The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-06-16
REPUBLICANS IN
BIG CONVENTION
va ,'ONAL GATHERING OPENED
IN CHICAGO, WITH PLEA FOR
PARTY REUNION.
senator Harding of Ohio Delivers N.
keynote Speech, Making an Earn.
est Plea for Harmony in the
Ranks Of the Party.

Chicago, June s.-This citv has
been the Mecca of politicians the past
lew days, the occasion being the
quadrennial show of the Republican
party-the national convention.
Inc convention assembled in the
Collseum ON June Z, heard a keynote
speech delivered by Senator Warren
G. Harding of Ohio, perfected an Or
ganlzation and adjourned until II
O'Clock Thursday morning. 1t all took
Just two hours, and in its lack of DEM
onstration or outbursts, of any kind,
and its strict attention to the busi-
ness in hand, was reminiscent of the
Philadelphia convention of 1900 that
nominated Mckinley and Roosevelt.
For one hour and twenty minutes.
Senator Harding, the temporary chair
man, delivered carefully prepared
speech, punctuated in the telling
points with brief periods of hand
clapping and applause, but at no time
did a demonstration occupy more
than half minute by the watch.
The convention was twenty-five
minutes behind the hour arranged for
its assembly, but when Chairman
Hilles of the Republican national com
mittee brought down his gavel at
11:25 o'clock, it moved quietly and
with precision until adjournment
at 1:25.
Those of the old-time leaders pres
ent who used to march down the
aisles to their seats to the tune of an
uproar, walked almost unrecognized.
w. Murray Crane, Senator Lodge,
Reed Smoot and a lot of the others
came in practically unnoticed, prob
ably because a majority of the dele
gates did not even know them by
night. Chauncey Depew was sur
rounded by small admiring group,
Senator Penrose got reception from
his own delegation, while Governor
Whitman was recognized by some.
At 1928 O'Clock, Chairman Hilles
brought down the gavel with three re-
sounding whacks and quiet settled
DOWN over the Dig nan.
Secretary Reynolds then read the
call for the convention, which was
published last December.
Chairman Hilles presented Senator
Harding of Ohio as temporary chair
man and put the question. A rolling
chorus Of ayes swept the hall, and
former Senator Crane, Senator Borah
Of Idaho and former Representative
w. B. Mckinley were appointed a
committee to escort Mr.. Harding to
the platform. The Idaho delegation
announced that Senator Borah was
unavoidably absent, so Mr.. Crane and
Mr.. Mckinley marched up with Mr..
Harding.
Chairman Harding launched at once
into his keynote" speech, and did
not belle his reputation for eloquence
and deftness Of phrase. He began with
a warm plea for harmony in the party
ranks, coupled with the confident as
sertion that such harmony already
was an assured fact. With unctuous
sentences 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 de-
clared to them and to the world that
he did not believe there was really
reactionary Republican among the
delegates.
At the close of Chairman Harding's
address the delegates rose to their
feet, some cheered, some hats were
thrown into the air and there was
some waving of handkerchiefs, but
they settled down quickly and the tenn