The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-06-20
OF ILLINOIS


| vention pleasant and successful. First
and most important, 1t provided Pub
| lie Hall, the finest place In which
| national convention has ever been'
privileged to meet, excepting that in
which the Democrats gathered in San
| Francisco in 1920. Public Hall cost
the people of Cleveland $6,300,000 and
is located in the heart Of the down.
town district. convenient to the no
tells. Its architecture is beautiful, and
1t seats 10000 persons. Within its
walls are all the conveniences that the
builders could think of, and its stage
is the largest in the country.
| Then there are the hotels, ample in
number and we'll conducted. Their
managers looked after the comfort Of
the city's guests in every possible
way, and, what is more to the point,
| they did not rob them. Rates were
kept well within reason.
Cleveland seems to have more auto
mobiles than any other city in the
world in comparison with the popula-
| ton, but the able and well trained
traffic police protected the life and
limb Of the convention visitor in q
way that ELECTED the admiration Of
all. No one was permitted to get him
self run over, whether or not he wish
ed to do so.
| Local committees, social organiza-
| tions and individuals arranged pro-
grams Of entertainment to fill up the
hours when the convention was not
J in session, and many Of the men and
women visitors were accommodated
on the various golf clubs. There were
theatre parties, boat rides, band con-
! certs. fireworks and other things ga
lore. Special teas and receptions
were given for the women. and the
program for colored visitors was sep
arate from all else.
So 1t was not in any way the fault
of Cleveland that the convention of
1924 was quiet and uneventful. 1t did
its part, and the matter of providing
excitement was up to the representa-
tives Of the party, who had none to
provide The crowds in the hotel lob
bies, when they were not occupied in
the discussion of that elusive subject.
the vice presidential candidate, gos-
siped with old and new acquaintances
and amused themselves by picking
out from the passing throng the nota-
bilities. They had no trouble in rec
ognizing the dome-like head of Secre-
tary Of War Weeks nor the bronze
/ face of Bascom Slemp. secretary to
President Coolidge; the genial home
illness Of Joseph B. Healing of Indiana
and the Lincoln-like physiognomy Of
Lawrence Y. Sherman Of Illinois
could not be. mistaken. Young Theo-
dore Roosevelt, assistant secretary Of
the navy, aroused mild interest as he
wriggled through the crowds. but
eyes did not follow him as they did
his father.
Music q Distinctive Feature
Always in a national convention the
music is an attractive feature, and
this Cleveland gathering was no ex-
ception. The big brass band in the
hall was led by John Philip Sousa
himself. and every American knows
what that means. In the hall is a
magnificent pipe organ. which was
magnifcently played at frequent in
tervals. The flood lights of the hall,
plain and colored," were used with
discretion and art during the playing
of the national anthem and other pa
triotic airs. From Columbus came a
large Republican glee club, which
sang not only in the convention hall,
but at the Coolidge headquarters Of
the women and elsewhere.
Humorous writers Of wide reputa-
ton have become an established part
of these national party meetings, and
they were more numerous in Cleye-
land than ever before and perhaps
less humorous. VIII Rogers, Hey
wood Broun, Ring Lardner and score
more were here looking for material
for jokes.