The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-07-15
All Factions Are Now
United for a Great
Victory.
BRYAN GETS AN OVATION.
The National Convention Took
Four Days to Do Its Work,
but Did it Well. Bryan
a Prominent
Figure.

q Prominent
Figure.
The Democratic National Conven-
tion convened at St. Louis Wednesday.
Long before the doors were swung
open vast crowds thronged the streets
In the vicinity Of the main entrance
TO the exposition building, where the
convention met. In the Surging line
were men and women, and visiting
political organizations, eagerly seeking
entrance. Those vino nave charge of
the distribution Of the tickets of ad-
mission have been deluged with re.
quests for them, but as cards have
been provided only to the extent Of
the seating capacity of the hall, many
persons were disappointed.
The decorations Of the hall wer.. nm
dertaken on most elaborate scale and
The pleasing and effective scheme has
been carried out to the minute de-
tails. The great dome ceiling which
rises high above the floor is covered
with fabric of solid yellow, with
here and their tlounces of white ma
terial carrying out the architectural
design. Within each Of the sections
OF the ceiling is the seal of CAe Of the
stataS States an and :, stand of colors, while in
front Of the gallery spaces are feStOons
Of white cloth. The walls are adorned
d with the national emblems forming a
frame from the colossal color picture
over head.
The splendor Of the various colored
/ gowns worn by the large number Of
ladies occupying seats in the galleries
So and the ever moving fans gave the
gi,fa 81 toaeh1 ul1d cT1fn pIeted a scene
both spectacular and picturesque.
81 Flowers were eliminated for the
scheme. with the exception of bo.
uquets on the tables, on the chair
mans platform, plants and blossoms
were not in evidence, preference hav-
Ing been given by the designers to
more enduring decorative materials.
AN IMMENSE AAIPHITHEATRE.
The hall is an Immense amphithe-
atre admirably arranged for nation
al convention and especially arranged
so that all available room may be uti-
lized to the greatest possible advan-
taRe. Those charged with the prepar-
alton evidently grasped the situation.
The accommodations for the general
public, and espe cially for the press,
are much more complete than they
were at the Chicago convention and
the best fo. the latter that have ever
been pre- "ided at a national conven-
tion, every facility for the reporting
III une proceedings and the prompt dis.
patch ofNthc rewS Of the world at
large beinAaifOrde
A stream Of visitors and drizZ' OF
delegates and alte mates were curing
into the hall an hour before tie time
set for the opening OF the convention.
The big men, the directors OF political
strategy, were not as prompt in ar
irving. Beside the novelty Of viewing
a great convention, many OF them are
constantly haunted by the dread that
a conspiracy is afoot to deprive them
of their seats, and, fearful OF catas-
trophy in the great demand for tick
cts which has existed for the last few
days, the anxious ones hurried to
plant themselves in their seats befole
any other person should pre-empt
them. The hall itself is not well
lighted by the sun, there being win
dows on but thee sides, and these are
Close 10 OIIlcT DullQlDRS.
There is no opening in the roof to
permit the escape Of the heated air
and even before one-tenth Of the dele
gates had arrived it became uncomfort-
ably warm. The windows open but
half way, and are on the level of the
top row OF seats in the gallery. BY
the time the hall was one third filled
the heat began to increase to notice
able degree. The great majority Of
the delegates and visitors had pro-
vided themselves with fans, and the
auditorium, viewed from the speaker S
desk, was one yellow hutter as the
a3aln Yeaf fans bobbed back and forth.
The delegates lost but little time in
getting outside Of their coats and the
complexion OF the lower part OF the
hail. black at first, because lighter and
lighter as the coats disappeared and
the shirt sleeves become evident.
FIRST RIPPLE OF APPLAUSE.
The first ripple Of applause that
went across the convention came from
the galleries when the Texas delega-
tion marched in bearing their flag OF
red white and blue with the single
star.
A white silk banner bearing the in
Scription: Florida Democracy, safe
and sound" was borne into the hall
shortly after Texas had arrived and
was also greeted with applause. This
was five minutes before II, and up tC
that time not hand clap had been
offered to any man who had entered
the hall. The platform was crowded
with members Of the national com
mitGee, but the crowd paid no atten-
tion. The Philippine delegation came
In with their banner, which was not
tioating free like those that hAd en-
tered before it,. 1t was an American
flag of silk wrapped closely around the
staff aud tied hard and fast. This
was done, according to one OF the
Philippine delegatian with delib-
crate INTENT" as If to show that the
Democratic convention did not recog.
nlze the Philippines as q part of the