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ENTHUSIASTIC
Stirring Scenes at the Denver Con
vehtion Described.
The Big Gathering Will Go Down Into History as a Record-Breaker
for Enthusiasm The Interesting
Incidents and Side Lights.
By A. U.
HOW THE STATES VOTED.
John
Bryan, son. Gray.
Alabama 22
Arkansas 18
California 20
Colorado 10
Connecticut ... 9 5
Delaware c
Florida 10
Georgia 4 2 20
Idiho C
Illinois 54
Indiana 30
lwa 26
Kancas 20
Kentucky 26 "..
Louisiana 18
Maine 10 1
Maryland 7 9
Massachusetts.. 32
Michigan 28
Minnesota 22
Mississippi .... 20
Missouri 36
Montana 6
Nebraska 16
Nevada 6
New Hampshire. 7 1
New Jersey 24
New York 78
North Carolina. 24 .. .,
North Dakota... 8
Ohio 4G
Oklahoma 18
Oregon 8
Pennsylvania .. 49' 3 92
Rhode Island ..5 3
South Carolina. 18
South Dakota... 8
Tennessee 24
Texas 36
Utah 6
Vermont 7
Virginia 24
Washington .... 10
West Virginia.. 14 .. '..
Wisconsin 26
Wyoming 6
Alaska 6 ..
Arizona 6
Dis. of Columbia 6
Hawaii 6
New Mexico ... 6 ..
Porto Rico 6
Totals 892'- 46 59', I
Convention Hall, Denver. "I obey
tlio command or my stuto and tlio
imtndato of tlio Democracy of tlio na
tion, when I offer tlio iinmo of Amer
lcn'B greatest commoner, Nebraska's
gifted son, William Jennings llrynn."
It was an eloquent climax In the nom
ination upeerih by Ignatius J. Dunn,
and although tlio mass of pooplo lind
expected it for hours nnd hours, It
camo like a flnsli of lightning on the
azuro skies, nnd the thunder of ap
plause was tlio unmistakable sanction.
For over nn hour tlio cheors, tho cries
and yolls woro Incessant. If tlio out
burst of the previous day had been
indescribable, this ono was unthink
able. It wns a llryan convention from
start to finish; no othor human being
could hnvo filled tho bill. Gov. John
son's namo was presented, but it
would not tako.
He was a good man, but the people
wanted Urynn, nnd Uryan thoy would
havo, and did have
There was novor nnothor convention
In tho world llko this one. All others
wore tame affairs lu comparison. Great
DEMOCRACY
MAYFIELD.
I men from Europe had come to see it.
They marveled. Thov woro astound-
ed. They cheered, they Bnng, they
wept with emotional enthusiasm as
did tho loyal thousands. It wns
mighty to behold. American to tho
core, nnd tho cheers woro heard
around the world.
Tho selection of John W. Kern of
Indiana. Hryun's running mate, was
more commonplace in comparison, al
though It showed tho lung power
and tho enthusiasm of the convention
had not exhausted.
As I wtito the storv here, crowds
in upcM my mind myriads of
Incidents that ordinarily would bo
woith reading, but so paramount
In the Impulsion made by the un
precedented exhibition of relenting
enthusiasm that mere incidents appear
Insignificant. It wns what might best
of all success he called a howling suc
cess. The cohorts camo to namo a
man. and they named him. They
came with tributes' to a twice defeated
candidate, and they plnced them at
his reel. They ci owned him with lau
rels, and ir tiie leaven which was
stirred Into a riot of fermentation
lu Denver loses not Its savor, there
will be something doing next Novem
ber, llryan was selected by acclama
tion after a few rounds of strong sup
port for Johnson. Kern met hard op
position in Towno of New York, John
Mitchell of Illinois nnd other candi
dates; but by Towne's own net he
threw the support that was standing
by him over to Kern, and the conven
tion was at an end.
A Sea of Surging Humanity.
Like the great waves of tlio restless
ocean, now dashing against the rocks
and shoals or the shore; now rellux
Ing In subdued tides; now roaring nnd
stitglng In tho strong winds of a
mighty storm, rocked nnd pulsated
with human nnlmntlon, sat the great
sea of humanity In Convention hall at
the opening of the conventon. Voices
of 20.000 souls buzzed and hummed
and groaned. It was n spectacle,
fraught with enthusiasm and expec
tancy, that ono would long remember.
