The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-08-04
AS Mr.. GRAVES SAW 1T.
Brilliant Orator Of Southland Gives Pen Pictures
of St. Louis COnyeaG>l.
of St. Louis Convent II.

, No oID who sat through the eleven
hour-all-nightsession Of the Democrat
ic convention Of 1904 is ever likely to
forget
Il was without a precedent in incl
dent in dramatic intensity and viii
be historic in results.
It IS doubtful if such a succession OF
vivid scenes and powerful incidents
have ever occurred in a political as
sembly in America.
Let us understand the scene. The
Coliseum is an immense oblong build
ing. capable Of seating 10000 people,
and, with the floor space filled, per
haps 1900. Just in front * the
speakers stand sat the regular dele
gates to the convention, a thousand
strong. This body numbered about
one-twelfih OF at least onetenth, OF
the great assemblage. This vast
audience was not made up of the rab-
bic nor void of a purely local origin.
They were well dressed men and wo-
Fnen Ct the highest order of wit and
intelligence. as was evidenced by the
many brilliant comments ana questions
hurled from time to time at the speak
ers and the officers OF the convention.
There were 200 Georgians there, 500
Texans, about ZOO Nebraskans, while
Illinois and Kansas had several thou
sand each Scarcely more than half
the audience was from Missouri, ard
in It's caliber. It's interest, its zeal. its
patient waiting and SIS genial wit, It
was as reproseutaliv. an American
audience as has 3cen assembled any
where.
From the first 20 lest 10 was 4 battle
royal OF delegates against audience.
Solid, compact, level and with minds
fixed, the phalanz of a thousand dele
gates occupied The center of the Coli-
scum. In this rank the reorganizers
were in full control. They stormed
little and applauded seldom, and when
they moved they moved with unbrok-
en- ranks and unchanged expressions
Of loyalty for that which they had
come to do But the vast audience,
mighty multitude. rising tier on tier
20 the last gallery and stretching far
out into the widewings, packed and
iammed with representative men and
women Of the American Democracy
this mighty crowd was heart and soul
with the minority Of the regulars on
the floor.
Bryan and Hearst were its idols
and for every defeat administered to
their leaders on tho floor by the ma.
jority the $4,000 auditors consoled
them with thunders Of applause and
tempests OF cheers. There delegates
were for Parker, but the audience was
ready to folIow Bryan or Hearst or
Cockrell to any charge or assault.
Parker's men had the votes, but the
sea of popular sentiment surged and
thuntcred about rfe idols OF the old
Democracy
Elevep hours OF consecutive speak
ing-from 1880 p. m. TO $3.50 a M
lasting from twilight to sunrise-witb
scarcely a seat deserted or a moment
without it's passion Of enthusiasm.
Parkers forces were handled with
consummate skin and frmness. They
never lost point nor missed an op-
portunity.
The priiliancy and resourcefulness
Of the opposition was simply superb,
but its indefinite legions always re.
coiled irer, the stone wall Of perfect
organization before it.
cockrell Of Missouri, had in volume
af scenic effect the ovation Of the con-
yention. Nothing in the history Of
conventions ever eoualled the thrill
ing and suggestive beauty Of thai sea
Of ten thousand hags waving IN the
wildly enthusiastic hand Of men and
women of Missouri. Il fllod the am
phiiheater with the glory of the flag
and the name Of the brave old senator.
Curious enough these spangled wea.
pons of enthusiasm were captured by
accident from the Parker equipment,
and their premature use spoiled the
closing scene OF the Parker triumph.
Tho flags about 10000 in number had
been procured by the Parker men, and
had just been distributed with instruc-
tions 20 wave them when Parker was
nominated
champ Clark, in nominating Cock
rell shot this electric sentence into
the air
Talk about the courage Of the Re
publican PRESIDENT Old cockrell is
braver than Roosevelt"
And then pandemonium broke loose
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