REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 218, 8 September 1908, Page 4

REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

LMPKESSIOXS OF A GISLoRNIT.IL.

A RL'COKI) -UR E A Kll\ C! DEMONSTRATION. | UUIIRAU FOR ROOSEVELT. I Jlr. W. .Miller, writing to a friend in Uisborne, states:—We were fortunate, or, perhaps, unfortunate, in striking Chicago on the dates we did, as, owing to the Republicans lwing in convention that week we were able to get an insight into the methods of, American politicians. It is an astonishing sight to a colonial to see !IBU men assemble to settle two such dillieult questions as the solemn consideration of their platform and the selection of the individual they wish to place at the head of the nation, in the sight und hearing of 12,000 other men and women.

The convention was held in the Coliseum Ruilding, which seats 13,UU1> people, and it was taxed to its utmost, every seat in the building being occupied. The delegates, numbering ( JBO, had, of course, special places set apart in squares or sections, and each titatc or delegation separated f; nm the next, and a huge banner over each section showed plainly what State they represented. Admission was hv ticket, for which application had to bo made to the Republican committee.

Our letters of introduction from the lion. Mr. Carroll enabled us to get cards without any trouble, although towards the end of the convention as much as 25 dollars was offered for a seat.

v Except for the fact of being in tin? midst of an enormous crowd, the sittings for the first day or two of the Convention, while they were discussing their platform, were rather slow, but still the huge building was packed every day irom I] a.m. till the adjournment. 1 mildly suggested to an enthusiastic Republican sealed next to me that it seemed a bit tame. He replied, "l)on't you worry, and don't you m;iss one second of this Convention, because at any moment this great crowd may let themselves go, and then, well, I guess you will see a demonstration that wilt set vou crazy."

1 tried to draw him as to what would cause the demonstration, or of what nature it would be. lie couldn't tell: in fact, he had no idea what would happen, but from the experience of other Conventions he knew it wan sure to come, ami it might happen at any moment and on any question. It came all right, and proved a record-breaker. The most remarkable scene ever witnessed at a Republican or any other Convention came after Senator Ijodgc in _ accepting tile permanent chairmanship of the Convention had made frequent references to President Roosevelt (who is the ideal of the general public). Senator Lodge is a great speaker, and his voice could be heard in every part of the huge building, and it was plain to everyone that his oration was working on the feelings of the vast audience. He had just concluded the following sentences:—

"The President has enforced the laws as he found them on the statute books. But he is to-day. the best abused and the most popular man in the United States."

As the Senator's voice rolled out the last words in the sentence a voice in the gallery yelled "Hurrah for Roosevelt," and immediately a hundred men ill different parts of the hall sprang to their feet, waved newspapers, and cheered for all they were worth. And in a few seconds the delegates and visitors had taken it up, anil it swepl, through the building. The senator tried to go on with his speech, but that was impossible. The cheers were deafening, awl within a minute the vast audience were oil their feet yelling "Roosevelt," "Teddy,'' "Four years more of Tcddv."

Each of the sixty odd sections into which the ball was divided adopted its own cry. liubrclias covered with the national colours, a thousand miniature Hags and pennants, a. vast sea of waving handkerchiefs and hats eanglit the eye in every direction. .Men and women took up the cry, 'Roosevelt, Roosevelt," till the very building seemed to shake. Just as things were beginning to calm down the Alabama delegates jumped to their feet, gave a rebel yell, and the cheering became louder than ever, and there were cries of •'Nominate Teddy," " Teddy's all right." Then a delegate jumped up with an American Hag and started it going again with renewed force. The galleries took it up, and they brought the delegates to their feet. Cheering was ill waves; it would die down ;i little, and then some incident would start it more than ever.

After the demonstration hud kept up nearly fifteen minutes, an Indiana man shouted, " What's the matter with Roosevelt and Fairbanks?" This started things going again. The Tennessee delegates took off their hats in a body and gave what I am told was the old charging yell of the Confederate infantry, and the whole crowd went: wild. A woman who was sitting in the Virginia delegation waved a big flag. The signal was given to the band t«> start up to drown the cheering, but for fully three minutes it could not be heard. Then the strains of '•America'' could be heard faintly. This simply was adding fuel to the hanies.

The band was drowned. For a while it looked as though the band would win. but it did not. Jt kept up a gallant

struggle, however, and twenty minutes after the demonstration began it looked as though Mr, Lodge might soon '-e permitted to continue, it was a vain effort, however.