They weio waiting those thousands
of Joyous, yot sanguine spectators
waning to hear the gavel fall upon
tho mat bio slab at the chairman's
stand.
And then at last it came rap, rap.
rap but no heed was given. The
chairman of the national committee,
stern nnd determined In features, held
aloft his hands and would have quiet
ude, lint nono came. The band lu
tho balcony struck up n tune, but the
humming uml buzzing of voices? ceased
not. The tension ()f anticipation of
what-would or would not happen was
too tightly drawn, nnd the mainspring
that Impelled tho human tonguo to
wag was not yot run down.
Thus It was for nearly an hour
tint nu obstreperous uudlenco, wild
and hilarious, but an audience that
was getting acquainted with itself
buzlzng, humming, swaying, and good
nntuiod. Uut it was to have its visit
out, and the time camo for restoration
of ordor nnd It was had.
The First Outburst.
Dry, statistical-like reports or a con
vention llko this would bo impossible.
Thoy Sllld It wns a ont.nnrl.iIHo.l nf.
ri;!r. .Maybo it was; but tho man whn'f
did tho cutting and drying know tho
contracting and oxpandlng qualities or
tho BlIceB. Ho knew that dried apples
ttw
would swell nnd rlco bulge nnd burst
when anointed with tho liquid of In
spiring waters. When the great com
moner, In his workshop at Falrvlew,
quartered, sliced and laid the bits upon
the drying board he knew those quar
ters and slices woro Impregnated with
the germ of enthusiasm, only waiting
the touch of a finger or the breath of
suggestion.
If anyone over tells you this was n
gathering of chilly propensities, you
tell tlicm different. Who over heard
of a long and delirious applause fol
lowing tho solemn Invocation of a man
of God on such an occasion ns this!
Hut that Is what happened bore. Tho
good man from Wyoming, who asked
dlvlno guidance for tho men who wero
hero to deliberate and net upon tho
surest nnd best means of making a
presldont of those United States, had
no sooner closed his lips than a burst
of applause and hearty "Amens" enme
from every section of the nud.torlum.
Theodore Bell Sounds Keynote.
When Temporary Chairman Theo
dore Hell of California took the reins
of to convention in his hands ho soon
came to tho realization thnt he was
not pulling the ribbons over any tamo
steed. He smiled and looked solemn
In quick succession. His speech wns
tho keynote of tho cnnipnlgn thnt Is to
ct.nie. Of tills speech Col. Hob Tnjlor
of Tennesseo said:
"It wns the grandest portrayal of
Demorcrntlc principles I over hoard."
Hap after rap was handed the presi
dent, nnd then ho said: "Tho people
built the White House and elected ono
man at n time. Under the law no man
enn transfer his personal property."
lie went after the tariff with hammer
and clnws. "Tho tariff must not bo
ii'iule the accomplice of the great mo
nopolies In robbing the American peo
ple." he said, and the audience said
amen. Ho said tho Republicans had
promised many tilings that they had
f i gotten after tho votes were counted.
They had promised the election of
United States senators by direct vote
of the people, but that "the long ills
fence between tho ballot box and tho
si unto gave tho promised' relief too
long a time to dally with the cor
porate powers," and It was reduced to
a phantom when It reached the White
House. Hell wanted an exclusion act
that "would not only keep tho China
men out. but ono that would excludo
other Asiatic immigrants."
He closed amid a storm of applause.
A Little One Grown Up.
So far the convention had not
fahown any material difference from
tho ordinary country convention, ex
cept that It was grown up. Kntliiisl
asm wns always on tap; but even that
Is round in the back districts where
tho road supervisor Is to be named.
There wns the routine or business
the appointing or committees, tho
drafting of resolutions, the settling
of contests, the lobbying nnd the but
tonhollng Just llko you see In your
little home conventions; but It was
all good-naturedly. The first day
AUDITORIUM,
ill 1 M I ii ipl--Biiir-
closed with n resolution lu respect of
tho memory or the Into Grovor Cleveland.
The Second Day.
