The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-06-13
REPUBLICANS IN
BIG CONVENTION
National Gathering Opened For
maIIy in Chicago.
CROWD FILLS THE COLISEUM
Senator Harding of Ohio Is Elected
Temporary Chairman and Deliv-
ers the Keynote Speech
Committees Are Named.

party opened its great quadrennial
show-the national convention-today
before a capacity house. Despite the
fact that the proceedings of the first
session were to be only preliminary
formalities, the people focked 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 con-
vention to order there was not one
vacant seat in the immense struc-
ture.
1t was a fine setting for an i'm
portant event. The Coliseum was dec
Grated as never before, with flags and
bunting draping the Orders and gal
leries 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 35 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 liv
ing eXchairman of Republican ma
tional CONVEX ions. To the, right and
left Of these were placed the members
of the national committee and their
guests.
In the body of the hall, directly in
front of the speakers stand were the
991 delegates gathered about their
state standards, and back of them 991
alternates. 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
thousands of spectators who had been
fortunate to obtain admission tickets.
Convention Begins Business.
Mr.. 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 Presbyter-
ian church of Chicago, to deliver the
invocation. DR.. Stones. eloquent and
impressive prayer was followed by
the reading of the call for the con-
vention by James B. Reynolds of Mas
sachusetts, secretary of the national
committee.
Mr.. Hilles then called for nomina-
tons for temporary chairman. Of
course the selection of United States
Senator Charles Warren Harding Of
Ohio for that position had been all
settled long ago and his election by
unanimous vote was only a formality.
Senator Harding is an imposing figure,
and as he accepted the gavel from the
hands of Mr.. Hilles he was enthusiasts
tically cheered.
Chairman Hardng's Address.
Chairman Harding launched at once
into his keynote" speech, and did not
belle his reputation for eloquence and
dizziness 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 SEN
fences 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 them and to the world that he did
not believe there was really reac-
tionary Republican amng the dele
gates.
AS might have been expected, Mr.. |
Harding early in his address took up
the subject of national defense His |
utterances on this topic were reason |
ably emphatic and III line with the |
preparedness sentiment that has been
spreading over the land. Our national
unsel6shness has been proved since
the great war broke out, he said, and |
our national weakness in defense re.
vealed. The foreign policy of the |
Democratic administration, both in re-
lation to Europe and in the matter of |
Mexico, was dealt with in a few caus-
tic sentences, and the plan to turn |
loose" the Philippines also was scored |
The speaker devoted some attention !
to the need, from Republican point |
of view, for a protective tariff, and |
then turned to the topic of American |
ism. Here he once more let his elo- |
quence have full play, and his call for |
loyalty, devotion and love for the
United States on the part Of every one |
of its citizens was answered by a roar |
of cheers.
Verify, it is good to be an Ameri- |
can. And we may rejoice to be Re-
publicans," he concluded.
Routine Business Transacted.
When the band music that burst |
forth at the end of Senator Harding's
speech was over and the assemblage
quoted down again, the other tempo. |
rary officers were nominated and |
elected, and the chairmen of the vari- |
Gus state delegations were called on to |
send up the names of the men selected
by the delegations to represent them
on the committees on credentials, per-
mauent organization, rules and order
of business, and resolutions. In most
cases tho names were all ready and
were soon in possession Of the secre-
taries.
Some miscellaneous business follow
ed, and Chairman Harding then de-
clared the convention adjourned until
Thursday morning.
The members of the committees at
once gathered in the meeting places
assigned them and took up their work