The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-06-10
Progressive Convention

After three sessions that ran
through the gamut of emotions from
hysteria for Mr. Roosevelt to a calm,
dispassionate discussion of planks in
the platform, the convention adjourned
at 9.5S last night until 1890 today.
1t was only after repeated assurances
from the leaders that Col Roosevelt
himself desired that the nomination be
postponed that the delegates swal-
lowed their own convictions that the
nomination was the real and only busi-
ness to be considered and consented
to quit the hall for the night.
All the day the delegates kept on
guard. while the leaders watched or
listened over the telephone, to detect
any unexpected move on the part of
the republicans. As the ballots were
taken in the Coliseum they waited and
listened and kept their tempers. They
were told they must keep the faith -
and allow two ballots to be taken by
the republicans according to the agree
ment between the peace conferees and
approved by Col. Roosevelt himself
The approval OF the colonel was a
trump card held up the sleeves OF the
leaders, but never played, for when
the Coliseum quit for the night the
delegates, tired out with long sitting
in the hot, sticky theater, were willing
to await for a nomination.
One of the incidents of the day and
one of the most dramatic, was the sud
den appearance upon the platform OF
Senator Borah of Idaho, delegate TO
the Republican convention and one OF
the peace conferees. He got recep-
tion that swelled out into the streets
and when he began to speak the old
temper for Roosevelt famed out again
The senator spoke briefly, He hoped
for harmony and peace and the spirit
OF gettogether, but he promised to fol
low MIR, Roosevelt with all the ardor he
was capable OF, if he should be the
nominee OF the two parties.
There was little routine business
during the night The platform was
tentatively agreed upon with only a
few changes A fight to insert a pro
hibition plank was beaten by 4 vote
OF 523 to 81 after the leaders had eX
planned at length that to put it in
meant that prohibition and not Amer
icanism would then become the mair
issue of the coming campaign
For the rest the delegates just cheer
ed and listened. Realizing that an ou
break might be averted only by keep
ing them in good humor, the leaders
recognized man after man in the hall
called them to the platform and allow
ed them to play on the crowd and IL
sense of humor.
Before adjournment the delegates
were told of the result of the first tw,
ballots at the Coliseum They tool
comfort from the vote for Mr. Roose
welt, and the motion to end the session
was nopposed.
James r. Garfield of Ohio made tn
adjournment motion and the delegate
left the hall, just twelve hours afte
they had entered it this morning
Senator Smoot read the report &
the peace oonferees as follows;
Your committee appointed pursuar
to the resolution adopted at yoste
days session met i'm conference wit
committee representing the nationj
progressive convention last evening
The progressive committee of confe
ence consisted of Messrs Perkins {
New York Johnson of California, b.
naparte OF Maryland, Wilkinson {
New York and Parker of Louisiana.
The conference was frank, free an
most friendly. The conferees were
one mind in believing that the GOO
, of the country, and perhaps its repu
, and influence for years to come, d
, pends on the complete defeat of q
p present democratic administrat
and the restoration Of the control