Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1912-08-15
ROOSEVELT AND
JOHNSON CHOSEN
DOMINANT NOTE or SPEECH WAS
VICTORY AWAITS TICKET IN
NOVEMBER.
CHANGE THE PARTY NAME,
With the Delegates Singing "Doxoloqy~
the First National Convention Pass
Into History-Negroes Stay BY the
Observation-Disclosures Speeches

Chicago.-Singing Onward Chris
tian Soldiers" and the Battle Hymn
Of the Republic" the delegates to the
first national convention Of the new
Progressive party Wednesday night
acclaimed Col. Theodore Roosevelt OF
New York as their candidate for Pres
ident and Gov. Hiram w. johnson of
California as their choice for Vice
President.
Marking a new departure in the
proceedings of national conventions.
the two candidates Immediately were
Informally notified of their nomina-
ton and in the midst of deafening
cheers appeared before the delegates
to voice their acceptance and to-
pledge their best efforts to the COM
Ing campaign.
For several long hours during the
afternoon and early evening, the big
throng in the Coliseum had listened
to a flow of oratory in nominating
and seconding speeches in which the
dominant note expressed was the be-
new party in the November elections.
Raymond Robbins of Illinois, and
Clifford Pinchot predicted a 100000
majority for Colonel Roosevelt and
Governor Johnson in his home state
Of Pennsylvania. These statements
were cheered to the echo.
The party formally christened itself
"The Progressive Party" leaving out
the prefix National by which it has
heretofore been known, but provision
was made for the recognition of real"
Progressives in any Of the states by
whatever name they should be locally
designated because of state laws.
AS has always been the case in nat
ional political conventions, the bulk
Of work Of the Progressive gathering
was carried on in the committees. The
only semblance of a conflict of opinion
on the floor was a brief debate as to
whether or not an hours recess should
be taken. The point was not material,
but, as one delegate expressed it, I'VE
Ju0t o. ~ A6n oOOAS ~
make it a regular convention.
There was sharp discussion, how
ever, in several of the committee
meetings and no little difficulty in
agreeing upon the platform as finally
adopted.
In this connection, one of the inter-
esting speeches of the day, was that
~ U D N1aad ~ Man. Vark q noonN
G1eed said the negroes had faith in
the new party; faith that it would do
all in it's power to right the wrongs
of the c
1--WE stand by the PLATFORM" he
said. I'VE stand by Colonel Roose-
velt's letter; we stand by his speech.
Miss Jane Adams of Hull House,
Chicago, was among those who Sec
onded Colonel Roosevelt and she was
enthusiastically greeted. The new
party formally placed itself on rec
ord as favoring equal suffrage, and
further recognized the s~uffragette
movement by providing for four wo-
men at large in the national COM
mittee.
Colonel Roosevelt in his speech Of
acceptance said in part:
"Mr. Chairman and men and women
who in this convention represent he
high and honest purpose of the people
Of all Of our country, I come forward
to thank you from my heart for the
honor you have conferred POI me.
and to say that of course I accept. I
have been President and I measure
my words when l say, I have seen
and know much of life, I hold it by
far the greatest honor and the great
est opportunity that has ever come to
me to be called by you to the leader
ship for the time being of this great
movement in the interests of the
American people.
There was a prolonged demonstra,
ton as Colonel Roosevelt conclud-
ed. It was renewed when Governor
johnson was introduced. He said ir
part:
eft is with the utmost solemnity.
the deepst obligation that I come
to tell you that I have enlisted fol
the war. l enlisted long ago and
enlisted In that fight that Is your
:. fight now, the fight Of all the ma
ton, thank God, at last, Humanity'i
fgM politically all over the land.
Entering as I have in that contest
for humanity that desired government
tally to make men better rather thar
to make men richer, there is no ques
ton of course, but that Of necessity
, must accept any place where 1 may
, be drafted, and that l accept such q
place rs you have accorded me In ths
nations history today because agar
you are making history In this land)
: that I accept 1t with grateful hear
Z and with the utmost singleness o
purpose, to carry out as well az l ma,
the little that may be my part to do.
When Governor Johnson finished
. Chairman Beveridge announced thu
s adjournment of the convention with
out delay"