Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-06-09
REPUBLICANS IN
BIG CONVENTION
National Gathering Opened For.
maIly 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 It's great QuaQreHnlaI
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 1ocked 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 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 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 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 AIS
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.. Hil1es then called for nominal
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 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 Harding's Address.
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 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 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 matter of
Mexico, was dealt with in 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 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 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
quieted 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-
manent organization, rules and order
of business and resolutions In most