The St. Louis Republic., 1900-06-21

his seat the usual presentation Of historic
gavels occurred with the usual incidents of
the men who presented the gavels turning
their back on the chairman to whom the
presentations were made and attempting to
start booms for candidates. The reading Of
the platform by Senator Fairbanks was a
ghostIy demonstration that the party cares
little about the issues. Not once was there
a round of approval from the crowd. Every
body talked. Senator Fairbanks struggled
on manfully.
The Hanna ship subsidy plank and the
ufsympathetic reference to the struggling
Boer patriots were read in a loud voice.
but there was neither sight nor sound OF
feeling in the audience Never before was
a Republican platform so brutalfy received.
II might have been the city directory that
was being read for all the audience cared.
Now came the Committee on Rules in
the building. fiery little person Of General
Bingham. The one significant thing about
the new rules was that provision was made.
apparently at the suggestion OF Mr.. Hanna.
that the convention could not be stampeded
for Governor Roosevelt. In the vote for
candidate for President and for Vice Presi-
dent the roll call Of States should in no
case be dispensed with. Neither could a
State change its vote during the roll call
Ovation to Quay.
walked down tha main aisle and was for
getfully greeted by the chairman as "the
Senator from Pennsylvania" Mr.. Quay
waved a sheet Of paper in his hand. He
had an amendment to offer. he said. The
immense building shook with the sound of
the rising audience. which shouted inself
hoarse.
Senator Foraker. who does not like Mr.
Hanna, demanded that Mr.. Quay. who is
Mr.. Hanna's enemy. should take the plat
form.
Mr.. Quay went to the stage his face
radiant with enthusiasm. The crowd thun-
dered and shrieked. Mr.. Quay, the rejected
Of the Mckinley administration. was the
hero of the moment. Mr.. Hanna scowled
and stuck his under lip out savagely as he
saw his victim on the platform.
Mr.. Quay offered resolution TO provide
that in future each State represented in a
Republican National Convention should
for he Republican candidate for President
at the last election.
A Blow at Hanna.
1t was not until the clerk. who has a voice
like Cathedral bell. began to read a table
of figures given to him by Mr.. Quay that
the audience realized the nature OF the
amendment Under the rule proposed by
Mr. Quay the State of Alabama, which has
twenty-five delegates in this convention,
would have only eight delegates in the next
National Convention. The Republican party
in the Southern States Is absolutely con-
trolled by Mr.. Hanna and Mr.. Mckinley.
The Southern States were to be practically
disfranchised.
As the reading clerk announced the plan
Of disaster for the South there was great
commotion among the delegates One South
ern delegate after another stood on his
chair and protested. Mr.. Hanna was agi-
tated-that was plain. His lieutenants
came to him at his nod and there was a
time of swift scurrying about the stage.
Senator Foraker and Senator Allison. who
were to have nominated President McKin-
ley within half an hour. conferred with Mr..
Hanna. Senator Foraker left the stage
and ran down the aisle to where MIR. Quay
stood among his partisans. For the mo-
i:l-nt even Governor Roosevelt failed to at
tract attention.
Then Mr.. Quay announced that he was
willing 10 let his statement go over until
tomorrow.
A delegate from Tennessee demanded a
pi. iee that the resolution and amendment
should be debated before votes were taken
for President and Vice President This
was agreed to by the chairman. Then Sen
ator Foraker moved an adjournment and
the convention dissolved.
The question now Is whether Mr. QUAY
procured the adjournment in order that he
and Senator Platts friends should have
more time TO strengthen Governor Rocse-
Velts rapidly increasing following in the
convention or whether Mr.. Hanna, realiz-
ing the danger that there might already be
enough votes pledged TO the Governor to
nominate him, wished to have enough time
for another effort to destroy the Roosevelt
boom. Both sides claim a victory.