The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-16
THOUSANDS ATTEND THE CHICAGO
PLATFORM DOLLAR-DINNER
IN NEW YORK
MIR. bryan WE'LL RECEIVED
WAS COMPLIMENTED BY THE
SPEAKERS AND CHEERED. By
MEN AND WOMEN PRESENT
CONTRAST TO OTHER DINNERS

Were Scarce Walls Appropri-
ately Draped with Flags-Thor-
oughIy Representative Gathering
Gave Attention to the Speakers.
NEW YORK. April 15.-The dollar JEFF
ferson dinner of the Chicago platform
Democrats. at the Grand Central Palace
tonight, was. in point of numbers. one
of the largest affairs ever held In this
city. Nearly 5000 persons, men and wom-
en-, sat down at the long tables in the
big room of the Grand Central Palace.
The main hall presented a different
aspect from that Of the Metropolitan
opera house, at the SO dinner of
the Democratic club. There were no flow
sr embellishments, but just long avenues
OF tables, covered with clean white plates.
The boxes about the hall were festooned
with flags, with silken banners suspend
= ed between the flags. At the back of
the stage were two American flags, drap-
ed, one bearing the portrait Of Jefferson.
the other the portrait of Bryan. Small
portraits of Bryan were interspersed be-
tween the flags on the balconies.
The diners began to arrive at the Grand
Central Palace at o'clock There were
LEO policemen in and about the place. The
men, to the number of AIS, dined in the
long hall just Off the second gallery They
sat down to the tables at $50 o'clock.
The first excitement of the evening oc-
CURED when the Russian American Dem
ocratic association, ESQ strong, from the
Eighth assembly district. marched In.
They were received with cheers.
VERY DEMOCRATIC.
There was no concerted attempt to seat
the 5000 diners simultaneously. All were
told to go in and sit down. About o'clock
nearly every seat of the mems table was
occupied, and the service began. Over
800 walters started out into the main hall
with soup few minutes before Z o'clock
The menu included soup, fish, roast beef,
turkey, ice cream. coffee and cigars.
Three thousand bottles of wine were
gratuitously served by wine company.
Mr.. Bryan did not arrive until shortly
after Z O'Clock. Crowds on the outside
signaled his appearance by tremendous
cheering. He came in a cab, and was es-
corted through tremendous crowd to
Here he shook hands with the commit
tee. Then he was escorted to the guests
tabe-a long table in front of the plat
form. Following came the speakers of
the evening. The band played Hail to
the Chief" Mr.. Bryan was hurried down
one of the main aisles. There was a ire
mendous cheering and waving of nap
p kins. Diners stood on chairs and table.
waving frantically. The demonstration
lasted for five minutes.
Among those who sat at the guests
table We're: James R. Brown presiding;
on his right, w. ]. Bryan on his left
Charles A. Towne of Minnesota o. H
P. Belmont, William S. McNary, secre-
tary of the Democratic state committee
of Minnesota; Mayor ]. L.. Rhimoosh, OF
CoVington, KY; Burton Hall, George
Fred Williams, ex-Congressman William
h. Ryan, OF Rochester, A. S. Townsend
OF Virginia; Col Thomas Smith, of Vir-
glnia, and John Clark Ridpath
The crowd was a thoroughly represent
alive one, and before the dinner was con-
cluded hundreds of diners left their seats
and crowded about the guests table ano
began to shake hands with Col BRYAN
This was stopped with much difficulty.
At o'clock the committee and speak
ers assembled to the platform. Mr. Bry.
an received vociferous ovation, the din
ers in many instances again standing or
chairs and tables and the women wavins
napkins wildly.
James r. Brown called the meeting t.
order, and introduced George Fred WIFE
Jams, of Massachusetts, who was giver
81 nh
leries meanwhile had increased, and there
were at least $500 people in the hail. TIL.
mention of Henry Georges name evoked
an extraordinary demonstration.
MR. BELMONT SPEAKS.
o. II. p Belmont was next introduce,
and read the following from manuscript
Tonight the East extends its hand q
welcome to the West and is ready to d,
honor to one of her great sons of WHOM
she is SO justly proud. Let this be TIL
sign that there Is no North. no South
no East, no West in the Democratic par
ty. Whatever our individual, local or sec
tonal opinions are, let us express then
and let them be respected; this is tn
these opinions and conditions have bee
submitted to our chosen leaders in con
yention; when they have sifted ther
which our platform is to be constructed
then let us, with one voice, say this
the platform upon which we will stand
shoulder to shoulder as a unit, to win O
lose.
I'VE have reached point when Democ
,racy must rule, or the heirs to this grea
republic that we know of must bow thei
necks to the most powerful plutocrac
the world has even known; mind yor
not even national plutocracy, but an in
ternauonal plutocracy, without faith O
Kin, which will drag us to the most ah
1ect slavery.
To-day the people are waking up t
the fact that the freedom of man is tn
question they are called upon to- decide
and not theoretical issues for political su
premacy; and in looking about for tn
means to secure this right, they see thei
only hope in the Democratic party, an
what makes them hesitate? A doubt i
the, unanimity in the party. And wha
makes the Republicans exult? The sam
thing, coupled with the knowledge the
are concentrating all the sinews of wal
There is one other ray of hope held on
to them by honest, but I hold a misguid
ed people, and that is the creation OF
- third party, to be made up, as they claim
from the best elements of both. Thi
ray only creates situation for the mu
tipication of deals. The most liberal
minded man never claims more han tw
sides to a question:; then why a thiI'
party The issue will be in 1900. are W
to be controlled by the cosmopolitan NOR
ey power, or are we to be free men