So rnr as Colorado was concerned,
she had ordered a perfect tiny. There
wbb not n cloud In tho Bky, and the
snow-capped peaks of the otornal
Rockies glared In tho distance Hut
they always glare, for every day in
Colorado Is n day of sunshine. How
different, too, was the atmosphere
from that dished up by tho weather
mail when the Republican convention
was on nt Chicago. In Denver there
wns no waving or fans. No coats
wero removed no perspiration rolled
down the race or tho rat delegate rrom
New Jersey all was cool nnd invigor
ating. Possibly this mllo-hlgh atmosphere
had something to do with the endur
ance and yelling power or the lungs
that wero to be tested later In the
day. The convention opened with
prayer it closed with n whoop. Tho
parson thanked the good Lord Tor "tho
best type of citizenship the world has
ever known," nnd tho ball was on Its
way. It was coming, first slowly, now
bounding In spontaneous leaps of en
thusiasm, nnd again In smothered
rumblings. There was n cloud, "not
largor than a man's hand," hovering
over Convention hall. Of this I will
tell you later.
Tho Associated Roso Marching club,
or Milwaukee, entered the hall, led
by a band. They played "Dixie." and
tlio crowd roared. Dixie always
brought tho house down. Now and
then tlio Volunteers or Nebraska
would raise their banner, bearing Hry
nil's portrait, and there was npplnuso.
Then came the dry routine again.
Chairman Hell must bo a humorist.
When tilings got too quiet he inter
rupted the proceedings by rending a
fake telegram which stated that John
F. Whalen, secretary of the state of
New York, was wanted at tho long
distance telephone by Gov. Hughes.
This enlivened things. Another no
tlco was rend. It said:
"Lost The delegation from Michi
gan has lost Its Ulble." This was tho
first Intimation anyone had that Mich
Igan had a Hlble, and tho convention
smiled out loud.
There was a lull. People seemed to
bo waiting, breathlessly, ror some
thing to turn up. A cnlm always pre
cedes a storm. It was calm painful
ly so. They wero waiting for the com
mittee on credentials to report. Many
had gone to tho convention hall with
out their luncheon. They woro hungry
and restless. It was tho first sign of
dullness, nnd no one knew why. Then
camo a cry for "speeches!"
"speeches!" That was what was
neded.
Someone wanted to hear Senntor
Towno of New York, but he wns not
to be round. Kentucky then wanted
to adjourn until night. Tho vote was
put, but there woro too many "noes."
And they waited that vast audience
did, not knowing what would happen
next. Tho steam chest of enthusiasm
was filling up nnd something must
happen to let out tho steam It hap
pened, nnd from the most unexpected
source. Among other prominent
spenkors asked to "talk n little" whllo
tho coinmltteo was making ready, was
Senator Thomas P. Gore, the blind
senntor from Oklahoma. He pressed
the button at nn unexpected time, but
tho current of enthusiasm that wont
through Hint great auditorium was
eleci-Itled ti thousandfold ns tho Weary
hands of the clock ticked on. He had
not spoken a dozen sentences until his
volse hud reached a pitch of eloquence.
With his hands extended heavenward,
nnd his sightless eyes apparently
sweoplng the sea of upturned facos,
ho dramatically declared:
A Wonderful Demonstration.
"Taft waged war agnlnst our con
stitution, and asked .ns to give up our
right to liberty nnd sell-government.
Hut the greatest apostle of hiiman'Ub
erty advised us to accept it, and by a
majority of over 100.000 Oklahoma
rejected the advlco of Taft and ac
cepted the advice of Hryan!"
It wns enough.
The pent up sentiment or tho wait
ing ntnllence had burst fron Its bonds.
Tho storm cloud thnt had boon gath
ering was upon tlio multitude Llko
the rush or many waters camo the
torrent or applause. It was spontnno
ous, mighty and unceasing!
Heforo the storm-burst tho humming
mid the buzzing or tho opening session
paled Into Insignificance. This was
a powerful tumult that shook tho very
walls of the auditorium, and echoed
and reechoed blocks away.
DENVER, SCENE
DEMOCRATIC
The namo of tho great commoner
had been mentioned.
At first tho applauso was ordinary.
Thon It grow In proportions and
strength. The flood-gates of cnthusi
asm had been crushed to earth and
tho roar of voices, tho hammering
upon Beats, tho waving of flags and
tho tossing of hats and coatB ."M tho
air added to the most clamorous, dtllrl
ous demonstration this world has ever
seen or heard.
It was Inspiring!
It wns dramatic!
It was pathetic!
A man a mau without tho sight of
eyes had pressed tho button.
