Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-07-01
Some Incidents Of the Convention.


An Associated Press dispatch, last
week, gave an altogether erroneous
impression regarding the interest man
Tested at the Chicago Republican con-
vention. 1t vas stated that there was
a squabble for admission, that the
strife for preference was excessive, and
that bonus Of $50 had been offered
for seats.
Now comes cold facts, the truth
regarding an assemblage which was in
truth meeting called to ratify the
imperial will of the man now in the
saddle and who rules his party with
rod OF iron.
Probably no better or more truthful
account OF the opening OF the conven-
ton has been written than that OF
Samuel G. Blythe, a wide-awakc cor
respondent of the leading papers in
the East. Among other salient fea-
lures of the first day, he notes that it
was liieless, dull and inert; that the
manufactured cheers were so dispirit
ing that the cheerers could not pro-
long them beyond a minute; that the
unwilling of the portrait OF Roosevelt,
intended to be the browning sensation
of the day, fell flat; every assistant to
the Sergeant-at.Arms, every usher and
every doorkeeper had been instructed
to applaud until weary, when this
spectacle was presented. They tried;
they failed because the convention
would not respond. The "key.note"
speech of Manager Root failed to Vi
brate, and that fact was attributed to
acoustic defects OF the hall. There
were ] 900 seats vacant just before the
convention adjourned.
A minister named Frost opened the
convention, and when the delegates
from Alaska we're cheered, the band
played, II wonder what makes it
snow" The magic name OF Roosevelt
aroused cheers which lasted only 35
seconds one time and As seconds at
another, when his picture was unveiled
as a dramatic crisis.
The 200 Sergeants.at-Arms. ushers
and doorkeepers were instructed to
claque on every occasion; and they
earned their money. for often when
the applause suddenly abated from
want Of interest, the paid machine
applause continued till wave of hand
by the Sergeant-at.Arms gave notice
that it was time 10 quit.
Senator Fairbanks was greeted with
Fairy Tales" by the band when he
entered, which was probably intended
rs gentle admonition to avoid the
sacrificial altar.
Plat received the cold shoulder in
the convention: melody appeared to
take any notice of him. He was pro-
badly as comfortable, however, as the
remainder OF the delegates, and much
cooler than some of them with their
enforced duty of creating a show OF
enthusiasm which did not exist.
The convention hall was decorated
with innumerable cheap Autographs
of Roosevelt, but the portrait OF Hanna
that hung behind the Speakers plat
form received more attention and evi.
dences of reverence and regard than all
the portraits of the Rough Rider, even
the one carried in by four men on an
easel covered with flag. This was
intended to have been q grand climax,
and the Sergeant.at-Arms endeavored
to make it 80, but the effort fell still.
born.
The only ripple OF discord on the
floor of the convention was in deciding
. contest from Wisconsin between the
Spooner and LaFollette delegations.
Payne, Chairman of the National
Committee, had placed the Spooner
delegation on the convention roll, az
the regular ring representatives., sup.
ported by the 26 Senators on the floor
OF the convention, Mr.. Babcock, who
dispenses the funds of the Congress.
sionsl committee, the Postofice clique
under leadership OF Postmaster Gen.
eral Payne, and the railroad influence
OF the country, which is arrayed against
La Folette because he demands that
they treat the people fairly. Though
that delegation held tho credentials Of
election, the Spooner delegates were
placed on the convention roll, on oral
statements without examination oil
papers, and senatorial courtesy
went 80 far IS to seat the delegates
recommended by Senator Spooner and
rejecting those chosen by the people
Thereupon the LaFollette delegates
returned home to submit the matter
to the people, and it may be in the
form of another ticket OF Presidential
electors in Wisconsin.
While, on the second day, the speech
of Speaker Cannon, as Permanen,
Chairman, was literally applauded, il
was An outburst that seemed to result
in . chance lift of the safety-valve
from prolonged suppression, vent o.
feeling that had been kept under con-
troll by great effort, but still it wal
noted that the New York delegation
were not carried away by the oppor
tunity for relief OF strained nerves
Several other delegations, and among
them of Pennsylvania, Ohio. Yves,
Virginia and New Jersey, seemed to b.
unable to Danish that ",ired feeling