Middletown transcript., 1916-06-10
REpIIRI IchNe IN
I'LL UDIIOIuVU III
BIG CONVENTION
National Gathering Opened For
maIIy in Chicago.
CROWD FILLS THE COLISEUM
Senator Harding Of Ohio is Elected
Temporary Chairman and Delivers
the Keynote Speech-Com-
mittees Are Named.

Chicago, June THE Republican
party opened it's great quadrennial
show-the national conYention-today
before a capacity house. Despite the
fact that the proceedings Of the first
session were to be only preliminary
formalities, the people aocked 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-
ton to order there was not one vacant
seat in the immense structure.
1t was fine setting for an important
event. The Coliseum was decorated
as never before, with flags and bunting
draping the girders and galleries and
covering all bare spots on the end
walls. Up in a gallery at the south
end of the hall a 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 all 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
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 order,
and called on Rev. John Timothy
Stone, pastor of the Fourth Presby-
terian Church of Chicago, to deliver
the invocation. DR.. Stones eloquent
and impressive prayer was followed by
the reading of the call for the conven-
tion by James B. Reynolds, of Massa-
chusetts, secretary of the national
committee.
Nj. 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 a formality.
Senator Harding is an imposing figure,
and as he accepted the gavel from the
hands of Mr.. Hilles he was enthusias-
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
tences 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 reaction
ary Republican among the delegates.
AS might have been expected, Mr..
Harding early i'll his address took up
the subject Of national defense. His
utterances on this topic were reason
ably emphatic and in line with the pre-
paredness 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-
yealed. 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 a roar
Of cheers.
"Verily, it is good to be an Ameri-
can. And we may rejoice to be Re
publicans," he concluded.
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