The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-21
GRAND OLD PARTY
COHORTS UNITED
Thirteenth National Convention
of the Followers Of Lincoln
in Session.
FORMER SECRETARY
OF WAR PRESIDING
Minnesota's Governor F:vokes
First Enthusiasm for Roose- u
welt as Party Leader.

Chicago, June 21.-The republican
national convention, the thirteenth in
the party's history, met in the Col
lseum at noon to-day and organized.
The grand climax, the nominations.
will not be reached until the third
day. Senator Depew calls to-day
curtain raiser for the more serious
drama Of tomorrow and Thursday.
The curtain raiser was in itself an abs
sorbing production.
Weather predictions were disturb.
ing. There was a suggestion Of rain
In the air and the sun had a struggle
all the morning with clouds banked
up over the lake. Fresh breezes from
the northwest cooled the temperature,
but indoors, out of reach Of the
breeze, the day was hot.
Five acres of seats under the arches
past 10 o'clock. Black dots appeared
in the emptiness, the videttes of that
huge assemblage, which presently
shaped into the convention.
The interest that had for two days
eddied gently around fifty state or ter
ritorial headquarters concentrated
upon these five steel-covered acres, or,
of delegates chairs painted green in
front Of a crimson carpeted rostrum
set with Flemish oak furniture. The
table, was solid piece fit to stand the
blows to be beaten upon it.
Some Hearts Burned.
AS thin lines Of delegates and other
ticket holders entered from many en-
frances the watchers outside grew into
a multitude, and some hearts burned
over fruft1ess plannings for adnis-
sion. But most Of those outside were
satisfied with the mild thrill of befna
in the neighborhood Of where larga
things were to be done. for the first
session Of the national convention
was an imposing fact, even If It's gem
eral results were certainties before
hand.
The Coliseum is not yet historic. Il
has been place for roller skating,
balls and the circus yet old conven-
ton hands thought it the best-propor-
toned and arranged convention hall
in the United States. The outside
walls are Of stone with castellated
turrets, SO the first impression is that
of city armory. Inside the wide
concaves of steel, If black, would
make the place look like railway
station, but es they are white, relieved
by stands Of flags, the effect was
pleasing.
The first mental effort after looking
at the immensely Of the seats, parterre
raising on parterre, was to estimate
the total. 1t turned out to be about
$500 numbered places, including the
bank Of $50 rising behind the chair
man.
Portrait Of Hanna.
Above this terrace Of seats hung the
colossal portrait Of the late Senator
Hanna on a canvas 20x17 feet.
Portraits Of the president with flags
about them were placed at regular In
tervals around the ampitheater. A
bannerette Of the Home Market club
Of Boston swung near the roof oppo-
site the chairman.
Underneath the rostrum and stretch
ing the whole length Of the basement
was one of the most curious sights OF
the convention, the paraphernalia and
the workers who communicated to the
millions what the thousands saw.
Into this space was let hundreds Of
wires, more than 500, that connect di-
rectly with the principal newspapers
of the country and with the agencies
that transmit news over the seas.
More than 100 telephones were work /
ing and upward of 400 telegraph in
struments. A thousand reporters,
operators and messengers manned this
4I1 S~.1- NIs