The Green Forest tribune., 1916-06-09
REPUBLICANS IN
 B|G CONVENTION
NATIONAL GATHERING OPENED
 FORMALLY IN CHICAGO.
CROWD FILLS THE COLISEUM
Senator Harding of Ohio Is Elected Temporary Chairman and Deliv- CTS the Keynote Speech
 Committees Named.

Chicago.-The Republican party opened it's great quadrennial show the national convention-today before a capacity house. Despite the fact that the proceedings of the first ses- sion were to be only preliminary for malities, the people flocked to the Coliseum by the thousand and poured through the many entrances in solid streams for hours. When Charles D. Hilles, chairman of the national com mittee, arose at eleven o'clock and took up the gavel to call the conven- tion to order there was not one vacant seat in the immense structure.
 It was fine setting for an ir- portant event. The Coliseum was dec orated as never before, with flags and bunting draping the girders and gal lerfes and covering all bare spots on the end walls. Up in a gallery at the south end of the hall a brass band was pouring forth patriotic and popu- lar airs. Back of the speakers ros- trum, where sat Mr. Hilles and his working force of B men, were grouped many members of the diplomatic corps who had come on from Wash ington, and the distinguished guests of the convention, among them all ltv- ing exchairmen of Republican national conventions. To the right and left of these were placed the members of
 
 guests.
 Tn the body of the hall, directly Tn front of the speakers stand, were the 991 delegates gathered about their state standards and back of them 991 Just below the rostrum and on both sides of it were the 425 working newspaper men and in the galleries all around the hall were the of spectators who had been fortunate to obtain admission tickets.
 MT. Hilles was heartily applauded when he stood before the throng gavel in hand He spoke but briefly in calling the great gathering to or der and called on Rev John Timothy Stone, pastor of the Fourth Presby- terian church of Chicago, to deliver the invocation. Dr. Stones eloquent | and impressive prayer was followed | by the reading of the call for Sle by James B. Reynolds of secretary of the na- tional committee.
 MT. Hilles then called for nomina, lions for temporary chairman. Of -sc elaa.;o'-e I1s ;.-as ~ .s tof- -l L soi.. .45 t1fS sefcction oL OIsiCeu oLd1e5 Senator Charles Warren Harding of Ohio for that position had been all settled long ago and his election by unanimous vote was only a formaltty. Senator Harding is an imposing figure, and as he accepted the gavel from the hands of MT. Hilles he was enthus1as- tically cheered
 Chairman Harding launched at once into his keynote speech, and did not belle his reputation for eloquence and deftness of phrase. He began with warm plea for harmony in the parry ranks, coupled with the confident as, sertion that such harmony already was an assured fact. With unctuous sem tences he skillfully oiled the way for the smooth return of those who left the party four years ago to follow the Bull Moose standard, and he declared to chem and to the world that he did not believe there was really reac' tionary Republican among the dele gates.
 As might have been epexcted, MT Harding early in his address took uf the subject of national defense. Hls utterances on this topic were reason ably emphatic and in line with the preparedness sentiment that has beer | spreading over the land. Our nationa unselflshness has been proved since the great war broke out, he said, ant our national weakness in defense re vealed. The foreign policy or tn Democratic administration, both In ra lation to Europe and in the matter Mexico. was dealt with in a few cahf' tic sentences, and the plan to "tuf' loose" the Philippines also was scored The SpGdhcI Q0FoICd SoiiiS o''S~NAo1 to the need, from Republican poiT
 of view, for a protective tariff, an
 ...sn turned to the topic of AmerfcaI
 ism. Here he once more let his elj
 uuence have full play, and his call ft
 loyalty, devotion and love for tf
 United States on the part of every ot
 of its citizens was answered by
 roar of cheers.
 "Verily, it is good to be an Amer
 can. And we may rejoice to be R
 publicans," he concluded.
 When the band music that bur
 forth at the end of Senator Harding
 speech was over and the assemblaG
 ouieted down again, the other temp
 rary officers were nominated ar
 elected, and the chairmen of the V
 rious state delegations were called
 to send up the names of the men S lected by the delegates to represe them on the committees on credent1a permanent organization, rules and ( ,, der of business, and resolutions. most cases the names were all req and were soon in possession of t secretaries.