Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-12

after visit to the progressive national conven-
ton: 49,.
The progressves opened their session with
series of roars and adjourned because George w.
Perkins wanted them to and the delegates were
beginning to get hungry During most of the
session there were several speakers trying to
lead the party at the same time, and Chairman
Robins had hard time to maintain any SEM
blance of order Massachusetts, delegates started
the part with 1T won't stop raining till we nomi-
nate Teddy which struck popular chord with
the rain soaked crowd. New York struck the
keynote Of the sentiment with banner pro-
claimed New York Wants Roosevelt and Wants
Him Right Away" This proved to be the senti-
ment which Chairman Robins, Perkins, Garfield
and the more conservative leaders had trouble
in holding in check all the afternoon.
1--WE Wont Take Hughes" was the burden Of
the shout set up by the Illinois delegation and
echoed by most OF the rest OF the house.
The paid performers in the gallery had poor
luck with their songs even when aided by good
sized megaphones and the band for the conven-
ton had plenty Of music of its own The Georgia
delegation got hearing on song in which "his
mothers home" rhymed with him alone
(probably they wrote the song with "his" and
him" capitalized.
The confirmation Of committee reports on
credentials and permanent organization went
through without hitch, but when James R. Gar
field introduced the conference resolution the
trouble began, and continued in increasing
volume until Mclaughlin of Michigan advised
the convention to tell the republican party to go
to hell and do 1t now" and thereby earned
rebuke from the chair for supplementary Lam
guage.
Contrasting with the banner proclaiming 1--WE
Don't Want Any More Judges or Professors"
Albert Bushnell Hart the noted historian
doubted that there could be any harmony and
stated that he and the Massachusetts, delegation
were from Missouri as well as from Massa-
chusetts
When the resolution finally passed after about
two hours of frantic debate the committee on
resolutions was ready to report. The platform
as drafted received general approval, but fight
on the suffrage plank developed under the lead
ership of Henry J. Allen. It was ruled out as
out Of order but forecasted trouble for the final
adoption on the morrow.
Mr.. Perkins was greeted with a sea of way
ing hags but his speech aroused little enthusiasm
and not until Chairman Robins advocated ad-
journment was there an enthusiastic response.
Then came the amusing part of the per-
Torrance. Although the convention had ad-
journed, it reconsidered the motion. and passed
the resolution empowering the chair to appoint
conference committee, when the news came of
favorable action by the republican convention on
a conference resolution .ss..
The night session was noisy but good natured,
conference would result in harmony, though
many of the delegates still expect to nominate
Roosevelt. ....
Raymond Robins was the dominant factor of
the second session of the progressive convention.
His personality dominated the turbulent passions
Of the delegates. He dominated both George W.
Perkins and Victor Murdoch, who led opposing
factions. He was able to turn the tide toward
possible compromise and away from the head
long nomination Of Theodore Roosevelt, not by
his ability as an orator and keynoter, nor by his
power as paramentarian, but because he re-
fused to cut off debate, and because he said 81
want to do>what 10 right"
The Auditorium held crowd very different
from that in the Coliseum. 1t had bigger pro
portion of red heads. There were more men
with sandy whiskers and with hoarse throats. 1t
was volatile crowd, prone to follow the leader,
whoever he might be. The same hands waved
flags, the same voices that shouted approval
when Garfield and Pinchot presented the con-
ference resolution also applauded. Murdoch
when he opposed the resolution and cheered Nc
Laugh1in when he advised the convention to
tell the republicans to 60 to hell and do it now"
Oratory and epigrams were at premium. The
delegates wanted to believe what they heard and
opinion swayed back and forth. Raymond Rob-
ms. put his motions at the psychological moments
and carried the convention with him because
they believed he was doing what was right.
An old-time political observer remarked
They are like the pops only more So" They
are more so. The progressive convention is
more like camp meeting than deliberative
body. They are worshippers of their Teddy
and they follow him with blind devotion 1t re-
CURED the leadership Of Raymond Robins to
| even temporarily divert them from their head
long rush to nomination irrespective of plat
form, procedure, or policy. The question is can
and will Robins continue to hold down the lid
and give the conference report a chance