The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-02-08

REPUBLICANS

Continued from First Paee)
wnere the conventions were held at
noon today, until the adjournment
nothing but the widest confusion and
disorder prevailed.
Postmaster George A Alba had
rented the opera house and was in
charge of giving out tickets of admis-
sion. He had supplied all of the dele
gates recognized by the state central
committee with tickets of admission,
but before the convention met it was
learned that a large number of the
INSTRUMENTATION forces held tickets
which were similar in every respect
to the tickets issued by Alba The
doorkeeper undertook to stop the anti
administration forces when they pre-
scented their tickets, and then the
row started
The Stripping people forced their
way into the convention hall and took
seats in the places that had been
marked off for the delegates from the
various counties.
Cheers for Candidates.
Hon. Henry S. Chubb, chairman of
the state central committee, tried to
call the convention 10 order, but was
unsuccessful for nearly fifteen min
utes. Some of the STRIPPING crowd
gained the platform and displayed a
Foraker banner, waving it in the air
and calling for cheers for Foraker.
The cheers were given with will.
Then the Taft men started, the
ball rolling by proposing three cheers
for Taft, and the admirers of the Ohio
statesman almost lifted the roof with
their cheers and applause.
"Mr. Chubb appealed for order, but
his appeals were in vain. Then J. n.
STRIPPING mounted the platform and
also appealed for order. Mr.. Strip
with something like attention, but it
was only for a moment.
1.-The platform was crowded with
leaders of both sides and City Mar
shall Hinch and a dozen policemen
were called upon to assist in preserv-
ing order. First one and then an
other delegate, or those who claimed
20 be delegates, were forced from the
platform, some being pitched off and
! others surrounded and gradually
forced back to the stairway and out
Of the hall.
Temporary Organizations.
while the confusion was at its
| height and when no one could be I'M
derstood two feet away, Chairman
Chubb called for nominations for tenn
| pOrary chairman and secretary The
name of Joseph F. Lee was placed
| in nomination for chairman, and he
was declared elected, and then came
! the election Of w. r. O'Neal as score
tary.
Joe Lee took the chair and enter
] tanned a motion for the appointment
of a committee on credentials The
! E.,t~ Il a
| journnent was declared for one hour
''In the meantime, ]. Fl. DickerSon,
! colored grand master of the colored
| Masonic Fraternity Of Florida. had ia
ken possession of the other end of the
platform and tried to address the con-
! Vention. He was foTcibly elected
from the pIa form, and rushed half
way down the hall, but never once
did he let go a list Of delegates that
i he was trying to read His friends
surrounded him and gradually forced
the other side back and replaced
Dickerson on the platform.
In some manner. that could not
| be ascertained even by those who
were in a few fee of him, DickersOn
was declared elected chairman of the
| convention, and George E. Gay was
declared elected secretary.
| TWO Conventions In Session.
! Then came the most remarkable
scene that ever occurred in any con-
vention.
| "On one end of the stage stood Jo-
seph E. Lee, ON a chair, surrounded
by the leaders of his faction, putting
through the business of the conven-
| ton in routine order, and on the 9th
er end of the stage stood J. NJ Dick
/ ersCn, chairman of the anti-adminis
| tration forces, doing exactly the same
! thing.
"On the floor of the convention del
egations were whoopipg and yelling
for Foraker, Hughes, Taft and espe
cially for Roosevelt. and the wildes'
| disorder prevailed Clashes were fire
! onont and several times the police
had to eject some particularly disor
derby person.
But all this time the two conven
tons were being conducted by the Fe
spectiVe chairmen and secretaries, JUS
as though everything was harmonious
but only those within a foot or two o
} the presiding officers could hear wha
was going on
Visitors stepped into the hall an,
ried 10 ascertain what was doing, bu
, soon gave it up and retired.
Fer two hours this kind or th!nt
continued, and then each side an
n nS7 that they had finished al
!, business and adjourned. The Strip
ling forces sang the long meter Dox
ology, and the delegates joined u
from all parts OF the mouse, and rh'
. hall was soon cleared
After going to their -respectay,
; Headquarters the secretaries OF eacl
convention gave out the proceedings
: which are given in full.
, The Stripping Faction.
While the Lee convention was De
/ ing held on one end OF the sease Q!