The negroes in the Texas delegation and a number of whites started a new

cheer. The noise was greater than ever. The delegates seemed determined to

make up for all the time they had lost. Frantic efforts by delegations were made to restore order. Some of the erica were, "What about your steam-roller now?" (they call Koosevelt the steamroller because he is said to flatten out auvone who crosses his path), '"How about the committee on enthusiasm T It iwas the delegates this time who were doing the business and the galleries looking on. No person apparently enjoyed the scene when the President was being cheered more than did Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, his daughter. She sat in the front row on the platform beside her husband, her face wireathed in smiles, her eyes sweeping the great galleries and their waving flags, and now and then she turned, and whispered something to her husband, who had crouched forward to take it all in. Twice she rose to her feet to see better,' and though she apparently was trying to refrain from being affected by it, ye! several times she involuntarily clapped her hands. She wore a. striped suit and could be -picked out easily. At one time the lloosevelt shouters turned towards the President's daughter and began cheering her, some of the more enthusiastic ones calling her by name. Mrs. Longworth did not appear to be. greatly embarrassed. If they had any idea, however, that she was going to assist them in boosting t'he demonstration Ihev were disappointed.

When one section of the shoulers lo>t breath and had In rest there . were plenty more to take it up mid keep it going. At one time, when it was comparatively quiet, a Louisiana- inau, using a. megaphone, started it again. The response was instantaneous. Senator Lodge went to the table and tried lo speak. The spectators would have none of it and cried him down.

The audience held many distinguished peonages. Ambassador Rrvce and Ambassador dusserand were both there, and when the demonstration was 011 they stood on their chairs and watched curiously the antics of Americans loadvd with political excitement. ■When thirty-five minutes had passed the demonstration seemed to be getting worse. Then some one started up the cry, ''Four, four, four years more of (Teddy." It caught ojl like wild lire, tind 12.0110 voices joined in the mighty t-horus. The band again tried to gel Ihingi 'straightc.tied out, but the tune it was 'trying t<> play could not be heard •twenty-live feet from the bandstand. Then somebody got out a great Teddy Hear and pa-sed it. to some.of the delegates. The roar that went up drowned out all that had gone before. In the excitement two Red Cross nurses from Ihe Kmergency\ Hospital ran into the hall and leaped 011 chairs in the Alabama ■delegat ion. Thu delegates al the end of for'„y minutes of it began to tire out, and there were cries of "Sit. dowti," mingled with cheers. At the end of forly-ftv minutes there was -.till confusion, but the demonstration was at an end.

During the 'whole of tin* denioiistralion Scnal>ir Lodge maintained (lie dignity of liis olliee. ami seemed (lie least, excited m;u] in the house. Ho gazed calmly over tin" <ricn( audience. mid just wailiml till i»vevythiii« w;\s ipiiel again and said: " Tlio President. who lias lcil liis |iarly ami the people in this fjri-it wmk. retires 1 >v liis own <lctcrmitiation from liis high office mi tin* 411 i of Mavili next. His refusal of a rcnomiimtion, dictated liy tlie loftiest motives and liv a nolile loyalty to American traditions, is linal and irrevocable. Anynne ulio at-, tempts to use bis name as a candidate for (lie Presidency impugns Itotli liis smcority'nnd liis good failh, two of llu> President's greatest »n« saost conspicu-

ous qualities, upon which no shadow has ever been cast. That man is no friend j of Theodore Koosevelt, and does not , cherish his name and fume who now, ii'om aiiy motive, seeks to urge him us a candidate for Hie great oilke which he has filially declined. The Prcvsident lias refused what his countrymen wou'd yladly have given him; he says what lie means anil means what he says, ami his party and his country will respect his -wishes as they honour his high character and great public service. JJut although the President retires, hv: leaves his-policies behind liini. To those j policies the Republican party stands : pledged. Wn must carry out as wo have I begun, regardless alike of the radicals of reaction and the radicals of revolu- | tion. We must hold fast to that which is good while we make the advances which the times demand."

It is very dillieult to give you any idea of what actually took place, but I consider the demonstration in favour of Mr. Roosevelt the most wonderful thing 1 have ever seen anywhere. It was 'u every way remarkable, and a great tribute to a great man. It did not mean a demand for his nomination, but was the people's way of declaring their faith in and love for the man. And it is all the more remarkable when vou stop to think of all that has been said about his administration; for while we were in America we read articles iu papers like the Now York Sun describing .Mr. Roosevelt as everything that was bad, and a man quite unlittcd to hold the ollice of President.

The people admire the man, and this was their cliance to show it. It was genuine; it was spontaneous, and the finest tribute 1. have ever seen any man receive, as well as the most remarkable exhibition of enthusiasm and love for a man that could possibly be.