Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-06-25
TAFT NOMINATED
Gets 702 Votes Out of 979 Cast
at the Convention.
ON FIRST BALLOT.
Choice Made Unanimous After Re-
suit is Announced. Taft and
Roosevelt CheeWd to the Echo.
Convention Goes Wild in Shouts
For President.

Convention Goes Wild i'm Shouts
For President.
For president of the United States
VIM. III. Taft Of Ohio.
Taft on the first ballot: Taft by
7O2 votes-Taft by. the unanimous
consent OF the convention.
Such is the record of the culmi-
mating day of the Republican ma
tional convention of 1908, effected
amid scenes of tumultous enthusiasm
and after nerve-racking. continu-
Gus session lasting nearly eight
hours.
TIL picture within the walls of the
vast amphitheatre as the presidential
candidate was named Thursday was
one truly grandtose in its magni-
tude. In front. to the right and
left, below and above. the billowing
sea of humanity, restless after hours
OF waiting and stirred from one emo
ton to another, was in a fever of
expectancy for the eliminating vote
The favorite sons of other States
had been named, save Knox and La
Toilette, and now on the roll call
came Ohio. AS the Buckeye State
was reached, the tall. gaunt form
OF Theodore Il. Burton, with stu
dent-like face and severe black cleri-
cal garb, advanced to the platform
to nominate Ohio's candidate. He
spoke feverently, with the singing
voice of an evangelist, which went
ringing through the great building.
The close of his speech of nomina-
tion was the signal for loosing the
long pent-up feeling of the Taft legi-
ons, Instantly the Ohio delegates
were on their feet, other States fol-
LOVING, while the convention hosts
In gallery and on floor broke into
mad demonstration.
Taft! Taft! w. II. Taft" came
in roar from the Ohions
Mcgaphones seemed to spring from
concealed places and swell the Taft
tumulet into thunder. A huge blue
silk banner bearing the familiar fea-
lures of the secretary was swung be-
fore the delegates, awakening a
fresh whirlwind of enthusiasm
All semblance of order had been
abandoned and the delegates arena
was maelstrom of gesticulating
men; the guidons OF the States we're
snatched up by the Taft enthusiasts
or borne under the storm of disor-
der. The band was inaudible-a
mere whisper above the deafening
volume OF sound.
For 10, Is, then 20 minutes this
uproar continued. 1t was a repeti-
tion of the scene OF Wednesday,
when the name of Roosevelt threw
the convention into frenzy, repeated
in intensity and almost IN duration
But there Is limit to the physical
resources of throat and lung and at
last tho tired voices died down TO u
hoarse shout and finally subsidized.
The lull now gave the opportunity
for the speech seconding Tafts nom
iuation, by Geo. II. knight of Cali
fornia, his big, round face beaming
forth on the sympathetic multitude
End his splendid baritone voice we'll
ing forth like the tones of a great
church organ. California's tribute
to Taft was brief and fervid. Now
movement while the remaining can
didates were placed In nomination.
1t was late in the afternoon before
the convention, sweltering with the
intense heat and weary after nearly
seven hours continuous session,
reached the end of the food OF elo-
quence, and the decks were at last
clear for the eliminating act-the
ballot. But no; just az the last
swell OF oratoY, the seconding
speech for LaFollette, had died
away, like a cyclone from clear
sky burst a LaFollette demonstra-
tion which swept the convention from
It's very bearings. In was the same
deafening wave of sound that had
greeted Roosevelt and Taft little
while before, intense and maddening
and with the vital ring of genuine
enthusiasm. The delegates sat calm
and waiting, except the frantic Wis
consin men, but the convention for
the time being was in the possession
of the galleries.
Now a singular transformation oc-
.curred-gradually the whirlwind
yeered from LaFollette to Roosevelt.
A banner bearing the Roosevelt por-
trait and waved from the gallery was
the signal for the change.
Amid this pandemonium and with
the galleries in full control Chair
man Lodge ordered the roll call of
States to begin for the vote on pre-
sident Such call. under such cir
cumstances. has probably never be-
fore occurred in the history of ma
tional conventions. A ballot was
taken to nominate a candidate for
president while the convention was
cheering fraptically for a man whose
rame had not been presented to the
convention. The votes were being
counted for Taft while the people
were shouting for Roosevelt. The
delegates, however, cast their votes
unintiuenced by the calmor OF the
crowd. More than this, the firs'
States on the call. Alabama and AT
kansas. had been relied upon by