The daily sentinel., 1912-06-18
The Fifteenth National RepubIi-
can Convention is Now Under
Struggle For Admiss-
ion the Most Strenuous Ever
Known.-Every Ticket Holder
Subjected TO Closest SCrut-
iny.-HaII Filled Long Before
Hour Of Opening.
bRYAN WAS GIVEN AN OVATION.
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Convention Hall, Chicago, June
lS.-Policemen at every corner, at
every door and in every aisle was the
distinguishing feature of the scene at
the Coliseum in the early hours of
the morning before the doors were
opened.
Tension, due to the general ex-
pectation of tumultuous scenes, was
apparent on all sides. The police,
even, We're as nervous as anybody
else.
1t was difficult, even for people
with proper tickets, including the
newspaper men, to get into the hall
The sergeants at arms, the doorkeep-
ers, the ushers and other subordinate
officials We're so keenly alive to the
possibilities that their hands trem-
bled as they took the tickets.
The ushers showed the people to
their seats with furtive glances
about, as if there were something ex-
plosive Just under their feet.
Along the front row, between the
body of delegate seats and the plat
form, solid row of uniformed police
as early as $3.50 am. sat, waiting
for-nobody knew what
The last touches by the carpenters
u
hammers and buzz of conversation
-fore-runners of the heavier ham
mering that promised to occur when
the convention began.
The band was in its place by $3.50
a. m, far above the gallery at the
north end of the hall, opposite the
platform, and the first notes of its
music echoed among the steel grid
| ers in the great hall.
By the time the doors were opened
at 10 am, two hours before the con-
vention was to come to order, the
crowd outside had become pretty
dense; hut the police kept the people
moving. No kind of eloquence, no
argument, no plausible story of i'm
perative business on that side of the
street was of any avail. Every po-
liceman had to be shown" the right
kind of a ticket at the right door.
There were a number of Chicago
politicians who had not been able to
get tickets, but who thought they
had a pull; but no sort of pull
no sort of local pull" at any rate
was of any use.
At 1905 the band in the Coliseum
began to play my Country, 'Tis of
| Thee" and people were still stream
ing into the Coliseum.
At exactly 1915 the band broke
in with America. A few people
heard the tune and stood up with
their heads barred. A bit later, when
the musicians struck up "The Star
| Spangled Banner" many more peo-
pie caught the air and stood up.
BY 1890 am. there was a goodly
sprinkling of people, including some
of the New York, Mississippi and
Texas delegations, in the hall.
| And, still, outside in the streets.
were hundreds of men, more or less
prominent in republican councils,
who found it impossible to get into
the big hall. Every ticket-holder
passed muster three times before he
found his place; and, when at last
he surrendered his days coupon, no
means remained to help a friend or
convince a doorkeeper.
Soon after IL o'clock the delegates
were coming into the hall in large
numbers.
Up to this time there had been lit
| tie applause-the most of it for the
band-and no cheering.
Chairman Rosewater of the ma
tional committee appeared on the
stage at 1915 am.
| big hat in the ring" mounted
on a tall pole, was carried into the
hall by one of the Texas delegates.
1t attracted no attention as it was
carried up the center aisle to the foot
of the platform and placed beside the
! Texas standard.
Kermit Roosevelt came into the
hall before 1880 am. He was ac-
companied by R. r. Mccormick, an
active Roosevelt leader.
| Chairman Rosewater sent for WILL
lam Barnes. Jr., who was seated with
the New York delegation. Barnes
hurried to the platform for confer
ence with Rosewater and other par