Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-07
DENVER A PLACE
OF HOSPITALITY
CITY HAS MORE DEcoRA.
TIoNs IN THREE BLOCKS THAN
CHICAGO COULD MUSTER IN
WHOLE ciTY-Is SIGNIFICANT
IRy j. K. poueHERTY,1

Denver, July 6.-(Special)
mile high town has gone Democratic.
Gold Democrats, silver Democrats,
Jeffersonian Democrats and Missouri
Democrats-they,re all here and look
happy. They're oil for Bryan for
president, any man that Bryan wants
for vice president, any plank that
Bryan wants for his platform and any
thing else in season or out Of season,
in reason or beyond the bonds of rea-
son that the man at the other end Of
the long distance phone in Lincoln
may express the least desire for.
There Is just a hint at times,
though. that they are spreading this
harmony on too thick, When Char
ley Murphy, the big boss of Tammany,
and the other parties who moved
around about four years ago with a
big blunt ak to swing on Mr.. Bryan,
now express such boundiess delight in
kowtowing before the one time boy
orator Of the Platte, but more recent
" the real mar behind, there is sus-
picion that they may have something
up their sleeves.
But they seem to realize that oppo-
sition Is futile and they are making
the best Of 1t. THIS may not be alto
gether pleasant TO the anti-Bryanites,
but 1t Is much more satisfactory to the
rest of the convention crowd, for It
gives such harmonious appearance
to the situation.
Compare Convention Cities.
1t is interesting to compare the two
cities. as convention seats. Chicago
had few decorations, none except In
the hotels, and the only ones who
took notice, apparently. Of the con-
vention crowds, were those who want
ed to get money from them. IN q
word, Chicago was Indifferent to q
degree that made people wonder IL,
after all, 1t was not merely spirit of
commercaaHsm that caused her to
work so hard to secure the conven-
ton.
On the other hand, Denver greets
her guests with huge "Welcome"
sign across the street at the union
depot, and nothing is left undone that
will help impress the welcome upon
your mind. st live in Denver; ask
me- is the advice that the visitor
sees on hundreds Of lapels, and If you
want to find out something about the
town the 'Denverite Is glad to tell you.
He generally adds interesting bit OF
Information or other and asks you
how you like the city. It would seem
that he and his 10000 or more fell
low citizens had put their heads to-
gether before the convention crowds
began arriving and had all agreed to
set an example In hospitality, Be that
as it may, they are giving the con-
vention visitors a good impression Of
the city and of its people, and they
are thus getting the worth of the
money they have put into the conyen-
ton fund.
Denver has more decorations in
three blocks than Chicago could mus
ter in the whole city, emitting, Gf
course, the Coliseum where the con-
vention was held. Flags f1utter from
over available poles along the main
streets; flags wave at you from the
windows Of hotels and Office buildings; !;
flags and bunting and colored lights
dazzle the. eye Of the pedestrians at
night, and pictures of Bryan-with a
few of Johnson and Gray-are dis
played everywhere, on the top of the
building across the street from the
Brown Palace hotel, which is the cen
ter of convention activity, is huge
sheet iron mule, three or four times
life-size, and at night this Democratic
animal, outlined in blazing lights, at
tracts attention for blocks. The ho-
tells vie with each other in the lavish
ness of their decorations, and the big
stores are doing their part splendidly
In fact. 1t would pc only partial
mention Of the convention to tell
about it without mentioning Denver )
efforts to make her guests feel at
home and to show their appreciation
Of the fact that the Democratic party
has elected to honor Mr. Bryan and
the candidate he may choose for his
running mate, here at the gateway to
the Rockies.
This Is Mr.. Bryan's Convention.
There has been little of the pre-
convention fighting, tuning and fuss
ing that was so prominent a part of
the Chicago gathering. The national
committee has, it is true, been in ses-
sion, but its work was perfunctory
(Continued OF page 50