The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-08
RAIN STOPPED PEP
Unusual Quiet Prevails at Re-
publican Convention Session.
Applause for Harding Lasted
Only Fifteen Seconds.
SPEECH LACKED USUAL PUNCH
Dark, Dismal and Depressing,
Delegates Agree.
Interior of Coliseum Decked
With Stars and Stripes.
SPEECH LACKED USUAL PUNCH
(BY DAMON RUNYoN.)

Chicago, June S.-Outside Chicago's
famous Coliseum chilling rain slanted
in from the lake and left the streets
damp and drear.
Inside the Coliseum there was shell
ter from the elements for the dele
gates to the Republican convention,
but the dampness of the outer world
seemed to have sweated through the
pores of the old building and into
the spirit of the occasion.
1t was Enthusiastically dank inside.
It was undeniably a trifle dismal. A
torrent of words, intended as words
of comfort, beat down upon the dele
gates huddled there for mutual pro-
lection from their political enemies,
SO to speak, but their enthusiasm was
still a bit bedraggled after the pre-
liminary business had been concluded
and adjournment taken until today.
Back to their hotels they tramped
through the rain talking it over. Yes,
they admitted, it had been slightly de-
pressing. No, United States Senator
Warren G. Harding's keynote" speech
hadn't been quite as blood-tingling as
anticipated, and, no, it wasn't general
ly anything like the riproaring opening
riots of other national convention
year@but, wait! Wait until the boys
''get warmed up a little!"
Heard the Moose Call.
And meantime, while waiting for
that feverish moment which may be
today, or which may be the next day,
or which may not be at ALL the dele
gates are keeping out of the rain and
commenting on that insane outburst
which occurred yesterday morning in
that other convention drown the street
and which reached the Coliseum in
harsh echoes.
There was the profusion of the stars
n nd frin q hnr 6N =
was a red, white and blue glimpse
through most of the remarks, and at
the conclusion the flag was still there
without any rockets red glare or
bombs bursting in air, however.
The long, pot-bellied, boat-shaped
interior of the Coliseum was fairly
swathed in the national colors There
were bow knots and streamers, and
SasheS and patches and punches of
the red, white and blue everywhere.
High, high up in a niche in one end
of the building was a great painting
of Abra ham Lincoln, strongly Illumi-
mated and Old Abe seemed to be gazing
| down upon the scene with kindly toll
erance. ,5-r7 8
| Applaud Iincoln's Name a 2
In his keynote" speech Senat or
Harding made reference to Lincoln
and swung his hand upward toward
| the picture of the Emancipator
|
| cheers. a<t t
A fine figure of man is Senator
Harding: a solid, distinguished look
ing citizen, with a carrying voice and
a good delivery-just such a man, who
given the right things to say and the
right time to say them might well be
calculated to jar an assembly wide
open, but maybe he didn't have the
right things to say, OF maybe it wasn't
| just the right time.
Everybody was on the lookout for a
big demonstration at any moment
however. When the senator was in
troduced and stepped forward to the
accompaniment of applause thai
| promised continuity, there was a con
| vulsive clutching at watch pockets
in the press box. When he con-
cluded and the applause broke out
again, and began lifting, and attain
ing somebody, as it were, there was
another hasty reaching
Time iti' said an eminent politica
writer to his assistant.
Fifteen seconds" said the assistanf
with an air of disgust, poking his
watch back into his pocket as the ap-
plause began to fade and then sud.
denly died away altogether