The daily sentinel., 1908-06-15
Especial to The sentlnel.)

wildly and with the scent of battle
in his proboscis, trifle angered, per-
haps, by the prodding of ambitious
ones who are attempting to climb
upon his back, but still sound in wind
and slimb and eager for the fray, the
old war elephant of the Grand Old
Party was again led forth in Chicago
today. II is well that the aged beast
of burden is in good condition. for If
the enthusiasm of the Taft boomers
today is any criterion. the G. o. p.
elephant will have a hsfty candidate
to carry in this years race. While
the main show in the Coliseum Will
not open until noon tomorrow. prac-
tically all the performers, scene shift
ers and audience are now in the city
and every tavern in the big town is
displaying a standing room only
sign.
While many of the thirteen preced-
ing national conventions of the Re
publican party have not been lacking
in spectacular features, this years
performance promises to be the live
liest in its history. While all the
surface indications point to the
speedy nomination of Taft. probably
on the first ballot, the specter of
Second elective term" and a stam
the background. Not all of the allies
have yet given up hope and the sup
porters of Hughes, Fairbanks. Knox
and Cannon are at times able to make
themselves heard above the deafen-
ing din of the Taft men.
Manager Frank II. Hitchcock. of
the Taft headquarters. is claiming
700 votes for his candidate on the
first ballot and declares that no other
candidate will be seriously consider
ed. As only 491 votes are necessary
to nominate, a loss of 200 from this
estimate would still leave Taft the
victor. Manager Humphrey of the
Hughes headquarters alleges that the
New York candidate will receive not
less than 1875 votes on the first bal
lot.
Despite the repeated declaratic" :"
President Roosevelt that he will not
accept another nomination. the move
ment started by Senator Jonathan
Bourne, of Oregon, is apparently
gaining strength among the dele
gates A circular. is being distribut-
| ed among the delegates, setting forth
that Roosevelt is the only candidate
who could win Republican victory
this fall and giving the following rea-
sons why Taft should not be nomi-
mated:
1.-The Secretary of War has incur
red the displeasure of the Jews,
which will follow him to the polls,
because of his visit to the Car of
Russia on his most recent trip
abroad.
"Mr. Taft has incurred the openly
announced hostility of the negroes
because of his action in the Brown
Vile case.
1.-The Secretary will encounter the
almost solid opposition of labor be-
cause of his strike-injunction record.
And finally, that his Memorial
Day speech has incurred for him the
not archaeological opposition of the
Grand Army OF the Republic and its
affiliations"
The Coliseum-the scene of many
historic gatherings now ready for
the opening of the convention, the
final touch to the decorations having
been added today. Both the interior
and the exterior of the big edifice
have been decorated in a lavish and
artistic manner.
Many changes have been made in
the interior the most radical of these
being an entire change in the seating
arrangements. The platform. instead
of being at the center of one side of
the Coliseum, is at one end. This
does not decrease the number of
seats. but will permit all who occupy
seats both to see and to hear all the
proceedings.
The total number of seats. is L.
oil. which includes the seats pro-
vided in the balcony that extends
around the hall. on a raised plat
form above the floor of the audi
torium are seats for the chairman
and secretaries of the convention and
fifty-six seats for members of the
National Committee. The section
Immediately in the rear of the plat
form provided for specially invited
guests contains 1,S26 seats. Directly
in front of the platform and extend
ing on both sides of it are the sec
tions provided for working members
of the press. These sections give
desk room for 416 writer's. nearly
100 more than were provided for at
the last convention.
In the body of the hall 1000 seats
are provided for the delegates and
Immediately back of them 1000
more have been set aside for the
alternates. On each side of these two
sections and in the rear of them are
3.615 seats for the spectators, these
sections being arranged in amphi-
theatre style. The balcony sections
contain 3,19S seats for the general
public. most of them being very de-
sirable.
Entrances to the hall are provided
on all sides, the total numbering II,
exclusive of several stairway en-
frances from the basement to the
platform and guests sections. In the
basement admirable arrangements
have. been made for the convenience
of the delegates, alternates and the
members of the press. Telegraph
and telephone offices have been es'