Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-08-16
CHICAGO PROGRESSIVE coNvEN.
TioN oREErs LEADER WITH
57.miNurE DEMONSTRATION
HE DELIVERS LONG ADDRESS
Cheers OF 5000 In Coliseum, Drown
the Music Of eands-Deleaates
Parade with Banners = Women
Lifted to the Platform.

convention was given over almost en-
tirely to Col Theodore Roosevelt, who,
In addition to delivering his long
awaited confession of faith" answer
ed at some length and with good
deal of earnestness question as TO
his attitude on the negro question.
The 1000 delegates and $1,000 spec
tstors cheered Colonel Roosevelt Tor
almost an hour when he appeared sud
denly and rather dramatically on the
platform of the Coliseum. The rafters
fairly rang with the noise of the de-
monstration. While awaiting the Col
cnels arrival most CT the delegates
had joined in an impromptu song that
they would follow him wherever ne
should choose to lead. This was the
spirit of the reception accorded TO the
former President when he reached the
convention hall, and it was the spirit
with which his ideas of progressive
ness were received as fast as they
were uttered.
one of the features of the conven-
ton was the singing. All joined in the
ing fervor. The great band in he loft
was well supplied with trombones,
clarinets, cymbals, cellos and drums
and besides there was a sort of minute
gun arrangement which was shot on
during the singing of the national an
them or THE Star Spangled Banner
or the Battle Hymn of the Republic
NH an fea N ~
dramatic but tn ere was also tingling
the nerves seldom felt on occasions OF
this kind.
Temporary Chairman Beveridge
called the conv ention to order shortly
after Il o'clock and requested the
Rev. Father Andrew Spetz OF Stanis'
laus parish to say the prayer. Ire
reverend gentleman closed his prayer
by reciting the Lords Prayer, in
which thousands of the great audience
Joined. Moreover they repeated the
prayer correctly. 1t was an evidence
that the audience and the delegates
and alternates were familiar with u.
Secretary Oscar King Davis then
read the following telegram from Col
William r. Nelson, owner of the Kan
sas City Star, who is recuperatins at
his summer home, Oceanside, Mag.
nolia, Mass.
Lord, how | wish | were with you!
What great day, the launching OF a
party Of imagination, hope and pros
poets! We can afford to give the 9th
er fellows their memories and disap-
pointments The past has no interests
for us. The future is our fruit
When the applause that followed
the reading of the telegram died away
the audience stood and sang Amer
ica," under the leadership of a musical
director especially engaged. Amer
lea" was followed by Dixie"
1t was nearly l o'clock when Tempo
rary Chairman Beveridge announced
that the guest of the convention was
at hand and Colonel Roosevelt appear
ed quickly from the rear of the plat
form and stood beneath the great
sounding board of the convention.
Instantly sea of bandanna hand
kerchiefs and American flags fiutter-
ed Several of the veterans threw
their arms around his neck. A march
of the standards was begun. Okla
homa, Minnesota, Ohio, Washington.
New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri,
Kansas, Iowa, Montana, California, all
in turn marched before the platform
waving, yelling, bowling, chanting:
I'VE want Teddy, we want Teddy
He's coming back" "Whos coming
back?" "Teddy's coming back"
BY this time the demonstration had
lasted so minutes. Chairman Beve'
ridge banged his gavel for order. The
audience took that as a signal for fur
ther commotion. The singing, shout
ing and racket lasted for another sew
en- minutes. Temporary Chairman
Beveridge standing by Colonel Roose
welt then presented the eX-President
with these words:
"The hour and the man-Theodore
Roosevelt"
The band played "Onward, Christian
Soldiers" and a tashlight picture OF
the convention was taken, with Col
Roosevelt standing at attention at the
| front or the stage, ready 10 proceed
with his speech. Then three Of the
flashlight bags caught fire and were
rescued by three firemen amid ap
plause from the floor and the CALLER
les.
At las P. NJ, Colonel Roosevelt be
gan his speech. He read it from his
printed copy. but did not read all oi
it. The reading of all the speech
would have taken nearly three hours
so the Colonel skipped" and edited
as he went along to save time.
In his speech he advocated:
Presidential primaries, popular elec
ton of Senators, short ballot. publ
cation of campaign funds before elec
ton recall of court decisions. Fedora