Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-18
COOL WEATHER
FOR CONVENTION.
Pleasant Meteorological Conditions
10 Continue for a Short
Time.
DELEGATES CALLED TO ORDER
Extensive Precautions to Preserve Or.
der-UnifOrmed Police and Humid
reds of Deputy Sheriffs on Hand.

Chicago, June 18.-Cool weather
with fair skies was the weather mans
gift to the Republican National Con-
vention today. Forecaster Cox to-
day asserted that there would be
pleasantly cool weather for all the un-
pleasantly hot work ahead of the del
egates.
The doors of the Coliseum were op-
ened at 1000 a. m.
When the gavel of Victor Rosewa-
ter, chairman of the Republican Ma
tional Committee, fell at noon today,
calling to order the convention, the
most desperate fight in the history Of
American politics had reached a cris-
is. For weeks President Taft and
Col. Roosevelt have been battling
throughout the country for delegates.
Today, with the entire representation
of every state or hand for the open
ing of the convention in the massive
Coliseum, the uncertainty was great
er than when the fight opened weeks
ago.
The Taft men had fatty refused the
demand of the Roosevelt forces that
they agree to proposition that no
vote on the temporary organization
be valid unless it received the affirm
ative vote of $40 delegates { ma
jority) whose right to seat was un-
questioned. This was novel pro-
gram and arranged at session OF
the Roosevelt delegates that lasted un-
til nearly daylight today.
Great lines of uniformed police
were scattered about the structure
and massed at every entrance. Group
ed with them were 400 special deputy
sherifs, especially commissioned by
the sheriff of Cook county to see that
there was no disorder. Plain clothes
men were scattered through the
crowd of curiosity seekers that haG
flocked to the scene hopeful that the
Roosevelt forces would make good
their threat and storm the entrances,
thus making way for all without
tickets. Nothing had been overlooked
and nothing left undone to preserve
order, and in addition to the police on
the scene, reserve squads were helo
in readiness near the Coliseum with
automobile patrol wagons, ready tc
rush to any spot where they might
he needed.
The formal program outlined-al-
though certain to be changed as the
result of the Roosevelt delegates to
fght-was as follows:
The convention hall doors opened
at 10 o'clock. AS each ticket holder
approached the designated entrance:
his pasteboard was inspected first by
a uniformed policeman. If satisfac-
tory, he or she was waved forward to
the door where specially commits
stoned ticket taker was in readiness
TO scrutinize the credential, and, II
correct, to pass the holder of the seat
to the place indicated on the coupon.
In the balcony of the Coliseum were
massed two bands, and couple OF
glee clubs, who filled in the time from
10 o'clock until l2 o'clock when, under
the call, Chairman Victor Rosewatel
was scheduled to formally open the
convention.
A final roundup of the Roosevelt
chieftains was delivered in Senator
Dixon's room at 9 o'clock. 1t was
stated by those who participated that
they were entirely satisfied with the
situation. The plans of the leaders
were modified so that all suggestions
of physical force to control the con-
vention were abandoned. At the out
set they had planned to make the hight
entirely along parliamentary lines.
A number of those who participated
in the conference insisted that even
though they must not have control
of any of the committees, they would
still be able to nominate Col. Roose-
velt if they continued inside of the
convention
The declared that if they did so, the
colonel would not consider himself
beaten by any action by any of the
committees and would fight his own
position during the campaign.
The Taft managers also conferred.
1t was agreed that Chairman Rose
water will go right through with the
reading of the temporary roll as pre-