Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-06-15
REPUBLICANS NOMINATE HUGHES;
PROGRESSIVES take ROOSEVELT
Supreme Court Justice Chosen Third Ballot Fourth Day OF Con-
vention and Resigns BenchThe Colonel Named by ACoa-
nation at Same Time-Harmony Efforts Are FrutIess
Despite EagernesS to Patch Differences.

got out OF the city as rapidly as pos
sible. And Chicago prepared to catch
up on it's sleep and go back to home
cooking.
This place has closed it's eyes on
scene Of mad politics. Yet there was
a noticeable lack of enthusiasm as
compared with the Republican con-
vention of four years ago. The claims
OF candidates were not presented as
aggressively as were the claims OF
President Taft and ex-President Roose-
welt, the rival candidates in 1912. The
tone is different.
At the last convention each side
was asserting its claims to the control
of the party machinery; each side was
insisting that II was voicing the SEN
tlment of the party. It was conflict
one of the most memorable In our
political history-between men who
felt that the life Of their party de-
pended on the success Of their efforts.
Each Side Afraid.
Each side was afraid that the other
side would kill the organization, the
stand-patters by refusing to meet the
needs of the hour, the Progressives by
a surrender of what Mr.. Taft's friends
called Republican conservatism.
This time the distinctions of four
years ago disappeared, and there
seemed to be no material difference
between the programs of the two sides
so far as they relate to issues or plat
form phraseOlogy.
The password this time was Hun
gry," and it opened any caucus door.
The politicians are hungry for the Of
fees from which they were separated
by the Democracy's return to power.
They are reinforced by the candidates
for the United States senate and con-
gress and for state and local offices.
Harmony Demand Of Candidates.
These aspirants realized at the con-
vention that in a presidential year
much depends upon whether the tide
is with the party or against it.
The special interests also are hun
cry. For the first time in many years
they have found the atmosphere at
Washington chilly and uninviting.
THE old home isn't what II used to
be-" The lobbyists who visit Wash
ington now are as watchful as wild
ducks toward the end of the shooting
| season. The special interests are not
willing to take any chances; the can
| didate who desires their support will
have to show them that he is avail
| Oh ola 20
| cry politicians and the representatives
of the hungry, favor-seeking corpora
tions, sifted out the claims OF candi-
dates shrewdly and announced their
| choice eats.
There was a third factor which en-
tiers into the calculations here-name-
ly,the fact that the Progressives were
| hungry also. They were responsible
| for the overthrow of the partys nomi-
nee four years ago, and they did not
want to assume responsibility for such
a Democratic victory this year,
The Hughes Boom.
There were some Progressives who
steadily believed that Colonel RooGe.
welt was the strongest man who could
| be nominated, in spite of the fact that
| he had eliminated every outside ele.
ment to which the party could appeal
as well as a large number within the
party.
Early in the convention the drift
went toward Hughes. His friends
said he would have more votes on the
first ballot than all of the favorite
sons combined. This claim, of course,
was not conceded by the other candi
dates, but the number of the delegates
pledged to him seemed to grow in
spite of the fact that he was soon re
ceiving the attacks which are gener
ally directed against a growing candi
date. Senator La Toilette was the
choice of radical reformers, but there
were very few of them in the conven
ton.
At the opening Senator Cummins
had a following among his neigh.
bors. Senator Burton had consid
cradle personal following. Former
Vice President Fairbanks had al
earnest support, and Senator Weeks
workers were in evidence.
Senator Hardlng's Speech.
Senator Hardings speech as ten
porary chairman was all that condi
lions and circumstances would permit
The great Webster said: "Eloquenc
exists in the man, in the subject AM
in the occasion" Eloquence had onl
one-third Of a chance. 1t ha,
, the man, Senator Harding is al
orator. The committee could not hav
selected a better man to open such
convention. He is both pleasing an
r imposing in appearance. He has a
! excellent voice and a splendid d
, livery, and he represented in his view
. and hopes that element of the part
which was dominant in the CONVEX
8 ton. His speech possessed strengt
!. and humor and his thoughts wei
q expressed in phrases that will be r
|. peated by those who lack his skill
rhetoric.
The speech satisfied the audiene
1 IL.