Ho came from tho youngest stato In
tho union. Ho was proud that his coo
ing stato had been given a place with
tho grown-ups at the first table. Ho
rejoiced that the advlco of Hrynn had
been tnken. There ho stood, calrii,
huppy silent sightless.
Tho mighty enthusiasm went on. It
was growing Into screams! Men nnd
women wero climbing upon their seats
and crying aloud with approval. Half
an hour had passed. There was no
abate '
Directly opposite the chairmnn'B
stand hung tho enlnrged portrait or
Grover Cleveland. About the gilt
rramo crape was resting sortly. In
that silent ruce there seemed to bo
animation. It looked down upon the
seething mass of wild humanity, and
scorned to Bay:
"What manner of mnn Is this?"
It wn3 Impressive! It was grand!
It was solemn! It was strango!
Tho cheering continued.
"What manner of man Is this?"
There must have been something akin
to supernatural In tho mention or tho
namo Hryan. No one could stay tho
storm, and no one tried.
For ono hour and 28 minutes there
was no nbato. Tho bands played
everything rrom "Dixie" to "Auld Lang
Syne," and tho-chairman mado no In
terrerence Ho had no show. Ono
cpuld hardly Imagine human beings
raising such a runipus. Rut it was
American It va3 Democracy turned
loose.
When quiet came there was no ro
rr.onstranco to tho motion to adjourn
and It was so.
Hobson Gets a Frost.
How different from the demonstra
tion at the nfternoon session wns that
at tho night session. Another man
wa.i upon the platform.
Richmond P. Hobson or Alabama-he
of SpanUh bravery and kissing popti
Iarlty was invited to tho rostrum.
Hobson had some good ideas but he
wns too long In getting to them. Ho
predicted war with Japan, and his
prediction was met with vigorous dis
approval. He wanted to talk about a
better navy, but tho altitude was too
dry ror tho audience to listen to It.
Thoy were too rnr rrom water and, In
their minds, too rat' from wnr. Hut
Hobson Is persistent. He would not
down. The climax camo when Hobson
said ho had talked with President
Roosevelt a week ago nnd thnt the
president expressed his belief thnt the
United States would havo war with
Japan.
There wore cries or "No," "No," nil
over the convention hall. Hob3on tried
to go on, but they wouldn't let him.
Ho lirted his clinched ltnnds abovo his
..end In defiance, but tho rrost was on
the convention nnd there wns no
cluuico ror tho captain. Hisses began
buzzing over tho great hall, and not
until Chairman Roll threatened to
clear the balconies was pcaco restored
Hobson soon closed. It was cruelly
pathetic. Hrave, noble Hobson hero
or n war hissed and Insulted In his
party's convention. Mnybe the audi
enco Is not to bo Judged. It was there
to hear or tho conimonor, and not of
war. It peihapa loved Hobson for the
heroic deeds ho had done, but it didn't
want him now. Hryan was tho ono
man tho ono theme and courtesy
was thrown to the winds.
The Close.
Hut there must come a time of end
ing to all. things eartlily. Kvon Hrynn
enthusiasm, aided by. tho sustaining
atmosphere of Colorado, could not Inst
en masso foiover.
"Sine die," must bo written nt the
end or the page. Finis must nppoar.
Tho curtain must fall and tho lights
must go out.
Thus ended ono or the greatest gath
erings this country has ever known.
ThtiB closed n convention that has In
duced more genuine enthusiasm than
any llko gathering in America.
tCopyilsht, by Wright A. Puttenjon.)
CONVENTION.
Samuel Warns Saul
and His People
SondaySchooILessontorJaly 19,1908
Specially Prtparod for Thli Papr
T.KSSON TKXT.-l Snmucl 12:1-6,-13-23.
Memory Versus, 23, 24.
' OOLDKN TKXT.-"Only fear tho Lord,
and serve him In truth with ull your
lienrt; for consider bow jjroat things h
Imtli done for you." 1 Hum. 12:24.
TIMH.-About H, C. 1091 (Ussher).
PLACR-OIIbiiI, In tho Jordan valley;
a little north of east of Jerusulem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Tho Scene It Is mldstimmor with
clear sklos. We nro still present at
the great coronntlon assembly of the
leaders of all tho tribes, which Samuel
had convened nrtcr Saul had proved
hlmscir a great general and leader of
armies by his victory over tho Invad
ing Ammonites rrom tho northeast.
