Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-21

(copyright. 1912. The Associated News
papers.l


exceeded in excitement in Chicago since
the town got overheated in the fall OF
1871. the national Republican conven-
tion Is ready 20 be touched off, and
great nation which has had nothing in
particular 20 detract it's attention from
baseball since the big gun fight at
Santiago is on tiptoe with its fingers
on its ears waiting for the blast.
Never was there more worrisome wait
ing for those who dote on worry. We
are a well-balanced people who take
our politics whoopfully but not deeply.
Hitherto we have been able to call each
other hyenas and bandits until the vote
came, and to go home arm in arm af-
terward. But there are those who pro-
fess to fear that when the LOIS dele
gates and their loving friends begin
to talk things over in the Coliseum
today, assisted by fists and chair legs,
they are likely to start a crevasse in
the republic with their fooling.
PRESERVE THE REPUBLIC"
Most OF this talk comes out OF the
Taft headquarters, where preserve the
republic" shines in electric letters and
strong, earnest men who are quite sure
the said republic cannot run without
their assistance and are asking anx-
iously IL the lifeboats on the ship Of
state are in good order The distress
republic would be pitiable II it were
not maintained with such absolute con-
fidence that Taft will be nominated on
the first ballot. Calmness and terror
are being used in equal doses in their
arguments, and it is no uncommon thing
to see an earnest worker trying to
shudder nervously and predict Jubilantly
at the same time.
SORRY FOR THE ELEPHANT.
In TQopcexyafF hno ri
seems 10 care about the republic They
are heartlessly Indifferent to the poor
thing. 1t will have to get out of the
way today as best IL can. They feel
that republic which stood Andrew Jack
son. was shot at for four years and went
through the Hayes-Tilden pandemonium
without wobble, ought TO be able to
keep out from underfoot during polit-
ical sonny brook. But they are not so
confident. about the elephant The
health Of the elephant is the cause of
deep but cheerful concern. 1t seems to
be the general opinion that shortly af-
ter the convention begins, the elephant
will part behind the forsquarters with
violence that will permanently i'm
pair thu poor. beast All the Roosevelts
feel sorry for the elephant. isn't il
a shame the poor beast must die so
yotingg Let me have one of those
axes" seems to be the general senti-
ment.
There is a third great cause OF worry
which contributed to the general nerv-
BUSINESS all day yesterday. This worry
was INDUCED In by the committee peo-
pie who poured through the Chicago |
Congress hotel all day in a never-ending
mob that damned the halls and made
Statesmen work like halfbacks to es-
cape from the rooms. 1t was a legitimate
worry. too. How is everybody going to
get into the Coliseum? There is no use
OF laughing about this worry. It is go
ing to mean woe for about $1,000 people
who haven't connected with a ticket yet. |
Getting into the convention Is a game
in Chicago, and there are men who
boast that they have never failed.
But yesterday, the men were wandering
about white-browed and desperate. Every
time-honored means has failed. There
does not seem to be a leak. Fifteen thou l
sand peopIe are going to get in and
50x1p-are@going to be ladies who could
saSe fhA repubiic If they had to. Ask one
OF the $1,000 what he thinks about the
convention system. and he will make He
ney's remarks on the contest committee
sound like gentle dove coos.
I On the eve Of the battle there is cheer |
full resignation and sweet confidence in
both camps. The warriors are sleeping
on their arms to say nothing Of other
furnitures. The batteries are in posi- |
ton.
The armor penetrating speeches are in
the magazines, the sappers and miners
have their substitute motion and viva
voice votes ready. II will be fight from
from the drop OF the hat. There viii be
no preliminary bouts, no skirmish line,
no dress parade before the lombard
ment.
In two hours after the opening Of the
/
troll The weary 5000 on the outside
will be able to tell which side this Is
by the sight of the opposition emerging
through the windows and doors. This
Is not going to be a convention, but
collision. In this reckless nation peo-
pie travel hundreds Of miles to see two
locomotives loosed upon each other and
clear track, but they are coming from
thousands OF miles TO witness the mad
and determined Roosevelt delegates hurl
themselves upon the firm and defiant Taft
cohorts. And II the several hundred po7
lice who are going to be standing around
do not get overworked. a lot of spec
tators are going to be frankly disap- |
pointed.
BIG DAY FOR ROOSEVELT.
II there is any such things as psyco- |
logical influence at political conVen-
ton then yesterday was a big day for
Roosevelt. 1t is wonderful how this man
dispels apathy and ennui. When he ar
rived Saturday evening there was plenty
Of al feeling and Indignation, but no one
was spelling his lungs over il. Inside OF
% minutes afterward the Congress hotel
had become a roaring crater. All day |
yesterday mobs of men fought their way
through the Hobbies and halls singing |
yelling and cheering. There was pa |
rade every FIVE minutes outside the hotel, |
For three blocks on each side progress
was impossible.
No less than a score Of new Roose-
Welt songs were introduced with great |
success to the Woodworking piano in
the headquarters. The colonel held !
dozen receptions and shook 10000 |
hands. He journeyed hither and yon
like a torch setting Off July fireworks. |
You could locate him at any time by
the conclusion. And last night when
he acted as choir master for 1000 roar
ing people inside the auditorium and
twice as many hammered and howled |
for admittance outside, IL was freely |
admitted by all that the atmosphere
was getting pretty thickly charged with
Roosevelt
TAFTs COMEBACK.
Against this attraction the Taft head
quarters imported yesterday at vast ex-
pense Henry and Charles Taft and the
Blaine marching club. all the way from
Cincinnati They arrived with a brave
r,nrrrfnO and after g