed there to give recognition to such
women as are willing to work for the
success Of the candidate. But there are
thousands of intelligent women in the
United States who will not be satisfied
with that ambiguous recognition. which
does not express any sympathy in the ex
tension Of suffrage for women. who will
simply for want of this omission, let
matters drift and voters do their own ell