The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-19
AT PHILADELPHIA,

| EHiLhDELfhlA. June lS.-lt is Dy tuiS
time an old story that the present genera
| ton OF convention goers never saw as
tame an affair as this one The trains
have poured thousands of strangers into
this quaint old city during the past twen-
| ty-tour hours, and all of these thousands
would feel as If they were getting the
worth OF their money If they could find
something to enthuse over Groups of men
stand about, nervous. eager. and uneasy.
ready. even anxious, to yell and scream.
but there is nothing to yell and scream
about. Party leaders who for years have
been accustomed to wild outbursts of ap-
piause at their appearance on occasions like
THIS pass in and out of the hotel lobbies
unnoticed. Every man seems to be wait
! ing on every other man to start the noise.
All of them seem to be waiting for the
signal to shout. Mark Hanna. fat ruddy-
faced and CHEEKY, waddes around like the
rest. except the groups cease talking as he
! approaches. and stand as if awe-struck I'M
til he passes. Whether this is a sign OF
respect for or fear of Hanna cannot be
told. Men nudge each other slyly as he
approaches, and when he has passed on
conversation is resumed without any no.
ticeable increaseior decrease of animation.
Wen trained soldiers In camp or barracks
behave in this manner when their officers
come around. In the case of soldiers it is
an exhibition OF discipline. Something
very akin 10 this must be accountable for
the conduct of the politicians, big and lit
tie, when Mark Hanna moves around
among them. Probably If Mr.. Mckinley
were here his presence would excite some
genuine enthusiasm. 1t is believed he Is
tho only Republican in the country today
who could cause the party workers here
assembling to lift up their voices in hearty
shouts. Roosevelt. though apparently pop
ular In the real, old-fashioned way, does
not arouse enthusiasm. Possibly the rea-
son OF this is that the mass does not. on
the eve Of the Convention, know exactly
what the wish of Mr.. Hanna and Mr.. Nc
Kinley is with regard to Roosevelt. On
no other hypothesis can this strange, dull.
stupid. monotonous decorum be accounted
for in the case of Roosevelt. Maybe the
crowds will yell when Roosevelt is nomi-
mated. Certainly there will be much yell
ing when the name OF Mr.. Mckinley is
presented to the Convention. Mr.. Hannas
marvellous machine can be depended upon
to create proper amount Of noise for that
occasion.
80
colored contingent from Washington march
ed up Broad Street this afternoon and
stopped in front of the Hotel Walton and
shouted for Woodruff. Three cheers for
Tim Woodruff. the next Vice President"
yelled n colored Washingtonian Justify.
The cheers were given with some vigor.
and then the band struck up patriotic
air. The contingent was composed Of the
NJ. NJ Parker Republican Club and the W.
Calvin Chase Republican Club The cheers
for Woodruff raised laugh on the street
and in the hotel. Those fellows ev.deat-
ly haven't been reading the papers for The
past two days." said Westterner who had
come here not knowing for whom he was
to vote fer Vice President. where did
you get your uniforms?" impertinently
asked Philadelphia citizen of color w1o
seemed to have scorn for the Washington
brethren. Still, the coored contingent from
Washington continued to manifest enthus
iasm for Woodruff. They had come here
to do that, had been preparing themselves
for it for weeks. and were very we'll train
ed They showed that they are brave
lot of fellows, for the guying Of the ribaid
crowds did not dampen their ardor for
Woodruff. The clubs were commanded re-
spect!vely by Aaron Bradshaw and Col. Will
"
ers added a bit of color to the scene in
front Of the hotel and the crash of the band
added to the noise. That was all, Wood
ruff. the peerless leader of the Washing
ton colored contingent, was nowhere to be
seen. Nor were any OF Woodruffs BOOM
ers on the spot to receive and en- e1tain
hs rooters from the National Capitol. Still,
the marchers marched and countermai ch-
ed quite as merrily as II they expected TO
hnfN tin lay nod M
passed into history.
Speaking of Woodruff, is a reminder
that that cheerful young statesman insists
upon pronouncing the name Of Roosevelt
as IL it we're spelled Roosevelt. In fact.
most OF the New Workers give the name
this good old Dutch pronunciation. What
twist the Rough Rider himself gives his
name is said to depend entirely upon
the company he is in. II he Is with New
Workers., who are familiar with the family
patronymic, it is said he uses the Dutch
pronunciation. II with strangers. he gives
ii the popular pronunciation-which. as
heard here, is not Roosevelt or Roosevelt. |
but Ruzeveit. 1t Is interesting to OBJ |
serve that amidst all the gathering gloom |
in the centre of which he stands the |
OF winning the Vice Presidency. Even as
late as o'clock this evening he told The |
Times representative that it was either |
he or Roosevelt. MIR. Hanna can't get |
away from that proposition" was the way |
Mr.. Woodruff put the case. He must |
take either Roosevelt or myself. And not |
until the New York delegation meets and |
formally selects its candidate can anybody !
know which of us Mr. Hanna will have |
Y, zinc tn tnnE lG
welt is the choice of the delegates. and |
that may influence the New York deega-
ton. | have said all along that il the |
country preferred Roosevelt to me l would |
withdraw from the race. And so | shall |
If the New York delegation, at its meeting |
this evening. selects the Governor" This
conversation is quoted simply to show
how the politicians talk even when it is
known, as positively as anything can be
known in advance, what is going to hap
pen. There is absolutely chance for
Lieutenant Governor Woodruff. and never
has been any since Mr.. Hanna. with as
tonishng frankness. Informed him more
than six months ago that he was too
young" Mr. Woodruff's objective point Is
the governorship of New York. as has
so often been stated by The Times. Upon
this subject he could not be induced to
talk today. zone thing at a time is
enough for me to attend to- is what he
said when asked fatty If he could get
tie gubernatorial nomination. now that
Roosevelt has been removed from his
pathway. The Hannates have been be-
lifting Mr.. Woodruff so persistently ever
since he has defied them in this Vice
Presidential matter that the country
doubtless has taken him at the estimate
which this belittling process has resulted
in placing upon him. 1t is only simple
Justice to Woodruff to state that he is