The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-05-24
REPUBLICANS TO
CELEBRATE BIRTH
OF PARTY IN '56
Presidential Boom for 1920
Expected to Be Launched

CHICAGO H., May z4--Republican
national and state leaders will assemble
in Bloomington, next week to celebrate
their political organization. They will
temporarily lay aside the affairs OF
state and the issues Of the war and re-
call the days when certain political Gle
mcntS united and launched the party OF
Lincoln, OF Grant. and others whose
names will he forever linked with the
history OF the United States.
Taft to Be There
The anniversary celebration will be
marked by the presence Of iormcr Pres
idcnt lait, Senator Wesley A Jones Of
Washington, Senator /. Y Sherman OF
Illinois, Governor Frank O Lowden Of
Illinois, and many others OF prominence
The celebration !, generally regarded as
the opening gun OF 1920 for the prcsi-
dcncy, and TIM, fact has increased the
interest Republicans past, present and
future will be the keynote oi the gather
ing to celebrate tha, historic day Just
sixty-twO years before, when the party
sprang into being
On May %, 1850, men in long coats
and top hats and women in hoopsklrts
assembled in a building still standing
in Bloomington, then known as Majors
hall, and listened to the words OF Lin
coin, words which projected him as
one OF Americas foremost citizens and
gave 10 the United States the funda
mental principles OF republicanism
, Historians are agreed that this con
ventlon. made famous by the lost
speech" OF Lincoln, marked the real in
auRuration Of the party Before that
the elements which opposed slavery
had been known as "antl-Nebraskan.
The word republican" was favored al
massmcetings IN various sections OF the
country At the Bloomington meeting
the name was formally approved. The
convention OF 1850 was the first state
gathering at which the name was adopt
ed and the credit for beng the birth
place OF the republican party, therefore.
has been given to Bloomington
Lincoln's Sagacity.
Abraham Lincoln was the choice OF
many men for governor OF Illinois, but
he illustrated his political Sagaclty by
suggesting instead the nomination Of an
anti Nebraskan democrat rather than
an, old-time whig like himself lie
recommended William II, BisSel OF St
Clair county and when the convention
was held in Bloomington three months
later Bissell was unanimously nomi-
mated As Lincoln had predicted, he
was elected in November
Majors hall, where the historic con
vention was held, still stands SO far
as known. none who attended that ia
nous gathering is now living. Lincoln
was one Of the delegates from Sanga-
mon county Other delegates who later
we're to play an important part in ma
tional and state affairs were John NJ.
Palmer. Owen Lovcjoy, John 6. Nico-
lay, the biographer OF Lincoln, and
Richard Yates, sr, later governor OF
Illinois
When the ticket was completed Owen
Loveioy spoke for an hour. He was
followed by Lincoln, who spoke for an
hour holding the convention spcllbound
BY the power OF his argument, the irony
OF his nyectiye, and his earncstness.
The reporters were so enthralled that
they forgot to take notes Not until
he concluded, was 1t realized that the
great speech was unrecorded