Omaha daily bee., 1916-05-14
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T INCREASING interest In the coming national pres-
dent-choosing conventions is evidenced by the In
creasing inquiries TO how visitor must proceed
to get in and It is certain that the pressure for nd
mission, especially at Chicago is sure 10 be greater
than ever before II that the appetite for ma
tional conventions feeds itself and quadren
nially II is like the fad for witnessing first night
performance the Irresistible force being the cham
pionship game base ball fan or the bug that impela
folks to go and wrestling matches, prize fights
and foot ball contests ] know man here in Omaha
who would not stay away from Chicago II he had
TO walk there and he will not be kept out Of the
Coliseum II he has TO buy ticket from broker on
the curb.
do not envy Brother Howell his Job this time o.
taking Of the Nebraska applicants for cards or
admission whom / referring to him as the official
agency for their distribution. without mentioning those
who are doubtless beieaguering him on their own nc
count At the 1912 convention with VIII Hayward
holding down the position Of secretary OF the ma
tional committee and myself acting as chairman tho
ticket problem serious It was solved with rea-
sonabe ease and ! do not believe anyone who had
legitimate claim 70 recognition as resident Of Ne
braska whether republican, bull moose or even demo-
crat, failed TO be taken OF, except BY their own
fault Their liberal treatment then however ID cnl-
culated TO spoil them for this time. when they ars
sure find difficult conditions besetng them
not trying TO discourage anyone from going over
TO Chicago for the big show" but In fairness to Mr.
Howell. the visitor who manages 10 have look-n
for one or two sessions wants 10 consider himself
lucky instead of feeling aggrieved at not being pro-
vided with a continuous performance pass.
At the outset spoke Of the convention habit.
which believe have INDUCED as much II not
more than most people, although by no means In ths
top class. Ny convention experience runs to demo-
cratic meetings in greater number than TO republican
meetings for the reason that during the life Of my
father no proempted the assignment to the republican
conventions and 1t not thought desirable for us
both to be away from the home Job at the time
In ALL / have 80 far taken In three democratic ma.
tonal conventions and only two republican national
conventions and let not overlook one popust ma
tonal convention which the first Of the species
which was permitted to observe
This pepuiAt convention thu 1899 Omaha
convention" being held right here kept US on the
home grounds The meeting was held In the no.
called Coliseum, the Ah-SaF-Ben den, on North
Twentieth street. and IL timed for the Fourth OF
July no that the platform might be promulgated as
"a Declaration Of Independence" Tho one scene
that impressed itself particularly upon my memory
was the demonstration" that occasion when tho
delegates worked themselves Into a furere Of nolsq
and enthusiasm, Tha chief purpose seemed 70 BIO to
keep up the din while the delegates were marehlns
around carrying their state standards and keep II up
longer than the record demonstration Of any Of tho
other conventions One OF the delegates, with typical
pepust whskers IN a frenzy Of excitement, picked
up the big drum and took of his boot using It as
drum-stck while he tramped round and round, with |
one stocking foot and the other booted do not re-
as tho kept track Of It with stop-watches
and recorded the exact number Of minutes, their an
nouncement that II broke all records may bo accepted
without question.
MY next national convention was the 1890 Demo
cratic blowout or biew-up, at Chicago, at which |
Bryan surprised everyone BY running away with the
nomination as a dark horse" | heard his famous
Gross Of Gold" speech that electrified the audience
ana made his choice as standard-bearer inevitable for
hail nf tho nawt "A I haVe observed |
moro than once the wonderful effect OF that mastery
grafton was due largely 10 the peculiar conditions
under which II was delivered and especially the con-
traat between his clear ennclaon and forcefu logic
which held his hearers spelbound and the dry tire
some debate Immediately preceding This debate had |
been participated In by men OF prominence and note |
who however, could scarcely make themselves heard |
by the impatient oyer-heated strainlng, swelterlng
crowd and them ell at once Bryan's clear voice and
persuasive eloquence lifted them out of their drUws-
hess and into rapt attention, and they caught |
every word without special effort they were carried
along with the speaker until the climax took them right
out OF their seats and led to the ovation that could
not be ignored by the delegates had they wanted
to- This must say however Is the only instance |
In ali the political conventions have attended which |
could be called stampede and have seen numer- |
attempted sampedes that fell short of their marx
Az soon as Bryan was formally nominated the fol- |
lowing dag, hurried back to town from the eunven-
ton hall, which was then quite way unt IN the |
direction OF the old Woride Balr GROUNDS Dit Bryan |
had been CHARTERED along with most Of the Nebraska
delegation NJ the CLIFTON hotel opposite the Palmer
House, and people began TO pour m 10 congratulate
him, tho manager kindly put tho dingy little pariorr I
on the second floor az his disposal since he had no
other place 10 receive them II was all 80 sudden |
aud unforeseen even then. that no arrangements had
been made heflttinR the encourage of presidential
candidate All Mr. Bryan could DO was to stand there
and shake hands and smile ana there seemed 70 he 1
no one 70 help Along with the late Charlie Rigg ~ 4
Beatrice volunteered 70 take care ot tho kilograms
and letters which continuous procession nf boys |
began 70 deliver Both OK Us were republicans. but |
that made no difference We Feceipted for the moa-
saata opened them and sorted them out and some /
II Them may say. bov interesting signatures ot men
VIM rad been nrhenE Bryan here IN Nebraska AS \
well - elsewhere. bur who lost not moment ~ try /
ina q SOC hack into hia good sraces, had bfynn
badge one ot Z think. ona hundred that had heo1 /
ordered IS the Nabrsaks hunch@to which had paid i
either q cents Or dollar and which wAs ths only \
hadne hsarins portrait ef Bryan exiAnt q thnt Il
time I refused offer 81 50 fur mine ana have 4
h yet 4 refer a. ants merely 70 illustrate she eNs
element at,sndlnx that famous convention
As sanuai evafFun TITS eeiamn. . mast ssssfts 4
,ans mrhsf eouesasiaa ssrsHtnesa - latter eta-