The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-08-17
COASTLAND EDITOR SEEING
NATIONAL CONVENTION SAYS
GREATEST SHOW STILL LIVES
Chicago Called City of Many Surprises With
Numerous Worthwhile Sights; Says Demo-
cratic Convention This Week May Well Adopt
the Old Circus Slogan; Hiqh Enthusiasm
Raises Hopes Of Democratic Victory.
By VICTOR MEEKINS
Speeiol by Wire and Wireless
To CooStlond newspapers

SOSIi0t oI wire una wireless
To coostlond Newspapers
Chicago, Aug. 15.-Others have
said before that the National
Democratic Convention is the
Greatest Show on Earth" and
now 'since Ringing Bros.-Bar-
num-Bailey have abdicated, l
agree that it must be true. For
in this city of many surprises and
a multitude of interesting sights,
a great carnival has been going
on this week. Here, men with am
bition and love for glory; some
with noble and some with more
earthly motives have been exerting
super-human strength, pulling
wires, making both friends and
enemies, betraying old comrades,
shoveling out promises and anon
rising to great heights, or climb
ing down lower and making of
themselves monkeys.
got into Chicago Sunday
long before noon after a two
hour nonstop flight from Wash
ington on the new Viscount
Service of Capital Airlines,
and after spending two nights
in Washington. My whole fly
ing time from Norfolk, Va,
consumed about three hours, much
less time than it used to take us
to get from Manteo to Elizabeth
City % years ago, back in the
days when AL Smith was nomi-
mated.
Having now the honor of being
the first person from Dare County
named a delegate to National
convention (There have been some
alternately, l didn't see how
could fail to make this trip, and
Pm glad I'm here, although l
didn't look forward to coming
during the hot season. But sur
mise it is cooler here today than
at home.
One may look out from the
hotels upon Lake Michigan, which
binds one side of Chicago. On this
great lake there has always been
heavy commerce; commerce which
can go down the Mississippi to
New Orleans, as well as to all
the many other ports on the other
four of the Great Lakes.
Let me add, if enthusiasm can
achieve success for the Democratic
party this Fall, then there is moth
ing lacking. One never sees more
enthusiasm at a football game, and
those who came here dispirited or
lacking sufficient encouragement,
have been imbued with new spirit
by the life and movement and
abundance of inspiring words and
enthusiasm that has dubbed up
here from every corner of the ma
ton. If kept up, after the return
home, there will be Democratic
victory this fall.
A Busy City
It's mighty busy week in Chi
cago, but then it is busy here most
of the time, for this city has con-
ventions throughout the year.
There are $4,000 hotel rooms
here, but only $4,000 of them are
listed for transient aceommoda-
tions, the rest being leased on
10xnr tar,,, basis ~ r.ooDlo noo,nS
toned to coming year after year
to their respective conventions.
This time, some 80 per cent of
the transient accommodations have
been booked for persons connected
with the convention in one way or
another.
Changes have been made in seat
ing of delegates in the convention
hall, and we who are delegates
get choice positions up front on
the floor, and the alternates are
seated on the balcony. Everything
is being covered by press, tele-
vision and radio whose operators
require 100 places. There are
over 2,700 delegates and over 1900
alternates, and many national and
state dignitaries and others who
are assured good seats. Since the
convention hall seats only about
10000 persons, it has been diff
cult for all the 10000 who came
for the convention, to find seats.
You folks at home with good
TV set can hear the convention
better than us here with the best
of seats. Half the craft is on its
feet most of the time, and more
than half are trying to talk, there
by drowning out the voices of the
speakers.
Last week fishing tackle con-
vention was here, and after we
leave there win be convention
of beauticians and BARRIERS. It is
more than five miles from our ho-
tel to the convention hall, 80 trips
Ca CONVENTION paen Cawn.,