Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-17

ST. LOUIS, June 16.-Ausptciously anu Sc
renely. beneath a sky across whose archeu
dome not a cloud hoated. the chieitalns oil
the republican party, from the pineries OF
Maine to the orange groves Of California;
from the everglades of Florida to the placid
waters of Puget sound, met in council today,
and. in the presence of about 5000 specta-
tors entered upon the work of selecting
candidates and enunciating policies for the
campaign Of 1896.
The first session of the republican ma
tional convention was brief and formal.
Chairman Carter of the national
committee dropped the gavel at 12:20,
and sixty minutes later an adjournment
was taken until 10 o'clock tomorrow. There
was not iaI to mar the proceedings; there
were no sensational incidents to arouse nor
any demonstrations to thrill the vast con-
course of people. The temporary chairman,
c. w. Fairbanks of Indiana, delivered his
address, a strong, forCible, statement in
arraignment Of the present administration
and in detinement of the issues; the COM
mittee selections Of the various delegations
were announced-that was all Those who
expected some allusiOn to be made, which
would loose the bOttled-up enthusiasm for
the little Napoleon, or who imagined that.
perhaps some of the great leaders or or
ators OF the party would be called to the
platform to fire their imaginatlons and
quicken their pulses, were disappointed. II
was purely q formal session. The recog-
nzed heroes and generals Of the party en-
tered the hall without demonstrations.
Platt Lodge. Depew and Quay were ap-
plauded. but Mark Hanna, the Warwick,
did not create a ripple when he entered with
a smiling and confident air. The fierce
rivalry that attends contests between strug-
Cling giants where the question OF su-
premacy is still to be fought and the bat
tie is vet TO be won; which arouses clans
and factions to the widest pitch of excite
ment and enthusiasm was lacking. While
there may be vain hopes. hlighted ambitions
and bitter animosities still tossing beneath
the onward sweep of the Mckinley tide,
those who did not favor the Ohio candidate
as their first choice are looking forward with
relief to the end of the unequal struggle,
knowing il will bring peace and good Will
in the end.
WHERE THEY NET.
This being the situation, the main interest
today centered in the personality Of the
great men who assembled in the convention
hall The hall, to which the vast procession
wended its way. although unpretentious in
exterior is admirably adapted for the pur-
poses to which it is put. a vast oblong
structure. il is about 300 feet long by l0O
wide and almost 100 feet high. The two
galleries. which extend all about the in
terror descend abruptly to the edge of the
broad pit from which today 900 delegates
and as many alternates. looked up into the
face of the speaker The decorations are
simple but effective Bunting and flags
conceal the trusses and pillars, the galleries
are adorned at intervals with the coats OF
arms of the states, while in conspicuous
Daces hang the portraits OF Grant, Lincoln
and other heroes Of the past. The galleries
today we're fairly we'll filed, but not
crowded. it being estimated about 5000 per
sons were present. The campaign clubs
which had marched to the hall to the
clamor of martial music, we're present in
uniform, and a very large proportion of the
spectators were ladies'. The band stationed
in the gallery over the platform enllYened
the brilliant gathering with popular airs at
intervals.
But the real interest in the first session
was centered in the personnel OF the con-
vention. On the platform, ranged nehlnd
the chairman, sat his colleagues on the ma
tional committee, notable gathering OF
astute party generals In his front sat the
delegates. the chosen leaders in their states
and communities Most prominent, imme-
diately below the stand, was the big four
of Ohio-Hanna, the kingmaker; the dashlag
Foraker. Governor Bushnell and General
Grosvenor Directly in their rear we're the
Indiana delegates, clustering about General
Lew Wallace. whose name is famed in poll
tics literature and war, while TO the rear
of them we're the Pennsylvania delegates,
headed by the majestic Hastings and the
silent sphinX-like Quay, the conquerer of
so many hard-fought political battles. In
the next tier OF seats were the New York
contigent with Platt, the old associate OF
the imperial COnkling at the head OF the
dominant faction and the sauve Depew and
Warner Miller the leaders OF the opposition.
Massachusetts with Senator Lodge in conf
mand was just beyond while TO the right
OF the stand sat Senator Teller about whom
the radical silver forces cluster, his face
grave, stern and determined.
SOME LESSER NOTABLEs.
Scattered throughout the pit We're others
no less renowned in the councils or the
party: Governor Bradley 81 Kentucky, who
seconded Grants nomination in 1850, and
flya NNaIliupFnu a MARYLAND
who sat opposite. succeeded last fall in
wrestling his state from democratic rule;
General Dave" Henderson and his col
leagues Senator'S Gear and Hepburn, who
took charge OF the Allison boom; eXGOv-
ernor Merriam OF Minnesota the champion
OF gold; the venerable white-haired Dick
Thompson OF Indiana. Who has figured so
conspicuously in the history Of his party,
now 81 years old. but seemingly with many
years of life and vigor yet before him Gen
eral Walker OF Virginia. who succeeded
TO "Stonewall' JaCkson's command. Powell
Clayton the Old republican warhorse of
Arkansas the genial Hobart Of New Jersey
and Evans OF Tennessee. both aspirants for
the vice presidential nomination. William
Pitt Kellogg OF Louisiana, who was governor
OF his state in the wild days Of the Hayes
Tilden returning board; General Russell A.
Alger of Michigan, who was an asDirant for
the nomination in the struggle OF 1883
Kerens Patterson. Tanner Buckley and
host OF others. Altogether IL was a mag
nlncent body or men, Dut many OF the nota-
Bile figures OF the past We're sadly missed.
COnkling, Frye, Hale. Cameron, Picturesque
"Billy" Malone, IngersOll Harlan Plumb.
Garfield were not there.
Ex-senator ingalls, was not I'm the pit,
but on the platform reserved for the news
paper men, reporting the convention along
with such old journalistic veterans as Field
Marshal Halstead. Joe Howard and others
as brilliant, but Of the younger genera
tion.
The only significant demonstration came
today when c. w Fairbanks. the temporary
chairman. outlined the position the party
should take on the financial issue which
now, as al all times since the delegates
began 20 arrive has been the question about
which the whirlpool OF speculation and in
Gerest swirled. The out-and-Out gold men
and the conservative silver men made caun-
ter demonstrations but the radical silver
men sat silent ana glum.
The sentiment regarding the vice nresi-