The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-06-09
National Gathering Opened For
mally in Chicago.
CROWD FILLS THE COLISEUM
Senator harding OF Ohio Is Elected
Temporary Chairman and Delivers
the Keynote Speech-com-
nnittees Are Named.

i ehoW-the national cOnVentiOn--tOday
before capacity house. Despite the
fact that the proceedings of the first
session were to be only preliminary
formalities, the people focked 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 conven-
i ton to order there was not one vacant
| seat in the immense structure.
1t was a fine setting for an important
event. The Coliseum was decorated
rs never before, with flags and bunting
draping the girders and galleries and
/ covering all bare spots on the end
walls. Up in gallery at the south
end of the hall brass band was pour
| ing forth patriotic and popular airs.
Back of the speakers rostrum. where
| sat Mr., Hilles and his working force
of 35 men, were grouped many mem
bers of the diplomatic corps who had
come on from Washington, and the
distinguished guests of the convention,
| among them ali living ex-chairmen of
| Republican national conventions. To
| the right and left of these were placed
the members of the national commit
tee and their guests.
In the body Of the hall, directly in
front of the speakers stand, were the
| S91 delegates gathered about their
state standards, and back of them 991
| aIternates Just below the rostrum
/ and on both sides of IL were the 425
| working newspaper men, and in the
| galleries all around the hall were the
| thousands of spectators who had been
1 fortunate to obtain admission tickets.
Convention Begins Business.
Mr.. Hilles was heartily applauded
when he stood before the throng,
1 gavel in hand. He spoke but briefly
| In calling the great gathering to order,
| and called on Rev John Timothy
Stone, pastor of the Fourth Presby-
terrain Church of Chicago, to deliver
! the invocation. DR.. Stones eloquent
| and impressive prayer was followed by
the reading of the call for the conven-
ton by James B. Reynolds, of Massa-
chusetts, secretary of the national
committee.
Mr. Hilles then called for nomina-
tions for temporary chairman. OF
! course the selection of United States
Senator Charles Warren Harding of
Ohio for that position had been all set
tied long ago and his election by
unanimous vote was only forma1ity.
/ Senator Harding is an imposing figure,
and as he accepted the gavel from the
hands Of Mr. Hilles he was enthusiast
tically cheered.
| Chairman Harding's Address.
Chairman Harding launched at once
into his keynote" speech, and did not
belle his reputation for eloquence
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 reaction
airy Republican among the delegates.
! 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
| oh iY1I fx10 he
| paredness sentiment that has been
| spreading over the land Our national
| unselfishness has been proved since
the great war broke out, he said, and
1 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 caustic
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 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 temper
airy officers were nominated and elect
ed, and the chairmen Of the various
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