The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-06-25
As Ebert HUBBARD
SAW THE CONVENTION

Ebert Hubbard, in the New York
American, writes in a characteristic
way his experiences and Impressions
during the opening session Of the
Chicago convention. The arrange
ments were perfect. he says.
Like the Jealous salesman who was
kicked downstairs. you could not but
admire the system. no matter what
your political preferences. There
was no jam at the doors, and none
In the streets.
Half a square before you reached
the hall you were gently detained by
men in blue. who evidently had re-
ceived orders to be courteous and
keep their tempers above all things
These men asked:
Can We be OF service to y0u?"
You might have supposed they had
been reading Sheldon on salesman
ship.
They apologized and examined
your tickets.
They directed you where to enter.
There were enough policemen, and
they kept the crowd back. SO there
was no jostle within the sacred pre-
cincts. At the doors you We're again
carefully looked over.
Persons with smell of liquor on
them or suspicion of firearms never
reached the doors at all. If they had
tickets the pasteboards were politely
declared irregular or counterfeit.
saw two men from 1.-THE pro-
yinces" who were needlessly CONVEX
satiOnal, walking arm in arm. These
men We're gently, but firmly, turned
back after the policeman had called
the captain. The men had tickets,
all right, but the holders were In Il
condition where they might make a
needless amount of noise; and the
noise of this convention must be har-
LlOnous. That is to say, there must
be no shouting off color. The vibra-
ton must be inspired by political en-
thusiasm and not by mere vulgar
booze
The policemen had no clubs in
sight. They wore white gloves Their
shoes were shined. They We're clean
shaven, brushed and groomed. They
were picked men, not too old, not
absurdly young.
And SO the thrOng passed quietly
into the real building. and at every
aisle were more policemen.
Then there were lady policemen,
who asked the ladies to remove their
hats and be careful about their hat
pins.
1t was a thrOng of which the Re-
publican party might we'll be proud
There was not a poor man in sight
certainly not poor devil. Every
t0dy was well dressed, well fed,
shined, manicured.
The prOletariat, the sans culOtte,
the plcbcian, the agrarian, were not
in evidence. Tickets were worth sac
apiece. 1t was grand opera crowd.
II there was any one with elbows
slightly shiny they were in the space
set apart for delegates. not among
the visitors.
The day was perfect. The sky was
blue, and cool. refreshing brcczr
came in from the lake.
At exactly high noon trust |
,, use the right phrase there was Il
pantomimic presentation of Il gaNcl
and Il little speech by Victor Roose-
| water, which no one heard excepting
the stcnographcrs.
| Then came an invocation, brief and
short. ending with the Lords prayer.
Evidently the clergyman who oiliciat-
ed in this capacity expected the crowd
would join with him in the cpilusuc.
In, he had to pillow through alone.
and AT the end ripple OF mild.
sardonic laughter ran over the con-
vcntion.
The atmosphere was ,en.r with
suppressed excitement.
\ line OF hclmeted policemen Stood
solid between the platform and HE
audience
At the intersection OF every aisle
stood police in twos. lntrrsperscd
with these were others in plain
clothes. hut with BADGES il; sight
The police had evid, n;ll i,cn ihor-
ouchly Instructed. ENcrythin2 in tn.
line of action was ~ to -lpprtssc,
instantly. and quickly. Toe
: Ii three delegates or ss.tols
happened 10 move i'll a ,ossain III
rcrtion together. a poll ,man Qushc,