The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-06-20
WILD
OYER PRESIDENT

Chicago. June 1S.-The Republican
/ national convention was called to
order bs Chairman Lodge shortly after
10 O'Clock tnis morning VIII the
platform is adopted speeches nlminat-
ing candidates ior president will be in
! orf.r
Tine second day of the convention
brought The ioug.eNpcctod Roosevelt
/ ycn whislniul OF enthusiasm which
ragged Within the vast amphithcatrc OF
tlc Coliseum for fully forty-dye min
atcs. and for time presenting 10 the
unid the spectre OF Roosevelt STAN
pede This demonstration was decided
/ IS the feature of day otherwise no
table for a stirring speech from the
! permanent chairman of the cOnvcn-
tion. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. OF
Massachusetts,. for much practical pro
cedure in placing the convention on a
| smooth running basis. and fo- the final
defeat Of the plan TO reduce the repre-
sentation OF southern states at future
national conventions.
Taft's Opposition Crushed.
The convention adopted the report
OF The committee on credentials. seat
ing the Taft delegations practically in
toto lf there had been any lingering
doubt Of the TAFT strength. il disap-
pcared before this decisive action.
which in cncct placed upwards OF 200
delegates IN the Tart column Equally
important. and even more remarkable.
was the nnal acceptance OF this result
by Che allies. without the formality
oi dissenting minority report. and
without carrying the question To tho
floor of the convention for the Omen
lght which had been long threatened.
Instead of this all further opposition
seemed 60 crumble. those who had
promised trouble quietly accepted the
Inevitable. and thus the path was
cleared for the fuifllment OF plans al
ready wen maturod for the nomination
of thc head Of the ticket The favor
.te sons still have. however. their
bands OF steadfast supporters who will
chow their loyalty when the first ballot
&c taken.
The scene within the Coliseum Wed
neslay repeated that of Tu, sday in tho
magnitude and brilliancy of it's spec
tacuiar features. Again every seat wa.
occupied and 1900 people. packina
floors ana aislos and galleries and plat
form. Joined in the ebb and flow OF
agitation and enthusiasm Temporar,
Chairman Burrows called the conven
ton 70 order. but the delay OF commit
tees in reporting gave an hour for di
version before the serious work OF the
day was begun. This time was given
over 10 the visiting clubs. with bands
and vocal choruses. bearing banners
and strange devices of c. O. p. ele-
plants.
This diversion over. the convention
turned TO the committee reports. First
was that OF credentials-the very foun.
dation on which delegates held their
seats and voted. Il was presented bv
Senator Fulton. of Oregon. in a three
minute speech stating that the action
of the national committee had been
fully justified and upheld For a mo.
ment delegates looked about for the
fre-breathing BoOkwalter. OF Indiana.
who had led the minority forces and
had promised a lively fight on the
door. But Mr BOokwalter sat with the
Indiana delegation, shaking his head
in answer to inquiries and announced
that the fight had been abandoned as
only three delegates would undertake
to bear the brunt OF contest on the
hoor. The report was quickly approx
ed with only a few scattered votes in
opposition.
The presentation Of the report on
permanent organization was the signal
I fnr
as temporary chairman and to escort
to the platform the permanent chair
man of the convention. Senator Lodge.
Of Massachusetts. Mr.. Lodge. trim
and businesslike. looked as from a
later generation than the white-haired
retiring chairman. His voice. too. had
that resonant New England twang
which made 1t ring out TO the furthest
corners Of the galleries. carrying met
aphor and sarcasm which started the
listeners 20 attention and applause.
THE fevered fancy of an uneasy
dream" was his indictment hurled
against the visionary policies OF op-
position parties
Wild Enthusiasm For Roosevelt.
The applause had hardly died away
WhCA i~Dlbt MS
which electrified the assemblage into
rs first real demonstration of Wild en-.
.husiasm.
The president" exclaimed Mr..
Lodge. is the best abused and mos,
popular man in the United States to.
day"
This was the long awaited signal
Instantly a shout brok,Sfrom the gal.
leries and was echoed back from the
floor. at frst only a tempest of de.
taohed yells and cat-calls and shouts
Of Teddy" but gradually gathering
force and volume until 1t swelled to a
whirlwind of sound and motion. as
delegates and spectators rose en-masse,
mounting chairs. waving banners,
hats. handkerchiefs. flags newspapers.
anything which could be seized upon
TO add turbulance to the scene. Amid
the tumult the band struck up. but the
crash of the brasses and drums was
completely lost in the babel of sound
which weiled up from $4,000 throats.
For the first minute Senator Lodge
stood waiting to proceed, occasionally
raising his hand for silence, only to
awaken a defiant yell twice louder
than before.
Five minutes passed, and instead OF
abating, the uproar was increasing.
The sergeant-at-arms moved up a chair
for fha r,raofdfno oNoo~ - O.