The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-25
1T WAS FUSION
At the Great Democratic BAN
quet Last Night,
But Tt Was seFusiOn of OYSTERS
and OratOry.''
$50 PLATES WE'RE LAID
The Hall Made a Beautiful
Sight With Flowers.
Bryan Compliments Arrange
ments and Makes a Speech.

The Democratic banquet at Metropol-
itan hall last night exceeded in attend
ance and showiness anything of the
kind in the history of the party in this
state. The remains of the old guard
were there and hundreds of new and
younger men.
Metropolitan hall had undergone a
Transformation for the banquet The
$50 Democratic brethren present were
pleased with the new paper which
adorned the walls put on by Mr.. Black
man especially for this occasion. The
floral committee, directed by Mrs. ]. R.
Hague worked the miracle connected
with the feast. A bank of palms up
on the platform screened the musicians
(Steinberg'S orchestral from the crowd.
Immediately in front of the palms were
the speakers, Mr.. Bryan the guest Of
honor, sitting in the center of a cres-
cent, with J. Mack Love on his right
and J. G. Johnson on his left. The
speakers sat to the left of Mr. Bryan in
this order: David Overmyer, George
w. Click H. S. Martin and John H.
Atwood. On the right were Judge
Jackson, H P. Farrelly, w. S. Glass
S. B. Amidon. Judge John Martin and
Claude DuVal
Suspended from above were flags
and the national colors in buntings. FAN
FESTIVAL decorations had been reSur-
rected from their resting places and en-
plOyed in the Improvement of the ap-
pearance of the hall Long stands of
evergreens, festooned with crepe paper
in the national cOlOrs were draped
across the entire length of the hall from
corner to corner. Similar decorations
were draped along the walls, while
flags crossed over the windows which
were surrounded by red and yellow
bunting, added to the pleasing effect.
A hundred miniature flags bound to-
gether were suspended from the main
chandelier.
In front of the hall the walls were
covered with flags and bunting with
touch of bright colored bunting. The
IS soft glow of the incandescent lights
also added greatly to the beauty of
the surroundings.
Mounted on a pedestal high above the
palms and flowers was a picture of Mr..
Bryan and none failed to do the dis
tinguished visitor honor. When he
could not be seen the crowd cheered his
picture
In front of the platform upon which
the speakers were seated was the press
table, an innovation at entertainments
of this nature. 1t was crowded with
representatives of papers from various
parts Of the state.
Seated at four tables extending the
entire length of the hall were the Dem
Ocrats. They were literally shut in by
palms and flowers. The effect was de-
cidedly pleasing and Frank Thomas de-
serves commentator for the cOncep-
ton of the plan.
get their tickets until yesterday and
there was a big demand all day. When
the hall was opened the doorway was
damned and the line extended into the
street. The first installment soon
passed in but the crowd continued to
come in a great stream. AS the time
drew near for the beginning of the feast
the stairway became damned. Men
pushed each other around in frantic eff
fort to gain an advantage. MetropoIi-
tan han is difficult to reach and the
~ q n
O'Clock before it was seated. The gal
lery was crowded, principally with Pop
ulists who had been refused tickets to
the banquet floor, because they were
not Democrats" When the six cours-
es of the banquet were disposed of
the doors were thrown open and prob
ably 100 persons came in for the speech
eS.
J. G. johnson national committeeman
for Kansas was POSTMASTER. In open
ing the program he thanked Frank
ties
The menu was:
New York Counts.
Cracker Sticks.
o.
Boned Turkey. Aspic Jelly.
Pickles. Radishes
co,a No., Saratoga Chips. Rolls:
Bread and Butter.
o.
Frozen Punch.
Sweet Bread Salad. Tomatoes.
Cheese Waters
Neapolitan Ice Cream
Macaroons. Angel Food. Marble Cake
Chocolate Cake Lady Cake.
Sailed Almonds.
Coffee.
Oranges. Grapes. Bananas
Three barrels of wine were opened
and the Wa In,