The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-09
THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION

cided to vote for Wilson, returning to
the hall while the 18th ballot was in.
progress.
Governor Giichrist attracted atten-
tien wherever he appeared and he
never failed to put in a good word for
Florida. He was interviewed by the
reporters, consulted by the convention
leaders. and generally aoticed wherever
he went On Sunday afternoon he
nearly created a riot in the lobby of
the Emerson Hotel by the distribution
of a few handfuls of his famous quar-
ter cent pieces which the crowd
thought were gold half-d dollars. They
flocked in from the street, the dining
room and the bar and went for the
governor like Texas steers in a SIAM
pede. 1t did not, naturally, take him
long to dispose of all the gift-eoins
that he possessed.
There were a great many visitors
from Florida and National COMMITTEE
man T. A. Jennings succeeded in get
ting convention tickets for all of them.
To a person who knows nothing of
the difficulty of securing these tickets.
this may seem a small matter, but l
know from observation at four national
conventions that it is a very difficult
and trying thing to satisfactorily han
de. Jennings, however, is resourceful.
He not only secured tickets for every
one. but he did more. He got appoint
I2ents for numerous Floridians as ply
sicians, pages, door-keepers, assistants
to the sergeant at arms, and in other
capacities, and these appointees had
the benefit of everything that anyone
could desire in the way of seeing the
great show and participating in the
demonstra tions.. AS an example DIR"
John P. Stokes proudly wore the badge
of house PHYSICIAN while e. w. Parker
bore upon his expansive chest a medal
that gave him authority to arrest any
disturber of the peace who might get
Gisagreeable in the hall. Mr.. Jennings
locked after the Florida folks in a
way that gave all of them every ad-
vantage at the convention which the
most favored guest enjoyed.
My association with the members of
the Florida delegation was pleasant in
the extreme. I found them all fine
fellows. They were a little set in their
political opinions perhaps, but have
no doubt that they, on the other hand,
found me somewhat set in some of my
opinions, so that we are even on that
score. / would like to join the same
bunch at President wilson's Inaugural
ton next March and 1 know that long
convinced of the wisdom of his nomi-
nation. AS a matter of fact, they all
told me that they were going home to
whoop things up for Wilson and be-
lieve them. They are really not half
as Reactionary as they think they are
and before the campaign is over, 1 ex-
pect to see all of them develop into the
most approved kind of Progressives.
Everyone, I think, is glad to get
away from Baltimore. 1t is a good
town in some respects, but like most
great cities, it was never originally in
tended for a city and it is a long way
from being modern city now. It's
streets are narrow and they have the
poorest pavements in America. Sur
face sewerage in many cases still eX-
lists. The buildings are largely of red
brick with red tile roofs and, viewed
from a high elevation, the scene is
dreary and monotonous. They know
also how to fix rates for special occa-
sions. Judge Griggs and myself, who
occupied a hotel room together. paid
$500 per day for six days-the period
for which we had it contracted. After
that we got a new rating for the same
room at $3.50 per day. A shave in
the hotel barber shop cost Is cents.
After convention week, it cost Is cents.
Baltimore paid 500, 100000 for the con-
profit before the convention had elect
ed a permanent chairman. We ought
to abolish the national convention, but
if I should have the honor to attend
another one, 1 don't want to go TO Bal
timore. N
I intended saying. something about
the nominees, the platform and the
great convention personality, Mr. Bry-
an, in this letter, but will have to re-
serve that for another article when /
return home. Just now I am busy
chaperoning Cooper Griggs, Emmett
Wilson and John Crawford about
Washington. AS soon as possible
think the Woodrow Wilson club of
Escambia county ought to take UP an
other collection, hire the band, and
hold ratification meeting. We have
a great candidate. the best platform
ever adopted by a political Organiza-
ton, and a united and enthusiastic
party and the prospects for success
are so bright as to be almost certain
What more could we ask?