The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-07


Total ISL
On the first ballot Hughes will
have not more than 210 votes.
Frank Hitchcock's answer was to
point to his only claim since he
started the talk for Hughes here
more than S45 votes for the justice.
Seldom have $4,000 dampened per-
sons met in the fashion they did to-
day. The rain washed began arriving
at the Coliseum early. Bands whose
drums sagged from the cloggy, muggy
atmosphere, thumped and footed vail
antly from somewhere way up In the
air back Of the hall In the air was
tho smell Of rubber. overcoats, and Of
water soaked umbrellas, with . eug-
gestfon OF moth balls, where some
disciple of preparedness had been
able to dig down In his trunk and get
out winter suit instead Of shivering
around in summer tweeds.
The gorgeous yellow and white
bunting decorations fitted the. drab-
ness of the outside in little more
mellow glow inside the hall and
helped the dampened and chilled
spirit to thaw out and dry out trif1e.
Gaudy ribbons that had once been
badges and had curled up on the wa
ter-soaked coats Of the delegates and
spectators, begin to unldnk and perk
up a little. So did the wearers of
these badges. Then began the ever.
lasting talk, talk, the buzz, buzz Of
that welled up in a con
tinuous roar of noise. the roar shat
tered now and then by the crack of
yells for some favorite son or greet
ings for some delegate.
Here in the convention hall, as In
the hotel lobbies, the principal topic
OF conversation was Roosevelt and
Hughes. The G.. Q. P.-ites were very
much interested in what was about
to happen mile or so north in the
whore the bull moose CO.
horts we're presumably singing "On-
ward Christian Soldiers" and doing
other Mooseish things. The concen-
sus of opinion was that Roosevelt was
done with the republican convention
but then, you never can tell, espe-
cially when there was so much talk
and George Perkins was supposed to
be equalling the pussyfooting per-
OF Murray Crane.
Going back to schedule again, the
met to talk and expected
to talk for perhaps three hours. Then
there was to be q two hour stoppage
Of the organized talk, SO to speak
that is, the convention was to ad-
Iourn until tomorrow-after which
the verbal vOlleys were to be formal
ly resumed at an opened session of
the resolutions committee. Most of
the platform is already drafted, but |!
the free and untrammelled right to |
talk is sacred at conventions and
there are plenty Of individuals with |
throats, ready to exer-
else 1.-THE right-and then-the |
throats. Probably this session of |
forensic fervor will last until late to-
night. Then the resolutions commit |
lee win appoint subcommittee !
which will do the real heavy work Of
building the platform and do It |
through an all night vigil.
Tomorrow they will have It ready |
70 submit to the convention.
1t was 11:2S when Chairman Hilles'
,avel fell. Contrary to the usual sit
ration, he had little trouble in obtain
ng quiet, the delegates appearing |
Eager to be quiet and assist in getting |
he show under way.
This is a year" he said, whatever
nay have been true OF past years,
when politics Is patriotism and pat |
iotism is politics. Therefore the
audience will please arise and sing
America"
Prayer was then offered by Rev.
rohn Timothy Stone of Chicago. 1t
vas then i:33 The divine prayer was
or peace, asking blessings for the de-
iberations Of the meeting and plead
ng for mo hasty or ill spoken words
MAY the men OF our choice be
hose of your choice he said.
Everybody then sat quiet while the
did his worst
Secretary James b. Reynolds next