The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-17
Everything That Has Been Done Is Merely PerfunctOy
 With No Enthusiasm
TAFT DEMONSTRATION
 FLASHES IN THE PAN
Large Per Cent of Delegation of Mem bers Is Composed of Office Hold CTS and They Will Obey the
 Dictates of White House.

Chicago, June 16.-t Especial. At noon today the republican national conven- tion convened. Harry New, chairman Of the national committee, called 1t 10 order. He read the formal call and put Senator Burrows in nomination fot temporary chairmanship. New declared Burrows elected before there was n vote. None of the delegates seemed to care. Burrows spoke for an hour i.l praise of my policies" which he has consistently opposed in the Senate, and the convention adjourned until tomor- row.
 Within 10 feet of the presiding off cer's desk Is a teleph one. It connects directly with the White House and there Is an auxiliary leading into the office of the Secretary of War. Ohio tells it's own story. There was no necessity to use the phone today. The chances are that the receiver will not be removed during the entfre proceed ings.
 The convention is ratification meet ing. There was no entbusasm A big Taft demonstration had been planned. The Ohio delegates went to the con- veniton hall this morning. to rehearse it. An immense banner bearing the portrait of the Secretary of War was produced in convention bsIl. The band played Hail to the .G The Ohio delegates gave C banner was the Ohio delegates sat down looking sheepsh. It closely bordered upon umiliation.
 Roosevelt's Magic Name.
 Ten times did Chairman Burrows mention the name of the President in his opening address. This elicited the only applause on the part of the del- esates. In the auditorium annex last night man handed over crisp $1OO bill for a convention seat. Tonight he handed over the tickets for the re- maining sessions to friend and went back to New York. He said he could get more excitement on Broadway.
 The only feature of the convention is the talk of a third term for Roose- welt. He is the choice nine out of every 10 delegates. The town is full of 1t. Your barber will tell you with utmost assurance that Roosevelt will be renominated. The newsboys on the street see nothing else to it.
 Just wait and see.'' says the con- ductor on the street car. Teddy will get it hands down." says the first Chicagoan you happen to meet on the street These folks did not, of course, attend the opening session of the ma chine made convention and note the servile attitude of the delegates, their committees on credentials resolutions. permanent organization, etc.
 There may be Roosevelt landslide but when you consider the personnel of the convention you cannot reason out what will bring it about Take for in- stance, the list of delegations. On the first page appears the names of the dele gates from the state of Alabama There are 22 of them. Of this number nine are officeholders Then turn to the last state alphabetically and you will find that of Wyomings six delegates three are on the federal pay roll. It is the same way throughout. In other words, the Presi- dent ought to be able to control his own officeholders, who comprise nearly if not quite 50 per cent of the delegates, as H. lustrated in the Alabama and Wyoming cases.
 Wall Street for Taft.
 Unless the very unexpected happens the proceedings of today will be duplicated tomorrow, and every day thereafter until adjournment, which may be had Thurs day night. Wall street is represented here in a degree a little less formidabiy than the newspapers of the country It's agents are instructed to devote their time to but one thing-Roosevelt They are to jump upon any third term movement as soon as it Is talked. If there was ever a doubt where Wall street stands it would be dispelled in a second in any down. town hotel lobby.
 The banking interests, the corporation representatives are solidly for Taft. They are authorized to spend anything which will prevent a third term agitation. Taft will be supported by the financial inter ests of the east as enthusiastically as was Mckinley in 1896. This Wall street com boy combination is mighty hard to beat It catches the votes of the east and those of the west, and with Frank Hitchcock turning out of the convention every one who Is against Taft, it makes up three of kind well worth standing pat upon.
 w. g.