Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-20
Roosevelt and Taft Demonstrations.

Roosevelt and aft Demonstrations.
Up until the roll was called for the
nomination of the candidate for presi-
dent there was danger Of a Roose-
velt stampede. Even then the results
from the first four states in the roll
call were not heard for the deafening
noise of the Roosevelt boomers. When
the excitement quieted down sufficient
ly for the crowd to hear the Taft
votes there was quiet, but the noise
broke out afresh when Pennsylvania
gave three votes to Roosevelt.
The Taft demonstration was all that
could be asked, and 1t was proof that
the nominee is strong IN the affections
of the people For % minutes the
sixteen thousand people In the large
hall were wild with enthusiasm. It
was spontaneous outburst that
gathered strength as it proceeded uu.
til it looked for time as If the Roose-
welt demonstration Of the preceding
day was to be ontdone. 1t was the
hottest day of the season in Chicago,
however and the perspiring throng
wedged into the Coliseum was compel
fore the Roosevelt record was
equalad.
The fight on the platform did not
occupy the time that was expected
and this brought about the nomina-
tion earlier than was planned. It was
thought for time that the conyen-
tion would be able to nominate q
vice president also before the day
closed and reach adjournment before
night. After eight hours Of hard work
brought put the one nomination, how
ever, the convention adjourned until
10 o'clock this morning, as no one
was in the humor of continuing the
session longer.
The delay in the nomination was
brought about by the long winded
nominating and seconded speeches
Some Of the speeches were so long
and SO tiresome that the crowds took
a hand and aided the speakers
in cutting them short. The leaders
of the forlorn hopes came to the con
vention with great chunks of oratory
In their system, and they uniformly
stuck with the Job until they had
delivered them, though there was nc
chance Of their speeches changing the
result of the vote, and though the
hall was so crowded that few in the
hall could follow the remarks.
MCGEE the Star Orator.
The real gem among the nominating
speeches was the last of the day, de
livered in behalf of Senator LaFollette
by G. S. MCGEE of Woukesha, Wis
MCGEE is youthful appearing man
who made no impression whatever
when he first took the stand, especial
ly as the speaker who had preceded
him had talked for solid hour anc
been howled down. But before he hac
spoken ten words the crowd began tt
take notice. In few minutes the hal
was in absolute quiet and when he
reached the peroration in secondins
the nomination of LaFollette dem
lonstration was started that was frs
a McGee demonstration, tehn LaFol
lette demonstration, and it was con
tlnued indefinitely as a Roosevelt
demonstration, when some one in tn,
crowd unfuried a mammoth flag il
the center Of which was large pho
I tograph of the strenuous leader
/ Another telling speech was that o
Charles Bookwalter, the mayor of In
4 dianapolis, who seconded Fairbanks
nomination. Mr.. Bookwalter, who is
former printer ard is still membe
of the typographical union, was thu
first man to get through without al
interruption from the crowd.
Congressman Theodore E. Burton
of Ohio, the man who ran agains
Tom Johnson in the Cleveland mayor
atty race, made the speech nominal
ing Secretary Taft, presenting one o
the most forceful arguments of tn
day. George Knight of California
made the seconding speech.
Governor Frank Hanley of Indian
placed the name of Vice Presiden
Fairbanks before the convention. H
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