The Washington times., 1904-07-07
BAD MANAGEMENT
At CONVENTION
1t Is Run by HOcus-POcuS
Methods.
INCOMPETENCE EVERYWHERE
Confusion in All Arrangements-Difh-
Guilty in Getting
Tickets.
INCOMPETENCE EVERYWHERE

ST. LOUIS, July THE Hon. Patrick |
a. Collins. mayor of Boston. has been q |
delegate to five Democratic National !
Conventions and has attended two more |
TO which he was not a delegate. Mayor |
Collins IS accustomed TO making the best
OF crowded hotels and crowded meeting |
halls After attending the session OF
the Democratic National Convention in |
this city yesterday Mayor Collins said:
This is a pigpen, run by pigs.
Noticeable Mismanagement,
That just about expresses what all
the delegates who have attended this
national convention have to say about
the manner in which IL has been man
aged. There has never been a gathering
OF national Importance IN which the
management of the routine details has
been so thoroughly muddled.
The Democratic convention Of 1896 at
Chicago and that OF Kansas City IN 19O0
violated good taste hagrantly, even in
the smallest amenities OF life, and We're
entirely disregardfHl OF the comfort OF
the delegates. This convention, how
CITY A'9 Jun ---'-'s anu
The matter of distributing tickets to
delegates and spectators is one which Is
managed by the local campaign commit
tee OF every political subdivision in
America with ease and diSpatch. Men
take them in charge and deliver them
10 the persons entitled 10 them
Tickets Badly Handled.
In this convention. howe@r, the dis
tribution Of the tickets has been carried
out on such plan that many Of them
have failed 10 reach their proper dest-
nation Many have gone to unauthoT-
fzed persons, and, while a great number
of persons are desirous OF gaining ad-
mission 10 the hall they cannot OBTAIN
tickets, and yet there are empty seats
in the hall.
The local committee Is at the mercy Of
the officers Of the Democratic National
Committee. Charles A Walsh, secretary
OF The committee, has had the handling
Of the tickets, and there never has been
such a hodge-pOdge, miXed-up mess IN
any national convention
Improper Distribution.
It is openly charged that Mr. Walsh
and his friends have distributed tickets
10 their personal friends who are not en-
titled 10 them. And the business men Of
St. Louis who contributed $4,000 10 pay
the expenses Of this convention have
been deprived Of tickets which were
theirs by right.
men themselves. The national commit
teemen say that certain officers Of the
national committee had given their
tickets TO all Of the Adelaides in Great
ion" The business men. however, de-
clare that Mr.. Walsh has given unlim-
lied seats, and the best in the house, TO
Hearst boomers and rOOters with whom
II is intended 10 pack the convention
An Invidious Comparison.
To see the difference between compe-
tent management and the Democratic
National Committee kind II is necessary
only to look on the outside and the in
The local committee and Chief of Po-
lice kiely have charge outside. They
have roped on the street in which this
convention hail stands. and no person
IS allowed on the sidewalks around II
unless he IS entitled 10 a seat in the
hall. Idlers and curiosity seekers are
kept on the other side OF the street.
The result is that there IS no crOwding,
no 1amming and no congestion outside
the door. Ticket holders show their
passes to police officer, and he directs
them TO the entrance they are 10 use.
But the moment a ticket holder gets out
Of the hands of the local committee and
into the hands OF the Hon Jim Jones
OUTFIT his troubles begin.
Duplicate Tickets.
One Of the favorite tricks Of the com
mittee appears TO have been 10 issue two
or three tickets for the same seat. Dupli-
cation Of tickets occurred in practically
every section.
Another thing that the employees of
sue conflicting Instructions 10 their sub
ordinates. Different assistants 20 the
sergeant-at-arms tell ticket holders that
their seats are in sections diametricauy
opposed 10 each other. and there IS no
court or appeals TO settle disputes which
arise IN this way.
During the course Of the convention
yesterday most OF the assistants were
CROWDED IN the vicinity OF the platform.
and when Temporary Chairman VIII
lams began his speech, the moment at
which in all Intclligently conducted
gatherings the aisles are cleared and
the ISLANDERS are driven 10 the rear, half
a hundred assistant sergeants-at-arrns
Jumped up on the railing around the
speaker platform and perched them
selves there IN q position TO cut of
view and sound from the delegates
Police and Firemen Act.
The confusion into which the conven-
tion fell was moderated once or twice
by the action OF uniformed city police
men and detectives who took upon them
selves the work which the sergeants-at-
arms should have done Orce IN
while. too, the n-cmen on duty in the
nall would order the aisles cleared but
as the worst offenders we're the officers
good.
In distributing the tickets Secretarv
Walsh devised siugular.y Ingenious
plan RE had all applicants 20 10 a
room situated AT the extreme end OF
a Np4AlADI ~ WHICH mere Was DuiE
one entrance. once IN the room a peT-
son had 20 beat his way ont against
the ever-grOw.ng thrOng Of men strup-
CLING 10 get IN. The messenger for Tho
various delegations averaged five hours
IN getting from the lobby OF tuc Jcffer-
son Hotel 10 Secretary WuIsh's table. q
distant OF 80 feet.
No Executive Ability.
When the Democratic party was in
the hands Of the conservative element
before 1896 there was nothing Of this
kind. Many Democrats said today that
Il was a mercy 20 the people OF the
United States that the Bryan-Jim Jones'
Walsh crowd never came into control
OF the Government, and IL this outfit
could not mauage a gathering OF 10 900
persons better than they have r. the
last three conventions they coUldn I
be much success IN handling a Govern
ment OF 100000 Of people
This Bryan-Jim JOncs-Naish element
II was declared, lacked the first prln-
ciples Of executive ability. They have
not the competency 70 run a good sized
peanut stand, IL was added Some OF