The Monticellonian., 1916-06-08
REPUBLICANS IN
BIG CONVENTION
NATIONAL GATHERING OPENED
FORMALLY IN CHICAGO.
CROWD FILLS THE COLISEUM 4
Senator Harding of Ohio Is Elected
Temporary Chairman and Deliv-
ers the Keynote Speech
Committees Named.


the national onvention-today befors
a capacity house Despite the fact
that the proceedings of the first sos
sion were to be only preliminary for
malities, the people focked to this
Coliseum by the thousand and poured
through the many entrances in solid
streams for hours When Charles ..
Hilles. chairman of the national COM
mittee, arose at eleven o'clock and
took up the gavel to call the conven-
ton 20 order there was not one vacant
seat in the immense structure.
It was a fine setting for an i'm
portant event. The Coliseum was dec
oratea as never before. with flags and
bunting draping the Orders and gal
leries and covering all bare spots OH
the end walls. Up in gallery at the
south end of the hall brass band
was pouring forth patriotic and popu-
lar airs Back of the speakers ros-
trum, where sat Mr. Hilies and his
working force of 35 men, were grouped
many members of the diplomatic
corps who had come on from Wash
fngton. and the distinguished guests
OF the convention. among them all liv-
ing exchairmen of Republican national
conventions. 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. we're the
s91 delegates gathered about their
state standards and back of them 9e1
alternates. Just below the rostrum
and on both sides of 1t were the 42e
working newspaper men and in the
galleries all around the hall were the
thousands of spectators who had been
fortunate to obtain admission tickets
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 Presey>
terrain church of Chicago. to deliver
the invocation. DR.. Stones eloquent
and impressive prayer was followed
convention by James B. Reynolds OF
Massachusetts,, secretary OF the ma
tional committee.
Mr. Hilles then called for nemina-
tons for temporary chairman. or
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 Formally.
Senator Harding is an imposing figure.
and as he accepted the gavel from the
hands of Mr.. Hilles he was enthusiast
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 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 chem and to the world that he did
not believe there was really reac-
tionary Republican among the deie4
gates.
As might have been epexcted. Mr.
Harding early in his address took up
the subject of national defense. His
utterances on this topic were reason
ably emphatic and in line with the
preparedness sentiment that has been
spreading over the land Our national
unselfshness 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 me ter OF
Mexico, was dealt with in few cats
tic sentences. and the plan to turn
loose" the Philippines also was scored.
The speaker devoted some attention
to the need, from Republican poin+
of view, for protective tariff, and
.en 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 it's citizens was answered by
roar of cheers.
Verify, it is good to be an Ameri-
can. And we may rejoice to be Re.
pubiicans," he concluded,
When the band music that burst
forth at the end of Senator Hardings
speech was over and the assemblage
quoted down again, the other tempo
rary officers were nominated and
elected. and the chairmen OF the va
rious state delegations were called on
to send up the names of the men SCI
lected by the delegates to represen4
them on the committees on credentials
permanent organization, rules and or.
der of business, and resolutions. In
most cases the names were all ready
and were soon In possession OF tho
secretaries.
Some miscellaneous business FOL
lowed, and Chairman Harding thsn Do
clared the convention adjourned until
Thursday morning.
The members of the committees 4.
once gathered in the meeting places
assigned them and took up their wofh
so as to be ready to report to the sea