Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-05
Senator Daniel Delivers Fourth of
July Grafton.
A MhSTERLY AND IMPRESSIVE EFFORT
The Big Democratic Meeting at
the Grand Opera House.
IN TIE r ESTING FE EATU RES

The gathering which assembled in the
Grand Opera House this morning, in at
tendance upon the Fourth of July meeting
held under the auspices of the National
Association of Democratic Clubs and the
democracy of the District was not large
one, and there was a considerable prepon-
derance of the gentle sex. The house was
very tastefuiiy decorated with the Amerf-
can colors in flags, bunting and national
shields, and hanging from the boxes and
silis of the proscenium were banners of
the various local democratic clubs The
blue banner of the Columbia Democratic
Club hung from the right of the stage was
strange to those familiar with it.
This banner was presented to the club
by New York newspaper, and originally
the names cleveland and Hendricks in
large GIT letters ran across the top. This
line had been carefully covered up today,
the name of Cleveland evidently being re-
pusnant to the faithful. The theater was
pleasant in temperature, and the waving
fans and bright hats and dresses of the
ladies, together with the decorations, made
the scene from the stage prettily pic
turesque. Previous to the beginning of the
regular proceedings ushers distributed
small American flags to the audience and
Webers Orchestra played selection of
national airs. Meantime Senator Daniel,
eN-Representative Sibey, Mr.. Lawrence
took seats upon the stage.
opeping Exercises.
1t was 1870 o'clock when Mr.. Lawrence
Gardner arose and announced that toe
ercises would begin with prayer by Rev.
Alexander Kent, who delivered an eXhorta-
ton that was closely listened TO by the
standing audience. In the course oil his
prayer he lamented the fact that the peo-
pie of this country in their desire to fur
ther their own selfish ends had allowed
its government 10 become such that the
strong preyed upon the weak ana had be-
come largely an instrument of injustice
and oppression. He prayed for a revival in
the hearts of the American people Of the
interest that inspired these who ipade In
dependence day possible. and to consecrate
themselves anew to the principles which
led to freedom Mr.. Kent's complimentary
allusioEs to the democratic party were
many in the course of his prayer. The au-
dience then sang America The effect
was very good. almost the entire as
semblage joined. All knew the tune, and
the management of the meeting with ad-
mirable foresight had printed the words Of
the hymn, well those Of the Star
Srangled Banner" Cn the programs and
thus all had chance to sing with conf
dence. At the conclusion of the singing
Mr. Lawrence Gardrer. secretary of the
National Association o. Democratic Clubs
and temporary chairman of the meeting.
then introduced eX-Representative Joseph
L. Slbley, the presiding of1lcer.
MIR. Lawrepce Gnrdner's Remarks.
In Introducing Mr.. Sibley to the meeting
Mr.. Gardner spoke as follows:
"One hundred and twenty-one years ago,
on the 4th day of July, 1776, the bell
in the steeple of the state house
at Philadelphia rang out the glad tidings
that people had declared themselves free
from the domination of foreign power.
While that bell yet ringing out in
tones tina. echoed and re-echoed from every
part of the colonies, band Of men, the
aristocrats and plutocratS of that day
were gathered on the street corners. under
the very shadow of that state house be-
wailng the action of the patriotic Congress
in taking such a bold step which declared
that all men are created equal: that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalenable rights-that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
They denounced the leader and his CO.
patriots as socialists, as theorists, and dis
tCrbers of the common peace. They were
appalled, that the plain people would dare
take such step. The men composing that
little group were the tories of the reyolu-
tionary period. Their sentiments descend
ed into later years, and Were enunciateti
by the federalists and centralizationists
The same spirit and sentiment has de-
scenGed in our days to the so-caied re-
publican party, the leaders of which hold
the same views that were held by the tories
of i6 and the federaists of 1900 Today
they boast of themselves as the wealth
and intelligence of the land yet like the
tories and federalists, they fear the peo-
pie. Jefferson, on the ether hand, had love
for and confidence in the common people
and he insisted that if our government was
LETT IN their hands to administer we could
not go far astray.
in the many years that have passed our
people have all honored and revered the
memory and precepts of that band of fear
less patriots who in '76 had the courage to
pledge to each other their lives, their for
tunes and their sacred honor in declaring
to the world that they would ever be free
from foreign dictation and control. But !
yet we have in our midst band of men
VINO are enemies of popular government
and who are not, like Jefferson willing to
trust tie plain people-the people whose |
unceasing labor in peace has created the
wealth OF our nation and who stand ever
ready to defend it.
Aims and Purposes /
The aims and purposes of the National |
Association of Democratic Clubs are to |
urge and encourage our people to organize |
societies, as they did in 1893 under Jeffer-
SON. and to take charge themselves of our
country's affairs. No public officer is above |
being watched by the people. whose SER |
want he is; and when CLOSELY watched be
makes the better officer That noble and |
fearless standard bearer of the banner of |
american democracy in 1896, William Jen- |
HlnSS bryan, SAID at the recent and famous |
dinner of this national association in ceIe-
bration of the birthday anniversary of JEFF |
ferson: Every public official who wants |
to do well Is glad to be watched. Any |
public officer who objects to being watched |
needs to be watched all the time Our as
ISOLATION is fast arousing the people to a |
fuller realization of their responsibilities
and their rights as American citizens, by
creating within their breasts feelings of |
greater patriotism and by encouraging and
urging them to study more closely the
questions Of self-government
The Masses and the Clasxcs
"1t Is not our purpose. however, as is
claimed in some quarters, to array the
masses against the classes, but it is our
purpose to teach the classes what are the
inherent rights of the masses, and what
they must acknowledge. 1t is not our pur-
pose to fight legitimate corporations They
have as much right to exist, and are as
needful In a community as any other meth
cd of doing business: but their rights only
nd ho win