Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-26
OF 1900.
BY SEWELL FORD.

that the speaker may be seen from any
point in the building, the speakers
platform being placed we'll forward
The committee has also given care
ful attention % the matter OF handling
the crowds ut the hall. and extensive
arrangements are being made TO I'M
sure order. 90 limit admission 10 the
building Co those having credentials
on tickets and Co obylate all CrOwding
or difficulty Ia reaching seats
The delegates WIN be arranged ac-
c0Tdlng 20 states. each State having a
separate section, IN the center OF which
win rise big pacard bearing the
states name, very much as sections
are arranged az stock exchanges
Provision IS made Tor q small army
OF newspaper men and telegraphors. So
that the Will OF the convention may be-
announced 20 the country the moment
a platform Is accepted and candidates
are chosen.
The convention hall is located at
Thlrty-third and South streets. within
fifteen minutes ride OF the heart " the
city, and surrounded by the various
buildings OF Philadephia's most noted
seat Of learning. the University Of
Pennsylvania Only half square
away Is the magnificent University
museum. recently opened In memory
Of the late Dr. Pepper, and Franklin
field, the scene OF many hard fought
intercollegiate contests, Is directly
across the street But "a little farther
removed are laboratories dispensaries,
hospitals and other buildings devoted
10 intellectual development
National conventions are always cost
~. IL has been estimated that the
people OF the United States spend more
than $4,000, 900 once I'M every four
years merely on the business OF n0mi-
mating presidential candidates This
seems almost improbable until you be-
gin 20 reckon up the various items.
Let us say, for example, that 10000
Republicans viii 80 90 Philadelphia.
Each one viii spend on an average
$50 In car fare, which considering the
round trip and the fact that they come
from California. from Maine and from
Texas, Is conservative. There Is an
item OF 100000 az once.
Suppose, IN the three or four days
that they remain In the convention city,
they spend an average Of $40 each.
There you have 100000 more
Now. take account OF the telegraph
tolls on the columns OF news dis
patches sent from the convention 20
every section OF the country. In 1896
IL IA estimated that the newspapers Of
the country paid FOR their convention
news S6625Q, and this does not in
clude the salaries Of the reporters,
These are only a iew OF The expenses
but you can see how they foot up.
Yes. we pay we'll for our political eX-
citeIhent but where Is the economist
who would suggest curtailng OF tx
penses? What would he leaves out?
No we could not spare the big crowds,
the pages Of printed reports. the music,
the fireworks or the refreshments.
These are the things upon which par
isan spirit feeds.
The machinery Of a great political
convention is very simple In theory
and very complex IN practice.
In theory you have the nine hundred
and odd delegates who meet, organize
into a body. prepare a platform In
which they set forth the political prin-
ciplcs OF the party and proceed to ball |
lot for candidates, The man who gets |
the most votes is chosen as the stand
ard bearer
Why. a school boy could understand |
that
But actually a national convention
Is something very different II is
much more subtle The influence /
which one strong mind has over 9TH
ers, the evolution Of an intangible and /