Gilgul wns hallowed by many sacred
associations, calculated to Inspire
every patriotic heart. Hero was the
heap or stones sot up to commemorato
mo miraculous crossing or the Jordan.
Here the covennnt had been renewed.
Here was celebrated the first passover
In the Promised Land. Here had boen
maintained a camp during tho early
conquest (Josh. 9:6; 10:43). Here tho
first king had been crowned with Im
pressive ceremonies.
Saul had returned In triumph, "every
inch a king." The people wero now
enthusiastic over the splendid-looking
mnn. Every tongue or opposition wns
silenced. It was probably tho last op
portunity Samuel would have of meet
ing the nation ns a whole, flushed with
victory, and rejoicing In tho king
thnt Samuol to his own cost, had
presented to them.
The account has almost tho form of
a dialogue. Read It.
Samuel goes on to say that although
tho people seemed to fear that God
would not continue to save them as of
pld by Judges, and thus.showcd a lack
of ralth, yet God had proved, by tho
victory their new king had achieved,
that ho would be tho samo to thom
undor the now reglmons under tho old.
The One Eternnl Condition. 1. Posl
tlve V. 14. "ir ye will fear the Lord,"
etc. Samuel proceeds to namo flvo
things the king and nation must do,
if they would win God's favor and
maintain their own Bafoty: they must
(1) fear the Lord; (2) servo him; (3)
obey his voice; (4) not rebel against
his commandment; (5) continue (per
severe) in following tho Lord. "Then
shall both ye," etc. A bettor transla
tion continues tho condition: "And if
both yo and also tho king that reign
oth over you continue following the
Lord your God." The conclusion, per
haps "It shall be well with you," Is to
be supplied, as in Ex. 32:32. "Samuel
plies up one unon nnothor tho enndi.
tions of their happiness, nnd then from
tho depth or his emotion breaks off,
leaving the blessed consequences of
their obedience unsaid." Dean Payno
Smith.
2. Negative V. 15. "But if yo will
not obey," etc. In stating tho alternn
tlvo Samuel names only two out of the
flvo conditions Just laid down; but
these nro tho most Important. In
deed, the ono word, obedience, would
Include them ull. "Then shall the hand'
of tho Lord bo against you," not rrom
hatred, but or necessity. Just ns a.
stream Is ngalnst nn oarsman that
pulls up it.
Samuel was to be no longer chief
ruler or the nation, but was to con
tinue his moral and religious work Tor
many years, as tho chlor religious fnc
tor In the development or the nation.
Hence, he gives his rnrowoll mes
sage rrom his political vantago ground.
1. Fear Not. Rest assured or tha
forgiveness or your sins.
2. Servo the Lord with nil vnnr
heart, turning not nsido to any idol
anytning that pretends to help you.
For all things outside or, or contrary
to, the service or God am "vnln
.things," (v. 21), mere "nothings."
"emptiness," "bubbles" that burst with
a touch.
3. Trust God. "ror th T.nr,l will
not forsnko his peoplo" (v. 22). You
can trust him to the uttermost.
4. Realize your destiny, your pur
pose and work In the world, to which
God has set you apart. This Is one of
tho great sources of strength, when we
realize that wo nro doing what God
made us for.
C. Servo God because you shall
havo the continued help of tho
prophet.
(a) Samuel would pray for thorn
without ceasing. And they had Just
seen how tho prayer of tho righteous
nvnlloth much.
(b) Ho would continue to tench
them tho good and right way. Instruc
tion and dovotlon, teaching and prayer
are tho need of all men.
6. Feol tho force or tho great mo
tives, which will bo a perpetual Inspir
ation. (a) Gratitude ror what God had
dono (v. 24).
(b) Tho certain consequences or
wrongdoing (v. 25).
To renllzo this ract is not' abject
"ear, but a reasoning, common sonso
Judging or any courso or action, by Its
consequences.
Practical Points.
"ir wo fill the corner where wo aro
with light, wo shnll soonor or Inter be
sot on a candlestick high enough ror
the light thnt la in us."
Seir-seeklng is a root or all ovll,
tho curso or politics, of business, nnd
of society.
Samuel was n good man. Tho In
vestment of his saintly character has
yielded largo dlvtdeuds.
It often requires some heavy calam
ity, such as tho loss of friends, or
health, or possessions, to dethrono our "
pride and make us see that happiness
aqd Success dopend on God alone
ft