Mexico Missouri message., 1908-07-16
The Second paX.

So far as Colorado was concerned.
she had ordered a perfect day. There
was not n cloud In the sky, and the
snow-capped peaks Of the eternal
Rockies glared in the distance. But
they always glare. for every day in
Colorado is a day Of sunshine. How
different. too. was the atmosphere
from that dlshed up by the weather
man when the Republican convention
was on ut Chicago. In Denver there
was no waving OF fans. No coats
were removed-no Precipitation rolled
down the face OF the fat delegate from
New Jersey-all was cool and invlgor-
atlng.
Possibly this mile.hlgh atmosphere
had something to do with the endur-
ance and yelling power of the lungs
that were to be tested later In the
day. The convention opened with
prayer-lt closed with a whoop. The
parson thanked the good Lord for the
best type OF citizenship the world has
ever known" and the ball was on its
way. II was coming. first slowly, now
bounding in spontaneous leaps Of en-.
rumblings. There was a cloud. mot
larger than a mans hand" lowering
over Convention hall. or this l will
tell you later.
The Associated Rose Marching club,
Of Milwaukee. entered the hall, led
by a band. They played Dixie" and
| the crowd roared. Dixie always
brought the house down. Now and
then the Volunteers OF Nebraska
| would raise their banner. bearing Bry-
ans portrait, and there was applause.
Then came the dry routine again.
! Chairman Bell must be a humorist
| When things got too quiet he inter
rupted the proceedings by reading a
fake telegram which stated that John
F. Whalen. secretary Of the state OF
| New York. was wanted at the long
distance telephone by Gov. Hughes.
This enlivened things. Another no
| tice was read II said:
"Lost-The delegation from Michi.
gan has lost its Bible" This was the
first intimation anyone had that Mich
| igan had a Bible. and the convention
smiled out loud.
There was a lull. People seemed to
he waiting. hreathlessly, for some
thing To turn up. 4 calm always pre-.
cedes a storm. II was calm-painful-
ly so. They were waiting for the com.
mittee on credentials to report. Many
had gone to the convention hall with.
out their luncheon. They were hungry
and restless. II was the first sign OF
dullness. and no one knew why. Then
came cry for speeches."
speeches." That was what was
NEEDED.
Someone wanted to hear Senator
Towne OF New York. but he was not
TO be found. Kentucky then wanted
TO adjourn until night. The vote was
pat but there were too many noes.
And they waited-that vast audience
did, not knowing what would happen
next. The steam chest of enthusiasm
was filling up and something must
| happen to let out the steam. II hap.
| pened, and from the most unexpected
source. Among other prominent
speakers asked TO talk little" while
the committee was making ready. was
Senator Thomas p. Gore. the blind
senator from Oklahoma. He pressed
the button at an unexpected time. but
the current OF enthusiasm that went
through that great auditorium was
electrified a thousandfold as the weary
hands Of the clock licked on. lie had
not spoken a dozen sentences until his
voise had reached pitch Of eloQuence.
| with hic haOda nvtandad haayaDWnrd
and his sightless eyes apparently
sweeping the sea of upturned faces,
he dramatically declared: