The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-06-18

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The former, under the leadership of
the heads Of the woman's party, were
In Chicago in strength and during the
entire week maintained around the
Coliseum q line of pickets bearing
banners that warned the Republicans
that the women demanded the fran
chise and would be satisfied with no
less. A plank was inserted in the plat
form urging Republican legislatures
that have not acted to ratify the suf-
frage amendment, but this did not ap-
pease the ladies. In the last few mo-
ments of the last session they dropped
from a balcony great yellow banner
on which was the statement that they
wanted votes, not planks. As for the
Irish, they, too, made a big demon
stration in Chicago and De Valera, the
president of their republic" was there
to deliver a speech before a great gath
the plans; and the plank which was
tentatively shaped for the platform
suited them so little that 1t was omit
ted entirely and nothing put in its
place. There was a story that this
resolution had been drawn up hK JUS
tite COhalan of New York in the hope
that It would be unsuitable and that
the Democrats in San Francisco would
be enabled to take advantage of the
circumstance. So, though considerable
space has perforce been given to the
platform of the Republican party, it Is
not because it must be considered as
a great or a particularly strong pro-
nouncement. Lots Of men and wom-
en- in the party are far from pleased
with many parts of it, and it must be
confessed that the writer failed to find
anyone who was crazed with enthusi-
asm over 1t.
The story of this convention would
be intensely interesting if one could
tell all the truth about the secret in
fluences that governed Its actions. On
the surface it was not very excit-
ing affair, and the enthusiastic out
bursts that characterized some of its
Sessions appeared too often to be face
tious For five days the 14,0OO dele
gates, alternates, stockholders and pos
SCISSORS of tickets that allowed them to
stand about the few open places and
hamper everyone else gathered faith
fully in the Coliseum, prepared to howl
with glee over expected contests and
triumphs. But most of the time all
they could do was to cheer for
their favorite on occasion and try to
keep up with the strong-lunged
cheer and song leader who had been
brought up from Camp Devens.
Bossed by Senators.
From the first it was heralded as
that most unusual thing, an Embossed
convention. All the experts asserted
that the delegates were going to do as
they pleased and that the old-time
leadership was impotent. For day
or two this seemed true, but then the
senate coterie got into action. and
from that time to the end what was
done was generally what it wished
done. To start with Senator Lodge
was selected as temporary chairman,
and was continued permanently In the
place, the entire temporary organiza-
tion being retained. On the all-im-
portant committee on resolutions there
were numerous senators and ex-sena-
tors. and they pretty much dictated
the makeup of the platform. In the
selection of the ticket their influence
was seen and felt in every move and
every shift of votes, clear down to the
moment when Senator Harding re-
ceived the ballots that made him the
conventions choice. All this time the
greatest of the old-time party bosses
still alive, Senator Boies Penrose, lay
on sick bed in his Philadelphia home
But a direct telephone wire was run
into that room and there was scarcely
an hour of the day or night when he
was not in communication with his
friend, John L. King. He knew all
that was going on, and 1t is fair to
assume that in most cases he knew
beforehand that it was going to 20 on.
What happened. happened because he
willed that 1t should happen This is
not written exactly in criticism, for it
may be that what Penrose decreed
will suit the party and result in its