Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1908 — TAFT NOMINATED ON FIRST BALLOT BY REPUBLICANS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TAFT NOMINATED ON FIRST BALLOT BY REPUBLICANS

Made Unanimous Choice of the Convention. SCENE OF WHO JOY ENSUES Delegates and Galleries Indulge in Great Demonstration. Ohioan Is Nominated by Burton and Receives 702 Votes on the First Call of States—Platform Is Adopte'd and Selection of Vice-President Is Postponed to Friday. Chicago, June 19.—For president of the United States, William H. Taft of Ohio. Taft on the first ballot; Taft by 702 votes; Taft by the unanimous choice of the convention. Such is the record of the culminating day of the Republican national convention of 1908, effected amid scenes of tumultuous enthusiasm and after a nerve-racking continuous session lasting nearly eight hours. With president named and platform enunciated, there remained only the nomination of the vice-president to complete this momentous work. Thursday night the whole city was given over to wild exultation in honor of the now candidate. The picture within the walls of the vast amphitheater as the presidential candidate was named Thursday was

one truly gradiose In its magnitude. In front, to the right and left, below and above, the billowing sea of humanity, restless after hours of waiting and stirred from one eruotlpn to another, was in a fever of expectancy for the culminating vote. The favorite sons of other states had been named, save Knox and La Follette, and nowon the roll call came Ohio. Scene of Wild Enthusiasm. As the Buckeye state was reached, the tall, gaunt form of Theodore E. Burton, with student-like face and severe black clerical garb, advanced to the platform to nominate Ohio’s candidate. He spoke fervently, with the singing voice of an evangelist, which went ringing through the great build-

ing. The close of his speech ot nomination was the signal for loosing the long pent-up feeling of the Taft legions. Instantly the Ohio delegates were on their feet, other Taft states following, while the convention hosts. In gallery and on floor, broke into mad demonstration. "Taft, Taft, W. H. Taft," came in a roar from the Ohioans. Megaphones seemed to spring from concealed places and swell the Taft tumult Into thunder. A huge blue silk banner bearing the familiar features of the statesman-secretary was swung before the delegates, awakening a fresh whirlwind of enthusiasm. All semblance of order had been abandoned and the delegates' arena was a maelstrom of gesticulating men; the guidons of the states were snatched up by the Taft enthusiasts or borne under by the storm of disorder. The band was inaudible—a mere whisper above the deafening volume of sound. For ten, 15, 20 minutes, this" uprifor continued. At last the tired voices died down to a hoarse shout, and subsided. Seconded by Knight. This lull now gave the opportunity for the speech seconding Taft’s nom

mauon, Dy George H. Knight oi canfornia, his big, round fa<ge beaming forth on the sympathetic multitude, and his splendid baritone voice welling forth like the tones of a great ■church organ. California's tribute to Taft was brief and fervid, there was another lull in (he Taft movement, while the remaining candidates were placed in nomination. It was late in the afternoou before

the convention, now literally sweltering with the intense heat and weary after nearly seven hours of continuous session, reached the end of the flood of eloquence and the decks were at cleared for the culminating act. Demonstration for La Follette. But, no; Just as the last swell of oratoFy, the seconding speech for La Follette, had died away, like a cyclone from a clear sky burst a La Follette, demonstration which swept the convention from its very bearings. It was the same deafening wave of sound that had greeted Roosevelt Wednesday and Taft a little while before, intense and maddening and with the vital ring of genuine enthusiasm. It seemed as though Wisconsin had suddenly peopled every foot of the galleries. The delegates sat calm and waiting, except the frantic Wisconsin*, but the convention for the time being was in the possession of the galleries. Now a singular transformation ocs curred gradually the whirlwind veered from I-a Follette to Roosevelt. Hushed by th» Roll Call.

Amid this pandemonium, and with the galleries in full control. Chairman Lodge decided upon heroic action in order again to make the convention master of its affairs. He ordered the roll call of states to begin for the vote on president. Such a call, under such circumstances of intense confusion, has probably never before occurred in the history of national conventions. The secretary was powerless to make his call of the states heard above the deafening clamor. Seizing a megaphone he shouted the roll of states —Alabama, Arkansas — but his voice was sw’allowed up in the mad uproar. Gradually, however, the curiosity of the multitude conquered their enthusiasm, and they lapsed into silence to hear the result of the roll call. A hush of expectancy ‘hung over the assembly as the call proceeded. Hasty summaries showed that Taft was far in advance. When New York was reached the Taft column totaled 427. Ohio carried the Taft total to 611, or 20 more than enough to nominate. Still the call went on until the final result was announced by Chairman Lodge: “For Theodore Roosevelt, 3 votes; for Joseph B- Foraker of Ohio 16 votes; for Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana, 40 votes; for Joseph Cannon of Illinois, 61 votes; for Robert La FolJette of Wisconsin, 26 Votes; for Charles E. Hughes of New York, 63 votes; for Philander C. Knox of Pennsylvania, 68 votes, and William H. Taft of Ohio. 702 votes.

Theodore E. Burton.