Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-07

of blueeoats
Chairman Hilles, dressed in dark
cutaway suit, arrived at 10 o'clock and
he and Sergeant at Arms Stone came
out on the front rostrum for brief
look over the hall then holding only
300 or 400 people. The hall was so
dark that some of the lights across the
great dome of the hall were turned on
In this yellow light and the faint gray
day without, the hall looked greenish-
gray. The first delegates to arrive
were two from Kansas. They looked
lonesome sitting in the forest of chairs
arranged in ice rows on the floor.
Over the speakers rOstrum was hung
q gigantic sounding board of wood and
paper mache. Back of the great plat
form proper, high up over all, the like
ness of Abraham Lincoln looked bening
ly down from frame brilliantly illum
mated by electric lights. Above this
was the presidents s flag, blue with the
great seal of the United States standing
out brilliantly in the light from a sky
light above.
American flags in countless numbers
were wound around the balconies, but
the whole roof was yellow and white.
At the back, high up in a balcony, the
Chicago band stroye to liven things
little-the white uniformed leader look
ed as if he was exercising to keep
warm, rather than attempting to draw
music out of his eonferees AT any rate
the music fell flat.
Much Like Funeral,
At 10:30 the small crowd had about
doubled but there was hardly noise
above a polite buzz of conversation. AT
that time, not more than % delegates
were on the job.
Among the faithful, was Mrs Corne-
lius Cole, the woman representative
from Los Angeles.
In the front rows of the delegate
seats, were placed the "big ones" of
states-New York and Ohio directly in
front of the small speakers rostrum,
and flanlSing the middle aisle, Pennsyl-
vania and Indiana thanking the right
side aisle and Illinois and Massachus-
etts going on either side of the left
passageway.
On the floor. the delegates wove
around, visiting and "buzzing." There
was no noise except gentle murmur of
talk arising everywhere - no enthus-
iasm everywhere-no enthusiasm, no
cheers, no banners. Old timers said the
disspirited air and depected appear
anee Of the auditdgs and spectators, due
to the rain and cold and with complete
lack of any "pep'' apparent was almost
without parallel. -Four years ago the
convention was simply jammed with a
bowling mob, 20 minutes before Chair
man Rosewater's gavel fell starting the
fight Today there was not a bit of
fight in the air-a feeling of cold and
damp, Of discOnsolate of discomfort,
and of frigid feet,
Bands Of enthusiasts marched up to
the entrance with banners and other
tampede--creating aids and stopped.
There was little fight or pep in the
rainsoaked marchers, and when. the
six foot guards stopped them, they
handed over their paraphernalia and
entered the hall quietly.
The air warmed up just wee trifle
lust before the convention was eX
pected to start There was a short
spasm of applause as the band played
"Dixie."
smoot Defies Roosevelt.
As the Utah delegation assembled,
Senator Emoot greeted delegates with
this:
awe are pulling for the progressives
to nominate Roosevelt, Amalgamation
is out of the question. We will be glad
to get rid Of the progressive radicals
The other faction will come with us.
The others can nominate Roosevelt to-
day if they like. "
Convention is opened
1t was 11:2S when Chairman Hiles .
gavel fell Contrary to the usual situa.
tion, he had little trouble in obtaining
quiet, the delegates appearing eager to
assist in getting the show under way.
''This is a year." he said, "what
ever may have been true Of past years
when politics is patriotism and pa.
triotism is politics. Therefore, the au.
dience will please arise and sing Amer
lea
Prayer was then offered by Rev.
John Timothy Stone, of Chicago. It
was then ll:33.
The divine prayer for peace, asking
blessings for the deliberations of the
meeting and pleading for ono hasty or
i'll spoken words"
"May the men Of our choice be those
Of your choice" he said.
Everybody sat quiet while the photo.
grapher did his worst.
Secretary Reynolds next read the Of
ficial call for the convention being
greeted with good natured applause
The reading was not audible to more
than 80 people "Jimmie" Reynolds,
being plainly a little weak Of voice
through stage fright. The convention
buzzed away at conversation.
The inattention paid to Reynolds was
so fragrant that Murray Crane finally
came to the front of the stand, caught
Hilles attention and motioned FOR him
10 pound for order. Hilles obeyed and
got a modieum Of order Reynolds got
a good natured hand as he finished
Chairman Hilles next presented Sen
ator Warren G. Harding as the nominee
for temporary chairman, taking o single
sentence for this function. Harding 's
name got a goodly burst Of applause
and there being no other nominations
for the keynote job, he was named by
aeclamation
Hilles appointed a committee 10 es-
cort the Ohioan to the platform, Crane,
pcuod aud aTaLfe1c,t 90 T1i;r,se Tho