Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-12
HARD KNOCKS At THE DOOR
Trying Experience Of a Pilgrim Get
ting Into Chicago Convention.
IMPOSING GREATNESS ON GUARD
FIFTY Thousand People with n Pail,
Try &c on Policemen, Ushers and
Doorkeepers-The Elephant
Club Trick.

A national political convention is a small
body Of delegates entirely surrounded by
personal. friends who have no tickets. 1t Is
held as a rule in a great hall which seats
1900, who are trying to nominate a presi-
dent. But that Is the smallest part OF the
convention. Outside of the hail arc $1,000
people, who are struggling with the terrific
task Of trying to get in.
When I arrived in Chicago last week, the
first man l saw was Jones. Jores has
attended every republican national conven-
ton in the last twenty years. The first
time he went in on a ticket. Four years
later he went through the door behind a
fat man. Four years after that a friend
gave him a red cross badge, and he dashed
into the Coliseum with a medicine case,
waving back the doorkeeper imperiously.
The next convention he found q window that
wasn't guarded. The next time he dis
guised himself as an assistant %tanitor, got
In at 4 a. m, and hid in the basement hall
until the opening, six hours later.
At homes, Jones is an ex-mayor, a poll
tician of some Importance. and a director
In a bank. In Chicago last week he was
one of the 5000 people who were trying to
get into a convention hall that would seat.
at the outside, 1900 people. There was this
difference between Jones and some Of the
others, Jones knew he was going to get in.
He had always gotten In. It was contrary
to precedent that he shouldn't get in. He
didn't know how he was going to do It.
but he had always done 1t, and he has the
politicians reverence for precedent.
who are they going to nominate" I
asked, using the popular form of salu-
tation.
What do I care about that?' said
Jones, impatiently; 'T've bigger business
than that on hand. Let the delegates at
teDd to that. I've got to get into that
hall. Been here since last night and
haven't struck a lead yet
Tickets scarce?" l asked.
Scarce said Jones. exploslvely. Man
there are more north poles sticking up in
front OF barber shops that there are conven.
ton tickets. 1 never saw such corfounded
absence Of accommodation in my life. I've
been to five conventions, and | swear there
are less tickets every year. believe the
Idiots only print 1000 tickets and make the
rest of US work our way in. It's enough Ia
make a man lost his faith in the tariff"
There are seventy-five fellows from our
own town here" continued Jones, plain.
lively, and only eleven Of them are fixed
-Four years ago We gave the biggest re.
publican majority in the state, too. It's
awful. The congressman can't do any
thing. He's been trying to get a ticket
for his wife all morning. They say sen.
ator - got 100 tickets this morning fol-
his business friends. Damn these SEN
tors anyway! 1 know a man who knows
the senator, and I've been trying to FIND
him all morning, but l don't suppose &
will do any good.
"Oh. I'll get in all right" he continued
hastily. I'D like to see the convention
hall / can't get into. But this time
want to go in respectable. I'm tired Of
crawling in windows. I'm getting along
in years. l want to go up to one of those
Internal doorkeepers and shove a printed
ticket halfway down his throat. In
going to do it, too, but there are only
three hours left. Come along, and mayb,
I'll get you in"