“The literature circulated through the caucus reads, ’Chicago pledges itself to go any other city one better on anything this convention requires.’  This convention first requires that Chicago shall reach a standard different from the standard of being the most despised city in America, and when it has reached that standard, it is then in a position to say whether it can go one better.  It has not yet reached par.  Until Chicago reaches par, Massachusetts votes no!”

A large poster reading “Chicago bids you Welcome,” had been placed over the seats directly in the center of the stage; Captain Osborne pulled it down.  This was the signal for similar action all over the house.  Chicago banners, dropped from the boxes, were hurled to the floor.  Other banners which had been on the theater walls just out of reach were torn down by men who climbed on the shoulders of their fellow delegates in order to reach them.  Only during the ovation given Colonel Roosevelt, did the cheering reach such intensity.

These men were cheering for Americanism.  They wanted one hundred per cent.  Americanism, untainted and unvarnished by a hyphen or an “ism,” especially when the word pacific precedes the latter.  Everyone felt sorry for the Illinois delegation, for it was realized that Colonel Herbert’s remarks were intended solely to reflect upon the person he specially mentioned and not upon the thousands of soldiers and sailors who went from Illinois and Chicago and did more than their part in writing glorious history.

Just how this was impressed upon the men from Illinois let the minutes show.  The chairman recognized “the gentleman from Chicago.”

MR. CUMMINGS (of Chicago):  “Gentlemen, I don’t believe there is a single delegate to this caucus who would be so unfair as to impugn the patriotism of 650,000 men who rallied to the colors of this country by saying:  ’Because Chicago had a mayor of which they are all ashamed that they are not patriotic.’  Had the men who were serving the colors in France been in Chicago, they would have had no apology to offer for their mayor. (Applause.) He was elected in a three-cornered fight where he did not receive a majority vote in Chicago, but had the opposition to him been solidified he would have been snowed under, for Chicago is patriotic.  I consider that an insult has been handed to every man in Illinois who rallied to the colors.

“The Tank Corps of which I am a member, and an enlisted man originally, gave from Chicago 11,250 enlisted men, volunteers in the most hazardous branch of the service.  They gave 11,250 men as against 11,000 which the rest of the country contributed.  If that doesn’t bespeak patriotism for Chicago, I don’t know how you are going to gauge it.  I am saying that in the invitation which was extended to you we are speaking for the boys of khaki and blue who rallied to the colors from Illinois, and who are here to-day, extending the invitation to you notwithstanding the fact that we are cursed by a mayor who is not our choice.  We would throw him out if we had the chance, but we are extending the invitation to you on behalf of 750,000 men from Illinois and we do not feel that you are going to impugn their patriotism, that you are going to insult them by saying they are members of an unpatriotic community.”