Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1908-06-16
CONVENTION IS ON
INTEREST IS GREAT
NATIONAL CHAIRMAN NEW CALL
ED THE BIG CONVENTION
TO ORDER AT THE
NOON HOUR.
Twelve Thousand People
Packed the Great Coliseum, Including
Delegates, AIternates and Spec
tators-The Tension Is High.
Demand For Admission
Tickets Continues.
Special to the Herald.

Special to the Herald.
Chicago, June 16.-With uncertain-
ty as the dominating characteristic,
despite the leaders efforts to prepare
a cut and dried program, the 18th re.
publican national convention opened
at high noon in the great Coliseum.
The possibility of a stampede to
Roosevelt despite the seven hundred
votes claimed for Taft and the I'M
solved problem of the vice presidency,
had the delegates and spectators alike
on edge, and the possibility of fight
on the floor over putting the labor
planks in the platform increases the
uncertainty of the proceedings.
The enormous hall was packed
when National Chairman New of In
diana opened the proceedings of the
convention 1t is estimated that 12,-
900 people are present, including hun
dreds of women. A huge platform
one thousand feet long by one hun
bred and sixty deep, at the southern
end of the hall, accommodates the
leaders, the diplomats and honored
guests. The nine hundred and eighty
delegates and an equal number of al
ternates, including two Utah women,
occupy the main floor behind the re-
porters' section, and behind this
tiers of seats surmounted by galleries
ranged about three sides. of tl,.es..anlphi-
II Ii eat .afre- fE,,isd ieI1 l!.e;i5!
Everywhere flags and bunting of the
national colors form a beautiful deco
ration scheme.
There has been the greatest de-
mand for admission tickets ever
known inc history, and thousands of
people were lined up outside the hall
hours before the doors were opened
at 10 o'clock The crowd was enthu-
siastic from the start, and all delega
lions and leaders arriving were well
coined with demonstrations. Taft's
leaders got the greatest demonstra-
ton of any of the arrivals.
The program today will complete
the temporary organization, and ad-
journment will be taken until tomor-
row. The various committees will do
tl,St, I, ,rt
The anti-Taft leaders are again
talking defiantly, and claim they have
gained strategical advantage, but re-
fuse to discuss it or tell what it is
Senator Hemenway and Congressman
Burk, the real leaders of the Taft OPP
position, admit that there is little
hope. The Hughes boomers are the
most enthusiastic of the opposition.
The ants will make a hard fight be-
ore the credentials committee this |
afternoon, and will concentrate their |
Efforts on the Alabama contests |
There is little doubt but the work of |
he national committee will be ap-
proved in most of the contests.
The tentative draft of the republi-
an platform contains praises for
President Roosevelt, and says the ad-
marks an epoch in the
istory of the country, and pledges
difference to the Roosevelt policies.
congress is praised for the emergen-
y currency bill and other recent leg
Station, and calls for tariff revision
t a special session next March; up
olds the protection given and secur
y against foreign competition of the
industries; urges an amend
tent to the Sherman antitrust bill to
i've federal control of corporations,
ut relieves labor organizations, etc,
ON its Supervision; condemns Jim
row car laws; approves the policy
keeping the nation ready at all
mes for defense; promises ratifica-
on of Hague conference treaties,
nd declares that a continuance of the
resent policies requires the continu-
ace of the present party in power.
The platform also declares for s
to the statutes governing
e procedure in the federal courts to +
event the summary use of the in t.
notion while preserving the power s
the courts to enforce their process. i.
The opening scenes of the conven- n
IN were inspiring. Bands played W
lille the big hall was filling Chair al