The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-06-16

Of he cooked ane. smoky hotel l3Db:os,
to, strains of .lt.sic and the swell It
o-at1ry from some of the neadqnar-
.tess Of candidates, and the %Dounteaus
hospitality which these headquarters
are beginning to dispense.
This foregathering OF the Chicago
convention of 1908 has already ecta5.
.lished a record for unusual calm and
tranquility, for measured by the din.
amt Il lmoil, the scenes Of de!irious
excite ment and the spirit Of d;e.in-the-
last ditch, which has markell some
historic gatherings of the past, this
lnyaGing army Of delegates ;ani spec
tutors is a most staid and unen.o: ioral
l,ody. But it is N the less IN army,
with new columns coming to tha icons
l.onlly, and with the prosDe. Of
plenty of hurran aud fireworks ah ri
to animate the leaders and stir taa
blood of the onlookers. "A drizzling
ram tonight after a hot, muggy day,
tended to restrain the outblrs:s Of
en1:nl siasm, but there is a promise
of good convention weather aheaL
Notables Arriving.
The centers of interest today have
been the arriving delegations, with
many of the leaders of cOnsplcn3rs
n%ationa!. prominence and others III the
vs.r;cls political candidates Among
the notable convention figures. to ar
ed States senator from Pennsylvania,
who has not attended a national con-
vention since 1880, when he stood with
Roscoe Conkling and John A. Logan
as the leaders of the third term move
ment in the interest Of General Grant;
Henry Taft, brother Of the secretary
of war; Chauncey M. Depew, who
eight years ago attended the Philadel-
phia convention and made a speech
seconding the nomination Of Roose-
welt for vice presidents Representa-
tive Serene Payne Of New York, chair
man of the ways and means commit
tee of the house Of representatives,
who bears on his ample shoulders q
good deal Of the burden Of future
tariff revision; United States Senator
Long of Kansas, who is reputed to
have the Dolliver vice presidential
boom in cold storage; James s. Sher-
man and Timothy L. Woodruff Of New
York, both receptive vice presidential
possibilities; Ex-Governor Yates OF
Illinois, who is clean shaver with ac-
tor like face and willingness to con-
slider his return to the governors
chair, and a host of others notable In
the political world.
The rank and file Of the state dele
cations are rather late in arriving
and organizing as compared with pre-
vious conventions. But most OF the
states have their advance guards here.
New York's delegation arrived by a
special train at noon; a considerable
part of the Pennsylvania delegation
was added to that already here and
other state contingents struggled in
during the afternoon and evening.
The Americas club Of Pittsburg, an
active Knox organization with hand
some uniforms and gay colored UNI
hrellas, marched through the streets
and gave a ~foretaste OF the Genes to
come.
The Taft headquarters are divided
between three of the large hotels,
( ut the storm center Of Taft activity
is at the Auditorium Annex. Here a
: aries Of parlors have been made
gorgeous with banners and bunting
and electric lights, while the genial
face of the secretary Of war smiles
down from every wall. AS yet, how
ever, the Taft headquarters have not
been formally opened to the public,
and the Taft movement has its chief
impulsion in the quiet councils In an
upper chamber of the hotel, where Ar.
thur /. vorys, Ex-Governor Herrick
and Charles r. Taft Of Cincinnati and
brother Of the secretary, hold their
deliberations.
Hughes Headquarters Brilliant.
The Hughes headquarters took on
an added brilliancy at the Auditorium
after the New York delegation arrive J
today, for whatever their personal sen.
timent may be toward the governo",
they are standing by the instructions
Of the state convention for him. Ac'
cording!y a huge portrait Of the gov
ernor was mounted aloft in the hotei
lobby, topped by a srnburst Of :ed,
white aSd blue, with Hughes" IL
electric letters two feet high just oe.
low.
SdllAOA McH WCI0 SOAAC WAhs
envious of these two-fyot letters, and
tt night Joe Cannon" is blazing forth
from the frlnt of the Auditorium IN
letters ten feet high. The Cannon
headquarters present a picture Of gen.
uine convention enthusiasm tonight,
as the doors have been thrown open
for the reception Of the republic the
music of a brass band and a patriotic
g!ee club, echoes through the CORR.
dors orators are expounding the vir-
tues Of "Uncle Joe" and sumptuous
good cheer is being passed around to
all who will partake.
The Knox and Foraker headQuart-
ers are centers of attraction each re
splendent with color and electricity,
but the real enthusiasm awaits the ar
rival of the rank and file supporters
Of these candidates.
Usual Spirit Of Contest Lacking.
Aside from these outward phases OF