Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-09
THE CONVENTION.
Pans for the Great Gathering at
Philadelphia.
Something About the Hall and City Sessions
10 List Three Days.

Preparations Tor the RepuDlicai
national convention which assemblies in
Philadelphia, June 1921. are nearly
complete This years Philadelphia con-
vcation will in many respects mark an
epoch in the history of those moment
Gus gatherings. 1t will be a great Re
pdbican love-feast. Instead of a bitter
controversy over n platform, or close
race among aspiring candidates for the
great prize, a common purpose VIII
animate the entire gathering, ana that
will be to glorify the Republican party
in eloquent speech, in parades OF
marching clubs and in decorations anu
illuminatiors. 1t will be to the RepuD-
licans of the nation what the great
campueetings were to early
Methodism-a time for enkindlng en-
thusiasm throughout the ranks ana
stimulating every member to ms Ut
most exertion These seem TO nave
been the ends in view in the peculiar
arrangements made for this conVen-
ton. In the first place, it has been
agreed that the sessions are to last at
least three days. when, of course, the
business could be transacted in one
day if IL were thought necessary, or IN
two at the most No provisions are
made for holding night sessions. which
will also prevent hurrying through the
convention work, while at the same
time the town is alive with plans FOR
the political entertainment of dele
Z gates and guests outside the conven-
ton hall. on Monday evening, there
will be a great parade of marching
clubs from every part Of the country.
Word has been received here that the
Cook County Republican Club of
Chicago. alone will be on hand, five
hundred strong, coming in its own
special train and bringing a band of
fifty pieces.
Every hotel in the city will, for the
time being be turned into political
headquarters of some sort, for state,
for a club, or a vice presidential candl
date. This. with the decorations every
where the huge pictures of Republican
leaders by day and the transparencles
by night the playing Of bands. the i'm
promptu speeches of popular heroes in
response to quickly organized sere-
nading parties, will throw over the city
an atmosphere of Republican enthu-
siasm such as has never before been
aroused No comparable efforts have
been made at any previous convention.
The business aspects have before been
pre-eminent. Now, for the first time
since 1872. when the convention was
held in this same city. there is no con-
test for the presidential nomination. a
great crowd must be attracted here or
the railroads. the hotels and the cleo
trio car companies would find a nation
al convention a grievous disappoint-
ment The country has grown greatly
since 1872 and new methods Of infuSlng
life into a convention devoid of excite
mpnt through controversy had to be
devised Nor is there any evidence that
such an infusion of life will be lacking.
Aside from the interest of local
shoppers and hotel keepers, the long
convention and no night session idea is
to be commended. Its aim is toward
deliberation The mob spirit in nomin-
ating conventions is always worse in
the evening when the delegates are
tired. eager to do something before go
ing to bed. and SO not inclined to give
the cOuntry's serious interests their
most careful thought. 1t is well to in
sist that a gathering of such history
making Importance as the national
convention of a great party should
spread out it's session over at least
three days. For the larger public
which witnesses the proceedings through
the newspapers, ii is also desirable
not to crowd too much into one day.
This is "A case. then, where the public
welfare and the pecuniary interests of
the local contributors work hand in
hand.
Philadelphia seems likely to prove a
good convention city. The great build
ing erected for the National Export
Exposition, two miles out on the west
bank of the Schuylkill. has been made
into a convention hall, and it is the
testimony of those who have attended
conventions for twenty years, that bet
ter facilities We're never provided, al
though there have been larger halls.
The architect of the interior seems to
have been "A politician as well as
craftsman. He has brought the plat
form surprisingly near the center of
the hall. 50 as to give an enormous
range of stage seats" as the chairs
on the ascent to the back of the pre-
siding officer are customarily oaned.
A stage seat" is a peculiar and much
coveted honor. 1t is supposed in the
past to have carried many doubtful
district. The enterprising politician
who is abb" to procure for his bucolic
visitor a stage seat, ought to be sure
of substantial peCuniary support in the
forthcoming campaign. These seats
differ from others in the sharpness of
the ascent which the floor beneath
them makes from the pit where the
delegates and alternates sit. On each
side Of the hall and to the rear the
ascent is gradual, while behind the
platform it is quite sharp. 50 that the
occupants of chairs of this part of the
house will get view of the spectacu-
lar features of the convention quite
unsurpassed. They will not he able to
hear go well: they will be looking at
the back of the orators head. giving
them what may be termed an "un-
familiar View of our great statesmen,
and on account OF the nearneSs to the
roof upon which the rays of the gentle
summer sun will fall, they will he re
heved from extreme cold in case there
should be a surprising and unseason-
able drop in the temperature about
that time.
Speaking of temperature it is in
eNit3blp that this han