The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-16

ferson dinner of the Chicago platform
democrats a the Grand Central palace
tonight in point of numbers was one
of the biggest affairs ever held in this
city. Nearly 5000 men and women sat
down at long tables in the various
rooms at the big palace There were
all kinds of people there, dressed in all
kinds of clothes. White men elbowed
with colored men, and white women
with colored women. There were four
Japanese and three Chinese present, but
the Chinese were merely spectators and
sat up in the second gallery. They said
that they had come to see Mr.. Bryan.
The main hall presented a different
aspect from that of the metropolitan
| opera house at the $40 dinner of the
| democratic club. There were no flower
embellishments, but just great, long
| avenues of tables covered with plain,
| white plates. The only ornaments were
punches of celery and graniteware cof-
| fee pots.
The boxes about the hall We're fes-
tooned with flags, with .silken
banners suspended between the
flags. At the back of the
stage were two American flags draped,
one bearing the portrait of Jefferson
and the other the portrait of Bryan.
Small portraits of Bryan were inter-
spersed between the flags on the bal
comics.
On the stage was an immense floral
horseshoe of carnations, roses and hell
otrope. 1t had, worked in flowers the
words: "Women's Bryan League Be
| low in red carnations on white roses
was the name, Bryan Surrounding
all were the numerals, '16 to l." Back
on one of the cane-bottom chairs was
a magnificent bouquet of roses, Ameri-
can beauties. But not even on the
| guests table was there a single flower
| Looking up from the top tier the hall
presented a scene such as is seen at
Western barbecues or Rhode Island
| clam -bakes brass band of 35 pieces
on the balcony discoursed music
| throughout the evening. The diners be-
gan to arrive at the Grand Central pal
ace at S O'Clock. There were $50 po-
licemen in and about the place.
The women, to the number of ATS,
dined in the long hall just off the sec
| bles at $50 O'Clock. The first excite
ment of the evning occurred when the
| Russian-American Democratic associa-
| ton, $50 strong from the Eighth assem-
bly, district, marched in. They We're re-
ceived with cheers.
There was no concerted attempt to
seat the 3,400 diners simultaneously.
| All were told to go in and sit down.
About o'clock every seat of the mems
table was occupied and the service be-
gan. Over 900 walters started out into
the main hall with soup a few minutes
before o'clock. The menu included
soup, fish, roast beef, turkey, ice cream,
coffee and cigars. Three thousand bot
ties of winer were gratuitously served
by a wine company.
Cheers for Bryan.
w. ]. Bryan did not arrive until
shortly after Z o'clock. The crowd on
the outside signalled his appearance by
tremendous cheering. He came in a
cab and was escorted through tre-
mendous crowd to the waiting room
outside the main hall. Here he shook
hands with the committee. Then he
was escorted to the guests table, long
table in front of the platform.
Following came the speakers of the
evening. The band played Hail to
} the Chief as Mr.. Bryan was hurried
down one of the main aisles. There
,
of napkins People stood on chairs
} and tables, waving frantically. The
demonstration lasted five minutes:
Among those who sat at the guests
table were: James r. Brown, presid-
ing; on his right, w. ]. Bryan; on his
left. Charles A. Towne of Minnesota;
! o. H. P. Belmont. William S. McNary
secretary of the democratic state com
mittee of Minneapolis; Mayor J. l.
Rhimoohs of Covington. Ky; Boltor
Hall, George Fred Williams, eX-Con'
gresham William F. Ryan of Roch'
ester, A. S. Townson of Virginia, Col
Thomas Smith of Virginia and Johr
} Clark R.dpath.
The crowd was a thoroughly repre-
sentative one and before the dinner
was concluded hundreds of the diner!
; left their seats ana crowded about th'
Z guests table and began to shake hands
with Colonel Bryan. This was stop
s ped with much difficulty. At 9 o'clocl
the committee and speakers ascendet
| to the platform. Mr.. Bryan received