Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-16
Enthusiasm for President in
the Convention.
NOT CHANCES ENOUGH
Like . Crowd at One Of the Eastern
Race Tracks.
HOLIDAY SPIRIT IN THE AIR
Wisconsin Men Start the Yelling
Shortly Before the Gathering Is
Called to Order.

Special From a Stan Correspondent.
CONVENTION HALL. CHICAGO. June
16.-"They're orr
| Although this Is q national convention
and not horse race, I know OF no more
accurate description than that to indicate
the atmosphere of the Coliseum following
the fall Of Chairman News gavel shortly
after noon today.
| There Is the same vast crowd shat, Is
always found at one Of the great New
York race tracks when some famous
stake race is to be run.
There is the same holiday air and holi.
day attire. and there is most decidedly
the Same intangible electric quality to
the mental feel Of things. or course this
Is the least interesting day Of the con-
vention. with it's specify and otherwise
formal preiiminaries. but every one y
good natured and we'll behaved, and sits
as tight AZ you please. waiting for a
chance to cheer every time the President 8
name Is mentioned.
And they don't seem to find the oppor-
tunities frequent enough. But after these
preiiminaries things will tighten up. ac-
cording to the old vets. who have been at
tending conventions for years, and al
though a contest for the first place on
seen things. is lacking, the convention
Will take on the appearance of what it
really 10. the great Capitalization front
once Of the grand old party.
given an initial and preliminary swat
with his gavel today the Buckeye dele
gates paraded down the center aisle to
their seats. their leader bearing aloft a
siiken banner portrait Of Secretary Taft
There was some little enthusiasm, but
nobody even went mildly crazy. guess
tits too early for fits.
=. A Few minutes later. Chairman New. in
the briefest and most cut and dried
opening announcement" mentioned the
name Of Theodore Roosevelt. 1 pledge my
word that hardly had he got the welt"
out OF his mouth before the convention
let out one scream. It had no faint be-
ginning in any particular quarter, It did
last long. 1t was just sharp and short
and prideful and savage. 1t had cleo
tricity in 1t, too. And it made the pulse
skip like gas engine and the breath
"Jemmini Crimini!' cried some old fell
low on the platform, loudly enough to
be heard in the press seats, ut certainly
would not take much to stampede this
bunch like cattle. would It?
And he guessed right the very first time.
The Wisconsin delegation started the
yelling just a few minutes before the
COuFSlltlOn WdS CdllSQ ~ OrUST. AII$I
that at intervals there were all sorts Of
organized noises. Some Of them were
nightmariSh.
There has been q lot of controversial
conversation out here for the past few
days as to whether Senator Burrows In
his keynote speech would mention the
name Of President Roosevelt sufficiently
early and sufficiently oftsn. So. when the
senator started in today there was a lot
Of speculation and all sorts Of interest on
this point.
But the ever-foxy julius Caesar be-
haved very nicely, and after the usual
remarks he mentioned Theo-
dore Roosevelt without delay. He was
mild. but the mere mention Of the name
was sufficient to start q yelling party
that was busy for several minutes. l
don't know just how long. as my faithful
timekeeper was tired out. I was sitting
in the midst OF bunch Of scribes. who
wore efkete jewelry. But 1t was long
enough to show what the possibilities are
for delightful ructions later.
1t takes a man with a voice like steam
siren to do Justice to a crowd the size
Of that which filed the Coliseum today.
and Senator Burrows vocal arrangements
are not Of this sort. Probably not more
than one-fourth Of all the thousands
could hear enough Of his speech to fol-
low It's thread. All the rest could do was
to watch, try to listen and yell like old
Ned every time they thought they heard |
Roosevelts name. &c N.