Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-06-30
THE NATIONAL CONVENTION
AS Seen by the Editor and Reporte'
to Our Readers from the stand
point Of an Eye Witness.
Pen Pictures of incidents and Proceed
ings, with a few Editorial Conn
ments on the Platform and Policies

-
First impressions Of the National lie.
publican Convention of 1904. are, we
must confess, disappointing. Il was
big, overgrown state convention, WIFI
disorder, confusion and helpless aimless-
ness in proportion TO its size. II was
strung out over three days, when, win
proper committee work and the abbreYl-
ating Of the speeches of temporary and
permanent chairmen and the nominal
ing speeches, the convention could easi-
" have been comprised in single day
But all this oratory was interesting and
valuable and perhaps an essential part
of an American national convention.
The national Uncle Sam is real be-
ing, made up by the combination Of rep.
resentative men of different states and
sections and interests, and here II any
where was the place for the kindly old
gentleman 10 show off his patriotic
clothes, tell what he had been doing and
| how he was going to keep busy IN the
next four years AS Senator Beveredge
said in seconding the nomination of
Pres. Roosevelt, the people had already
made the nominations, SO there was
nothing to do but to record the choice.
put in the srousements, adjourn ana
.On to the Pike. This is q word 10
the history d the convention.
Through membership in the National
Editorial Association, to which the edt
tor was elected by the State Association
three years ago, we secured an excellent
seat in the front row Of the west bal
cony. Seats, by the way, were difficult
to sec4re. Chicago is a big town, had
beento considerable expense in making
thearrangements and several thousand
tiGets were scattered over the city
which were used by contributors or sold
to meet expenses, Very few were left
at the disposal of the different state del
legations. South Dakota, with a hun
ldred and fifty visitors and delegates
ipresent, was assigned eighteen tickets
| Pres Roosevelt, foreseeing some sncf
A situation as this, secured a hundreds am
| fifty tickets and presented them TO tn
Editorial Association, thus making him
self doubly solid, with the country edi
tor, ais the press seats were assigned on
lly to daily papers sending regular tele
graphic eports. The Coliseum seat
1000 people and, on Tuesday and Wed
nesday, outside of the delegates sec
ton, was oaly moderately filed Blu
Cd Thursday when the nominations wer
made every seat was full, standing room
was at premium and several thousan'
were outside listening to the bands, th
shouting and the ''doings.'
Former Secretary of War, Elihu ROOF
Twas temporary chairman, presided q
day Tuesday and made an eloquent
able, scholarly address. Wednesday tn
permanent organization was eifectet
Uncle joe Cannon, speaker Of th
House, being placed in charge and mai
. ing an old fashioned. off hand, heal
, to heart talk, which carried ever.
! thing by storm, put everybody In goo
!" humor and kept them there. Thur
:, day four hours session was consnmt
! by the nominating speeches, the re
calls and the s'outbursts the latt
d proving much more interesting to Y
i Leverage spectator as you can see mn'
g better than you can hear in such an
= sembly and hall as this.
= And genuine and umbounded enthu
: asm was there without any mistaE
4 There was none Of the this is SO So
Il den" business, because it was just T
id expected that happened, and being
lg contest there was no victory to celebrs
re- on one side, with nearly as many mt
= !. disappointed or sore ones on the 9th
= to be fixed up afterwards. EveryDo
!, was ON the winning side and eyerybo
shouted for Teddy and was satisti'
AS 81. Adam Bede, the brilliant MIN
sofa congressman put it, at an 10y
ny iow' meeting in the Auditorium Tu
a. Iay night: with Teddy for pfesld'
a and Fairbanks or any other old pair
inf scales for vice president, the democra
it's party will be weighed in the balan
in. and found wanting. The New Il
is. delegation made no silly demonstrst
lp- over Teddy, but It left no room
~ doubt when the state stood, IS was
"a over the first and only president =
80 York republicans ever furnished the
ay, public. Senators, congressman, e
lis the stately and elegant Chauncey
un- pew, got on top of chairs, waved /
or ana handkerchiefs and shouted q
y selves hoarse when their favorlte
'lns was named. For twenty-five min
49, after Ex-Goy Black In q polished spt
any named Theodore Roosevelt for the
lii president pandemoniunl was loose
w. refused 10 be restrained There
10 planned surprises or worked np