Washington sentinel., 1899-03-25
Croker and Bryan

may become hght 10 the oSaIh'
politically speaking. Some time
ago Mr.. Croker decided to give an
elaborate banquet on Jefferson's
birthday, April IS. The Metro
politan Opera House, in New
York, was hired for the occasion
and over I,aoo invitations were
issued. The announcement was
made that the dinner was to be a
very elaborate affair; that 1t was
to cost $40 a plate, and would
probably settle the political future
OF the Democratic party Tor the
next decade at least. Mr.. Croker's
invited guests included William J.
Bryan, Grover Cleveland, and
nearly all OF the men who have
been prominently identified with
the Democratic party during re-
cent years. MIR. Bryan acknowl-
edged Mr.. Croker's invitation,
which was conveyed through
Perry Belmont, the president Of
Mr.. Croker's club, by asking
whether Mr.. Belmont had publicly
proclaimed his conversion to the
doctrines enunciated in the Demo
cratic platform OF 1896. In reply
ing Mr.. Belmont evaded making a
direct answer to Nj. .Bryan's query.
He stated that the invitations to
the dinner were issued by the club
and without regard to the indiYid
ual opinions of any one. All
Dem ocrats, he declared, ou ught TO
Join together in honoriug the mem
ory OF Thomas Jefferson. 1t is
certain that Mr.. Bryan will not dine
with Mr.. Croker and Mr.. Belmont
on that occasion. Mr.. Bryan will
be in New York on April I3, and
be will not have to skirmish for
place to dine. He will be the guest
OF the Democrats OF New York
who have the courage to stand up
for the Chicago platform. They
have engaged the Grand Central
Palace, oyer in Lexington avenue,
a building which, if not quite as
fashionable, can accommodate a
larger company than the Metro.
politan Opera House. The dinner
to which Mr.. Bryan has accepted
an invitation will only cost 81
plate. Evening dress will not be
required, but the guests will in
clude most OF the prominent ma
tionaI leaders OF the Democratic
party. Among those who will be
present at the Grand Central Pal
ace one-dollar dinner are James K.
Jones, John P. Altgeld, Joseph w.
Bailey, George Fred Williams,
William J. Stone, Charles A.
Towne, and Benjamin R. Tillman.
Very few men oil national promi
nence Will be, it is understood, at
the Croker Belmont dinner. There
will be, it is asserted, practically
no one of consequence from out
side the limits OF New York State.
The contrast between the two din
ners will be most marked. Mr..
Croker and his friends naturally
resent the rude invasion ot their
territory by the adherents OF Mr..
BRYAN, but 1t is said that they will
have still further cause for COM
plant before many weeks go by.
In a word, tits understood that Mr..
Bryan and his friends have decided
to beard the Croker lion in his lair;
that the Jefferson dinner at the
Grand Central Palace is but the
preliminary to the beginning OF
vigorous campaign in New York
against Mr.. Croker and the Dem
ocrats who refuse to subscribe to
the tenetg of the Chicago platform.
1t is the purpose Of the Bryan peo-
pie to go ahead and elect delegates
to the Democratic National Con-
ventiol next year with the assur-
ance that the convention will ad-
NIT their men and turn down
Croker's. Mr.. Croker has chal-
lenged Mr.. BRYAN to contest on
the sacred soil ofthe Empire State,
and the challenge has been ac-
cepted. Will it result in the elm
ination OF Mr.. Croker from the
field OF national and even State
politics1 Such a result is within
the range of probabilities. accord
ing to the friends Of the Nebraska
statesman.