The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17
THE GENERAL SITUATION.


a convention city about as much as an
binary town meeting resembles a riot.
Usually with a national convention so
near at hand, the hotel corridors are crowd
ed with people. marching clubs are parad-
ing the streets. the air is filled with blare
OF bands, sensa tional rumors are every
where and the din and confusion are ter
rife. To-day the quiet OF Philadelphia was
unbroken by a single cheer or a strain OF
music. The weather was responsible for
much of II. Jupiter Piuvius did his worst.
The rain god simply would not be pro-
pitiated. All night he drenched the city, un-
til II seemed that his reservoirs must run
dry. But the supply held out nearly all
day. Toward night he showed signs Of
ooze and drip as though the last drop OF
moisture was to be squeezed from the
clouds The flags and bunting with which
the hotels. clubs. stores and houses had
been decorated hung wet. limp and lifeless.
and the delegates and visitors wandered
aimlessly through the slippery. deserted
streets. So heavy and dispiriting was the
gloom that the electric lights were turned
on In the hotels. but even their glare could
not dispel the depression. Add TO the in
fiuence of the weather the fact that the
rules OF Quaker Sabbath are enforced
here and the picture is complete. A little
artificial stimulation might have produced
some cheer, but Philadelphia will not be
disturbed on Sunday and her guests were
left to their own devices Not even a ma
tional convention was allowed to invade
the sanctity Of the day. a kings ransom
could procure nothing more exhilarating
than lemonade, and lemonade has no power
to fortify the blood against the inclemency
of a storm.
In the afternoon the California delega-
ton took pity on the sodden crowds and
dispensed some Pacific slope cheer on her
own account. The hospitality of California
is traditional at all national conventions.
but never more SO than to-day. The prod
ucts of her vineyards In baskets with red,
white and blue covers were simply mex
haustible In the Colonnade, where the Cal
ifornians live. When the news of what
was going on there got abroad the migra-
ton from the headquarters of other States
recalled the treklxings of the days OF 40.
Every face was turned toward the Golden
Gate, and seemnglygeverybody wanted to
live at least temporarily in the bracing at
mosphere Of California.
AS the skies frightened and the mists dis
solved toward evening the news of what
had been happening beyond closed doors
in the rooms Of the leaders became .noised
about and the hotel Hobbies became ami
mated. The situation with reference to
the man who is to stand with Mckinley in
the coming fight suddenly grew interesting
and exciting. A real clash, in which party
leaders were to struggle for mastery, was
imminent-was clearly outlined. Governor
Roosevelt. whose dashing career and cap
tivating personality appeal to the magma
ton Of men, suddenly loomed across the
horizon as the most formidable candidate
for the vice presidential nomination. Ever
since the Republican clans have begun to
gather here Roosevelt has been hanging
over the convention like the shadow of the
man on horseback. His appearance in the
corridors Of the hotels thus far has been
the only thing which has stirred the crowds
to their depths. He alone has uncorked
the enthusiasm and inspired a cheer. To-
day when he entered the Walton, pictur-
esque and commanding, wearing the SLOUGH
hat which has been his only headgear
since he returned from Cuba. the crowds
rose at him and eddied about him like a
swirling tide in their eagerness to greet
him. The rank and file have only been
deferred from proclaiming him as their
choice from the very first by his repeated
announcement that he was not a candi-
date. To-day New York and Pennsylvania
the former with seventy-two and the latter
with sixty-four delegates, threw his BAN
ner to the breeze.
The effect was magical. The rush to his
standard resembled the jumping of needles
to the sides of a magnet. The light Of
some Of the stars of lesser magnitude, like
Irving Scott of California, Judge Trip of
South Dakota, Lieutenant Governor Wood
ruff of New York, went out with his ap-
pearance. Badges with the vignettes of
Mckinley and Roosevelt appeared in pro-
fusion. This fact alone was accepted as
evidence that the plan to stampede the |
convention to Roosevelt had never been |
abandoned. Whether Roosevelt will per- |
NIT himself to be named is yet by no |
means certain. Hanna, Allison. Fairbanks |
and other astute managers who are in |
the confidence of the President, IL is con- |
tended. took Roosevelt at his word when |
he announced that under no circumstances |
would he be a candidate. If the nominal
ton was to go to New York. where they |
admitted II logically belonged. they de-
sired Bliss But Plat had declared against |
n