The Benson signal., 1916-06-17

amt worth a dime to me-" was the
reply.
Those negroes were among the
amusing features of the hotel lobbies,
for they were forever getting into
acrimonious dispute with one another.
Don't you try to tell me nothin',"
said big colored Indianian to one
from a Southern state. "You darkies
from down there are on the market as
soon as you get here, every time"
"Is that so?" was the sharp re-
sponse. "Well, you tell me when did
Indiana ever send colored dele
gate?"
Lots of times"
But when, l asts you?'
Lots Of times, tells you"
But, l asts you, when?"
And so it would go on interminably
Wednesday night was the liveliest
in the hotels, for the boosters were out
in all their glory and as yet uncurbed.
In the Congress swarm of cowboy
hated Sherman shouters took pos
session Of the lobby and at intervals
the T. r. paraders would undertake to
march through them, carrying large
Teddy" signs. Every such attempt
was the signal for near riot, and
those signs were soon smashed by
umbrella-handle blows.
Then the Sherman boys produced a
baby elephant and a goat labeled
''Teddy's." The little pachyderm was
as once banished to the baggage room,
where it's trunk was checked and its
manager ordered half ton of hay
from the Pompeiian room. AS for the
goat, it was run out in hurry, and
the hotel management issued an edict
that no more live stock should be
brought into the place. So thereafter
the crowds were content to go mill
ing" about the various rooms, here
watching movies Of Roosevelt parades,
there listening to speakers tell of
the virtues Of Burton or Fairbanks,
and elsewhere collecting badges and
buttons. For the Lords sake take
them," the boosters would urge.
"They won't be worth darn next
week" Which was necessarily true
of all but one variety. then unknown.
Black Mark for Chicago.
Mention has been made above of
Mayor Thompson's committee, and
credit must be given it for doing much
to entertain the delegates and other
convention visitors. In addition to big
flocks of free automobiles, there were
many and varied forms of entertain
ment, parades of firemen, fireworks,
and the like, so far as the wretched
weather permitted, and on Thursday
night there were dances in dozen Of
the leading hotels to which all were
invited. So far, so good. But big
black mark must be placed against the
mayor and his political friends for the
outrage of Friday afternoon. At that
time, just as things were getting in
teresting. an immense swarm Of ward
heelers and political henchmen swept
down on the Coliseum, armed with
green tickets or sergeant at arms
badges, and so thrOnged the building
that the police and firemen finally
closed all the doors. The doorkeepers
were given orders to honor no tickets
whatever. and hundreds of newspaper
correspondents and men and women
who had paid as high as $3.50 for ad
mission tickets were rudely thrust
aside. The order came when a great
many were outside the hall for lunch
and they were unable to get back to
their seats.
To make bad matter worse, while
holders of proper credentials argued
and battled with the police in vain,
shouting their indignation and trying
futilely to send word to Sergeant at
Arms Stone, the ward workers were
slipping in by the hundred, entering
through the emergency hospital door,
where Doctor Robertson, the city
health commissioner, and his aids
were stationed.
Mayor Thompson appeared at the
Coliseum shortly after the doors were
closed.
"Who ordered the doors barred?"
he was asked.
Sergeant at Arms Stone" he re.
piled.
How does the fire department fig
ure in this outrage?" the inquirer
asked.
"Mr. Stone asked for protection. He
said there were 5000 too many people
in the building already"
What do you know about the green
tickets?"
The mayor walked away.
From a casual inspection of the
crowds in the building Friday it
seemed that there must be thousands
of men wearing the badges Of SER
at and at aldar.