The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-02


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pie were beginning to take seats in
| the aisle. The police were getting
ready to close the doors and bar even
ticket holders. as it was believed the
standing room soon would be entirely
occupied.
At 1929, Bryan appeared on the
! platform. He was greeted with ap-
| plause, mostly handclapping and rath-
er subdued as it was apparent most of
| the crowd had not noticed his pres
ence. AS the word spread around the
| galleries that Bryan was on the plat
form the handclapping was resumed
and lasted for about half a minute.
Chairman Robinson came o.. to the
platform just after Bryan. together
with Chairman Glass of the resolutions
committee.
Bryan's Bald Spot Shines.
Bryan wore gray suit and white
/ boiled" shirt, low, turned down col
! lar, and white string tie AS he stood
| there was grim look on the Com
moner's face; his lips were tightly
! closed and he nervously tapped the
palm of one hand with the gold rim
med eye glasses that hung from his
neck by black silk ribbon.
The gray fringe of hair surrounding
the bald spot on his head glistened
while in the glare of the calcium
lights. He took seat at one of the
big plush chairs reserved for the big
guns of the convention, and read a
sheaf of kilograms that were handed
him
At 1875, Chairman Robinson step
ped on the rostrum and prepared to
call the convention to order. Ser
! geants at arms were ordered to clear
the aisles. The convention was called
to order at 1887 o'clock.
Prayer was offered by the Rev.
Josiah Sibley, San Francisco, Presby
terian. During the invocation, Bryan
| eyes tightly closed. Richmond P.
Hobson and several other celebrated
| ''drys" were on the platform near
Bryan, and Senator Glass, with whom
| the Nebraskan battled
The clergyman prayed that the AL
mighty should guide the convention
and that the convention should choose
| Gods candidate, who could get God S
suffrage"
The audience uttered the Lords
! Prayer with the minister as he con-
| cluded.
Immediately the crowds in the gal
leries set up a cry for Bryan" which
swept from one side of the hall to the
other. 1t was halted only when the
| band burst into The Star Spangled
Banner" and the great throng rose
again to it's feet for the anthem.
Chairman Robinson called for the
report of the committee on resolu-
tions at 10:47 o'clock and recognized
Chairman Glass of that committee.
Senator Glass stepped to the rostrun1
and laid the bulky copy of the plat
form on the reading table.
Glass Warmly Cheered.
Glass was warmly cheered as he
stepped to the front. The scene was
brought into sharp relief by the glare
TTor fTTl1 n
his glasses, he began reading in slow
measured accents
The delegates clapped and cheered
at hearing the preamble, in whicn
greetings were addressed to President
| Wilson.
Glass kept his place on the printed
sheet with a forefinger, his eyes fixed
on the document with only occasional
swift glances out over the audience
He talked out of the left corner OF his
mouth, which is a well known man
nerism.
Interrupted by Cheers.
After concluding the preamble. Glass
plunged into the league of nations
plank.
league of nations Glass read. He got
no further. A tremendous yell arose
from the delegates and spread to the
gallery. Within five seconds, fifteen
| thousand people were standing or
chairs, waving hats and canes.
Glass whipped his eyeglasses off al
the blast of noise, tilted his chin, drew
a long breath and looked over this
cheering threng with an air of com
plete, proud satisfaction and triumph
AS the senator resumed reading II
was apparent that he was having diff
! ficuIty in following his text He
lowered his face close to his manu-
script and squinted at the paper pain
fully. Suddenly an attendant rushed
out of the rostrum and laid a large
; pair of tortoise trimmed spectacles a
the senator's elbow.
The senator turned gratefully tc
r him, smiling his thanks. took off tbs
nose glasses he wore and hooked th'
| new ones behind his ears. He had lef
= his reading glasses at his hotel, it de
: vsloped, and a faithful messenger haC
been sent hastily for them.
! Movie Men Poster Him.
Condemning the Republicans. Glas
! raised a clenched right fist on higl
4 and came upon his tiptoes quiverinl
: from head to foot. He wagged hi.
head furiousIy as he proclaimed: wv.
S endorse the presidents view of oul
e international obligations"
/ Once he stammered and his voic,
? lost all of its emphasis. It was thel
the movie men pestered him. asking
Continued on Page TTo.)