Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-04
AN OVATION TO HILL
Dele gates to the Convention Try to
Get Him to Talk,
CHEERED WIEN HE CAME In
But He Declared He Had Moth
ing to Say
seen IN TIL E II A l.
seen IN TIL E II A LII

KANSAS CITY. July 1T is the Fourth
of July, and the ope.ias day OF the demo-
cratic national convention. After all the
heat and turmoil of preparation the day Is
here. Throughout the night there has
hen no sleep. for the SIX has been lur.d
and the sound Geafelins from rockets and
cannon and every conceivable device OF
noisy demonstration. And with the day
LIGHT the shock has increased into one long
continued roar in which the patriotism OF
the day and the enthusiasm of the party
are blended The heat is still Intense and
the brisk breeze does rot relieve the op-
precsiveness Of the day.
Early in the day the crowds began 20
turn toward Convention Hall, and all the
ar,proaches to the vast edifice were filled
with an eager and excited throns. surshs
toward the many entrances, ana seeking ~
gain early admission to the buildins; win
them came bands, marChlng cups anu rum
corus and to the confusion Oh the CRASH
and hurrah was added the constant crack,
boom sizz of bombs and crackers, as the
convention OF enthusiasts and the srnali
how WED with each other IN generating the
dey The surrounding streets presented the
appearance of a state fair uider iul heau,
vay with scores of tents ana lInproNlssI
restaurants giving evidence that a soou
sbarc of this syyeitcring mass, winch HIS
descended upon the town. is living upon
sandwiches and lemonade. A huge tent
large enough 10 accommodate tWo-rlns
circus spreads its white wings ogposite tit
main entrance to the building ana tlsFen5eS
foau.irs beverages to the weary anG thirsty
wavfarer while next door huge sheet
poster announces that the long-horneo
champion steer o. Kansas can De seen III
side
Evidences of the Fire
Further away there are evidences OF des-
fro
away the Convention Hall just three months
ago today-here the tall spire of church
with the chancel a mass of ruins. ana there
the debris of a school house. only the Dig
nified facade remaining. The Convention
Hall Itself at first glance looks crude anu
imperfect. but this is only In its external
characterization of cornice and column Inc
substantial elements Of the structure are
complete. ready 10 receive the delegates
and the legion of onlookers-one OF the most
usrfecC convention halls ever offered 10 the
gathering OF great party The stars anu
.trfpes SNAP proudly from a hundred STATS
along the gable and at intervals surround
ing the entire building. There are hundreds
Of these flags topping the structure, glEihs
an idea of it's vastneSs, $40 feet long and us
feet wide. Only yesterday an army Of men
were busy removing the debris OF construc-
ton. and they have succeeded 50 well that
there is a vestige remaining. Squads OF
policemen were early the ground, keep
ing back the crowds and maintaining quiet
There was little disorder. however, for the
crowds were gOodnatured and their patriot
ism was tempered with discretion. 1t was
noticeable that very considerable portion
OF the gathering thYongs were made up OF
women. who profited by the warm day 10
PUT their gayest rainent. thus addln
another element of color and beauty to the
blaze Of bunting everywhere apparent. In
side the Convention Hall the officials were
early hand To make final preparations
The sergeant-at-arms gave closing drill
TO the 3O9 ushers under his direction. show
ing that they performed their duties with
precision The dOorkeepers. messengers and
pages were likewise drilled in their several
duties, and all was made ready for the rush
soon to occur
Gorgeous Spectacle Within.
The interior of the building presented
gorgeous spectacle of color. alike trbut,
to the patriotic sentiment Of the day anC
to the party about TO assemble in conven
ton The disposition of flags. bunting ant
shields is quite effective but here there il
too great a spread and tangle of steel to b,
subdued by patriotic devices The grea
steel roof. supported by massive Orders. l.
partly obscurss by flags looped into 70
settles The same scheme of flag rosette
makes rim of color for the gallery. fort.
feet above, sweeping entirely around tn
hall. Lower down, the front Of anothe
gallery is flaming with the coats Of arm
OF the forty-six states and territories witt
here and there long streamers caught VI
into bows and rosettes. while just back o
the platform is box bearing the red
white and blue inscription of the .Ney
York High School Boys" But the ey
leaves these details Of color and rests OF
the ten magnificent American flags. eac
thirty-seven feet long. which canopie
from the top of the building to the sides
two of these monster emblems fanking tn
chairman's platform like the wings Of
stage In the center Of these what an OF
pnrtunity is offered for coup d oeil in thi
scheme OF color with the portrait Of tn
party's idol and coming nominee Bu
orator Backer explains that the natfona
committee has forbidden the hanging c
portraits Of any living man.
BowI-shaped Auditorium.
The auditorium is shaped ike a grea
bowl with the presiding officer almost
the center, while the seats rise tier on tie
on every side back to the remotest corns
of the building. In the hollow OF this bow
the real business is to be done, for here III
delegates and alternates are seated an
the platform is located. The area for del,
gates is paved with stone. so there will
no sound OF shuffiing feet. The seats al
arranged in a great oval, the side towar
the platform The folding chairs for III
delegates and a.ternates make a little Ial
Of yellow in the bottom OF this bowl ma ri
ed here and there by the tall standards 1,
dicating the various state delegations
Raised about two feet above this stor
arc the platform juts out into the lake ,
yellow, like some cape in the sea.
The platform Is hanked on each side
the rows of press seats, stretching baC
30 feet. The platform Itself presents ey
is far more elaborate than the counte
part at Philadelphia. Beneath the chat
mans feet stretches a rich Turkish rug
crimson hue. while great leathern SCI