The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-06-08
National Gathering Opened For
maIIy in Chicago.
CROWD FILLS THE C0LISE UNI
Senator Harding of Ohio Is Elected
Temporary Chairman and Del'v-
ers the Keynote Speech
Committees Are Named.


through the many entrances in solid
streams for hours. When Charles ID.
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 girders and gal
leries and covering all bare spots on
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. Hilles and his
working force of IS 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 liy-
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 tho
99l delegates gathered about their
state standards, and back of them 991
alternates Just below the rostrum
and on both sides of it were the 1925
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
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 H. Reynolds of Mas
sachusctts, secretary of the national
committee.
Mr.. Hiles then called for nomina-
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 a formality
Senator Harding is an imposing figure,
and as he accepted the gayel from the
hands of Mr.. Iilles he was enthusiasts,
tiCally Cheered.
Chairman Hardine's Address.
Chairman Harding launched at once
into his Keynote" speech, and did not
belle his reputation for clOquence and
dizziness 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 a 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
IA
spreading over the land our national
unselfishness 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 a 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 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
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.
.ary officers were nominated and
elected. and the chairmen of the yari.
Gus state delegations were called on to
| send up tAo names of the men selected
by the delegations to represent them
on the committees on credentials. per.
mancnt organization, rules and order
OF business, and resolutions. In most
cases the names were all ready and
were soon in possession Of the secre
taries.
Some miscellaneous business follow
| ed, and Chairman Harding then de
clared the convention adjourned until
| Thursday morning.
The members of the committees n,
once gathered in the meeting places
| assigned them and took up their work