The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-20

ing In West Philadelphia, at 12 80 today.
In the valley below him were crowded
1900 delegates and alternates, and stretch
ing away to the four corners Of the i'm
mense hail were endless vistas Of people
rising in terraced seats to the walls. He
looked into the faces of fully 1900 men
and women. Opposite. in broad gallery
were massed hundred musicians, their
leader mere pigmy in the distance. The
platform ON which he stood, jutted out
like hugh rock into an ocean Of hu-
manity. Below him and fianking the
stage was an embankment thronged with
the representatives of the press Of the
country. Above was a riot Of flags,
bunting, eagles, shields. the whole scheme
Of the elaborate decorations eliminating
In hugh portrait of Mckinley nesting
In the graceful folds of the American
flag. Above him were the working lead
ers Of his party and behind among the
dignitaries and honored guests of the
convention were white-haired men who
had been present at the party's birth In
this city, almost half century ago.
1t was not a riotious convention. There
were no wild bursts of enthusiasm from
the frenzied partisans of rival candidates,
no entrance of delegations with banners
to set the multltudes cheering, no fierce
skirmishing and clashing Of candidates
managers over rules OF procedure and
contesting delegations The chleftain In
the coming battle had already been select
ed by the unanimous voice of the Re
publicans of the country, the man who
had stood at the helm of the ship of
state for four years was their unbroken
choice. The platform was the record of
his administration. The only question
that remained for the convention to de-
eide was the Vice Presidency and It was
not q sufficient bone of contention to pro-
duce the tumultuous scenes which usual
ly attend the assembling OF national
convention.
The convention today was the digniiled
of the representatives of the
Republican party to ratify formally the
wishes OF the millions whose authority
they held.
1t was very undemonstrative at first.
into the hall before the hour for
calling the convention to order had ar
rived, there were no wild greetings Of
party leaders. A scattering applause
met Mr.. Hanna as he made his way to
the stage. Gen. Grosvenor, Senator Lodge,
Senator Foraker, ex-senator Quay and
few others aroused 1uttering of hand
kerchiefs and n round OF hand clapping,
but men OF national reputation whose
fame has spread away from our shores
across both oceans, entered without pro-
ducing a ripple. Perhaps most of them
were not recognized. 1t seemed tame. |
There was only that indescribable buzz
Df myriads of voices which belongs to a I
convention as the humming of
bees belongs to field Of clover in sum-
mer and it looked as though nothing
could galvanize the thousands into life. |
But just before Chairman Hanna was
ready to drop his gavel, Gov. Roosevelt !
entered and the vast audience was cleo |
trifled. He stalked in at the main door. |
His rough rider hat signalled him out |
10 the craning multitude. Seemingly the /
audience had been awaiting him and the /
applause that announced his appearance I
swept over the vast emphitheatre and
swelled into great roar as he made his |
way towards the seats of the New York
delegation.