The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-14
GREAT TEN DOLLAR DINNER
THE BELMONT CROKER AFFAIR Il
SPLENDID SUCCESS.

SPLENDID SUCCESS.
Number Ever Accomm oda led at Ban
quet in New York-Police Show I'm
usual vigilance Oh Account of the
"Crnnk" Letter.
New York, April 12.-The dinner of
the Democratic club in honor of the an
niversary of the birth of Thomas Jeffer-
son was held tonight at the Metropoi-
tan Opera house. Looking from the
tiers to the floor Of the vast dining hall
the tables seemed like great beds of
roses. The thirty-two tables were on
either side of the two guests table Each
table was piled with mass of roses
and ferns intertwined. So abundant
were the flowers that some Of the guests
were hardly able to see each other over
floral banks. Perry Belmont, president
of the Democratic club, stood in the
grand tier and commented upon the
scene as the guests assembled. He said:
This is certainly a beautiful scene, but
rather too many flowers for a dinner for
men. I'm afraid the democrats out west
local florists and we spent money in or
der to give plenty Of people employ
ment. But there is no doubt of it that
there are too many flowers for demo-
cratic simplicity"
Captain Price of the Tenderloin and
forty-two policemen were in and around
the building. A Gordon of bicycle police
men surrounded the building. The
crank letter of few days ago, in which
a threat was made to blow up the build
ing during the dinner, seemed to have
made the police unusually vigilant. A
number of detective sergeants In even
ing dress mingled with the guests to
see that no unbidden person might en-
ter. There were a number of firemen
also on guard to prevent any danger
from fire. Just before the guests were
called to order, Richard Croker, Perry
Belmont and Commissioner Sexton ar
rived. Mr.. Croker was in enthusiastic
conversation with those about him and
waved his hand to guests all over the
hall. He said he knew the dinner would
be a success.
There were fully 300 more guests than
the 1900 planned for, but all found
seats. They made total Of 1900 guests.
1t is said to be the largest number ever
accommodated at banquet in the his
tory Of the city. The great dinner to
President Mckinley at the Waldorf
Astoria was served to only 900 or few
more.
Many we'll dressed men and women
drove up in carriages and sought to
purchase tickets to the balconies, but
none was admitted unless provided
with an invitation. The band struck up
"Hail to the Chief" at 7;30 o'clock, and
Richard Croker arm in arm with John
Stanchfield marched down the aisle.
With them were Frederick G. Schraub,
Robert B. Roosevelt General j. Catlin,
Amos ]. Cummings and John w. Kell-
er.
The confusion was very great at 10
O'Clock as the time drew near for maxi
ing the speeches. The orators We're al
most discouraged at the prospect OF
making themselves heard, but matters
soon uuieted. Perry Belmont began to
speak at 10 o'clock. He said in part:
1t is not easy for history to separate
the president of the United States from
the credit or discredit of the chief acts
of an administration. So it Is with JEFF
ferson and the Louisiana purchase; with
Madison and the war of 1872; with
Polk and the war of 1S4S; with Lincoln
and the war Of secession; with Grant
and the Alabama treaty. So Will it be
with Mckinley and the war with Spain.
Praise, or blame, for what was demand
ed at Paris will be his. If the president
has the benefit of success he should
bear the burden of failure.
The recent treaty with Spain has been
ratified 1t is now fixed fact In our
law and our politics. lie declares that
.'the civil rights and political status OF
the native inhabitants therein ceded TO
the United States shall be determined
by the congress- The discretion and
decision are legislative and not execu-
tive. The presidents war power, grow
ing out of the war with Spain, is at an
end. If he does not assemble congress
to do what the treaty ordained, and the
public welfare shall thereby suffer, the
responsibility will be his
Jefferson's first inaugural is our first
democratic platform. The fundamental
principles therein set forth contain the
essentials of democracy. They form,
said their author, "the bright constella-
ton which has gone before us and
should be in the future, he added, the
creed of our political faith, the text of
civic instruction, the touchstone by
which to try the services of those we
trust" In the second inaugural, MAX
ing application of what had been pre-
yiously said, were these significant ut
terances II know that the acquisition
of Louisiana has been disapproved by
some from a candid apprehension that
the enlargement of our territory would
endanger it's union. But who can limit
the extent to which the federative prln-
ciple may operate effectively?' What
prescience and foresight that question
implied! The ''federative principle
looks to an idssoluble union of inde-
structible states. 1t repudiates and re-
pels an empire of vassal colonies never