Evening star., 1896-09-11
DEMOC RATS DlLEM MA
Difficult to Find Place to Hold the Bryan
Meeting.
The Base Ball Park Will Be Occupied
and No Hall is Large Enough
Seeking a Solution. :.

The members of the joint committee Of
the democratic organizations Of the Dis
trict having in charge the arrangements
for the ratification meeting which is to be
addressed by Candidate Bryan in this city
a week from tomorrow were In peck Of
trouble today over the question of a place
for the meeting 1t was originally deter
mined to hold the rally in Convention Hail.
but owing to the great demand for tickets
of admission, which surpassed in number
of persons the capacity Of that big au-
ditorium, the committee determined to en-
gage the National Base Ball Park. This
action was predicated upon the belief that
Mr.. Bryan would make his address at
night, but yesterday it was definitely learn
ed from the managers of the democ ratio
speakers In Chicago that Mr.. Bryan could
not possibly reach here earlier than 5
o'clock on the 10th instant, and that he
would be obliged to leave for Baltimore
the same evening at ten minutes before 8
o'clock Capt. John s. Miller, who is chair
man of the subcommittee on hall or
grounds, had talk with Mr.. Earl Wagner,
the owner Of the ball park. and endeavored
to get him to have the New Washing
here for the 10th instant commenced at an
early hour in the afternoon, so 1t might be
finished in time for Mr.. Bryan to occupy
the park at o'clock.
OuBtucleS tHc way
An examination Of the rules governing
| the league discovered that the game could
not be commenced more than fifteen min
utes earlier than the regularly scheduled
time. Mr.. Miller, on behalf Of the COM
mittee, then offered to pay all the expenses
Of the Washington base ball team to New
York If Mr.. Wagner would take the play
ers there Dr the game.
Mr.. Wagner replied that to do such a
thing 1t would be necessary to get the per-
mission of every other club in the league,
which he did not think it would be possible
to get because of the close struggle in pro-
gress between Philadelphia, New York,
Brooklyn and Washington in the second di-
vision. Mr.. Wagner said he knew he would
have an audience in New York of 10000
persons, and he knew he would not have
anything like that number Of spectators at
the game here, but that 1t would be an ad-
vantage to New York to play on the home
grounds there, and as the Washingtons
were trying to beat Brooklyn out, and he
would willingly give up 5000 to be able to
do SO, he did not see his way clear to play
ing the Saturday game elsewhere than on
his own grounds, much as he would have
liked to accommodate the democratic or
ganizatiops and the public Of Washington.
The Old Base Dali Park Suggested.
The members of the committee were,
therefore, confronted with a more serious
problem than ever. and many suggestions
| were made about appropriate places in
which to hold the meeting. The made
quacy Of Convention Hall to accommodate
the expected crowd prevented it from being
taken into consideration again. There was
some talk about erecting a stand in front
Of the City Hall, where so many political
meetings have been held in the past, and
letting Mr.. Bryan speak from that, but it
was feared that If the Bryan crowd here was
as impetuous as it was said to have been in
other cities that there would be great dan
ger to the life and limb Of those attending
from the constant passing Of electric cars
at this point. The old Capital Base Ball
Park was then suggested, and 1t is among
the probabilities that this inclosure will be
chosen for the gathering. Capt Miller said
today that he believed that he knew $4,000
people in Washington, and was almost
equally as certain that three-fourths of
| them had applied to him either personally
OR by letter for tickets to hear and see Mr..
Bryan.
There will be a meeting Of the joint COM
mittee at Myers Hotel tonight, and it is
probable that something definite will be
done regarding the meeting and the plac..
| of holding it.
Scwall May Be Here.
In letter responding to the invitation of
| the democratic central committee to attend
| the ratification meeting on the 10Th instant
Vice Presidential Candidate Sewalls reply
| from Bath, Me-. under date Of September 8,
was received here today. After expressing
his thanks for the invitation, Mr. SewaI
says:
II hardly believe will be able to attend.
Cannot make my plans until the close of
Cur campaign. the 14th instant. If, after
that date, l find it practicable I will wire
you"
The committee believes that Mr. Sewall
| will arrange his affairs so as to come.
His VIII Filed