The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-31
CHEERS FOR I. R.
THOUSANDS APPLAUD COLONEL
AT NEW YORK RALLY

New York. Oct. 31.-A crowd that
TANNED Madison Square garden
from floor to roof and overlooked
through three blocks of surrounding
streets greeted the leaders OF the
progressive party last night at the
mass meeting marking the first pub
lie appearance of Col. Roosevelt
since the attack made upon him In
Milwaukee the 14th. Gov. Hiram w.
Johnson, candidate for vice-president,
and Oscar S. Straus, candidate for
governor of New York, speaking to
the immense crowd before Col. Roose
Welt reached the hall, paved the way
for a great demonstration for the for
mer president. A stuffed bull moose
at one end of the garden upon which
a spot light was trained throughout
the evening was a prominent part of
the decoration of the big hall.
A sea of bandannas and yells greet
ed the candidates as they appeared
uponthe platform, and it was 500 o.
clock before Senator Joseph NJ. Dixon
chairman of the national committee,
could secure order to present Mr.
Straus as the first speaker. "Our
country has been peculiarly blessed"
said Mr.. Straus, Gin the fact, that in
every important epoch of its develop
ment from the beginning leader has
arisen who was best qualiied to
carry the nation through storm and
stress TO that high plane CT righteous
ness and justice that has Duilded a
nation which today stands foremost
of all the nations in the world in in
terpreting he spirit of human rights
for tine highest welfare of al. the peo-
pie.
Our first stage was the national
constructive period under the fathers
then the civil rights or preservative
period for the abolition Of slavery.
Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln
were the leaders of the first ''---
iods. We are now in the third stage
of our development-the struggle for
social Justice, and the leader of this
third period of our national life is
Theodore Roosevelt. Throughout his
administration he gave himself with
the devotion of an inspired prophet
to enlarge the opportunities of the
plain people of the land" Mr.
Straus spoke but few ~-'rutes He
declared Roosevelt when he appoint
ed him secretary of commerce and la
Dor had told him ito tilt the balance
in favor OF humanity"
The crowd, which had begun to NJ
the garden as soon as the doors were
opened at o'clock, was entertained
for nearly two hours with moving pic
lures of the Roosevelt western tour.
Cheers greeted every appearance of
Col Roosevelt in the films and The
cheering swelled to such proportions
when the speakers appeared on the
platform that the Intervention of the
band was necessary to enable Gov.
johnson and Mr. Straus TO beain
their speeches. Senator Dixon. intro
ducing the candidate for governor of
New York. declared the majority of
the state in the middle West and
North west would return "old-time
Roosevelt victories on election day. "
Col. Roosevelt reached the hall at
915, while Gov. johnson was still
speaking. His progress through The
streets was greeted with cheers that
penetrated into the hall and brought
an answering cheer from the inside.
AS he came upon the high platform,
through a rear stairway, the garden
became Dedlam Of sound and a
mass Of waving color. With a broad
smile the colonel stepped forward and
waved hand in salute as the cheers
grew in volume His gestures for
the crowd to be seated intensified
the noise. He insisted upon his
stand in his effort to bring the crow d
to order. The demonstration for Mr..
Roosevelt lasted AZ minutes. Col.
Roosevelt after a request to the po-
lice to keep order in the hall began
speaking. A report of his address
Will be found in another column.