The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-01
SOME CONVENTION IMPRESSIONS.

scsrp CONVENTION IMPRESSIONS.
Every American who is Interested in
poT-Tcs-and that means all Ameri-
can-would Hike to watch tho proceed
ings OF national party convention.
Comparatively few ever set 20 see one.
but one experience usually sumces
1t is & spectacle which has no like
but it is wearying in the extreme when
# IS lons drawn cut as is the Demo
cratic convention now in session. The
half instinct that makes man want
10 see The close Of an exciting race
compeis many q faint pilgrim to sit
many hours listening to the droning
OF ballots which mako little progress
towards result Tic atmosphere OF
The Baltimore convention hall is al
most unbearable but few people have
given way physically. In the day the.
heat is fearful; at night. the great
arc lights produce an artincial heat
tat is equally severe on the spec
taro-s and delegates To set up
for walk IS TO lose q scat and thou
sands have TO Sit still despite an all
most unquenchahie thirst ana de-
sire for a breath or fresh air The
babel of conversation adds to the
strain, for it is very hard for tie
average spectator to lind out what $
going on. or to see it. because so many
people insist on standing up ia their
chairs at the slightest commotion.
The spectators play their role in the
convention. although they are sup
rosed TO be mere wooden ngures so
far as effect is concerned They are
inc claQue. IN some cases. their
monstrauons as unprecedented ana
spontaneous; in others, it Is well
planned and effectively executed Tho
Clark demonstration seemed TO move
with more precision ana TO be better
staged than any OF the others; but
tho great college student clemeht IN
the hall worked wonders Whenever
the name Of 9 certain ex president OF
Princeton was mentioned There Is
nothing comparable to convention
demonstration. It IS the great Amer
y =
durance race. Horns are brought IN
TO swell the ain ana NOW aid then an
automobile horns monk. honk" starts
things going again Banners. with
weird likenesses OF the candidates are
waved aioft. some Of them hearing
strange devices and sentiments lin
the height OF demonstration all the
banners are massed IN front or the
re rum, and the tall markers. with the
names OF States arc taken from the
various delegations whose seats they
indicate. and are huddled together TO
give the impression that So many States
are for the Particular candidate who
IS being demonstrated" Professions
ara formed and the standard bearers
march through the hall. shr.eking like
Indians and dancing wiki JOY In the
Baltimore convention there is al
hideous picture. o; Wilson painted on
& canvass as large as the side OF a
house. Whenever II is suspended from
the gallery the convention goes wild
and il is as If the man himself stood
th7re- There Is great rivalry as to the
duration Of demohatration If one mans
cohorts have oheered an hour. the next
mans phalanXes must yen at least ten
minutes more by the clock. In the
cheering. the galleries are overwhelm-
ingly for Wilson, with Underwood as
the next favorite. THO crowd at the
convention is uaquestionably a Wilson
crowd. They want Wilson" as the
banners put 81