Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-04-16
standing on chairs and tables and the
women waving napkins wildly.
THE SPEAKING BEGINS.


Williams. of Massachusetts, who was
given fine reception. The crowd in
the galleries meantime had increased
ana there were at least 5000 people in
the hall. The mention of Henry Georges
name evoked an extraordinary demon
stration
o. III. p. Belmont was next introduced
and read the following from manu-
script;
MR. BELMONT'S SPEECH.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen-It
gives me great pleasure to be here this
evening. and l feel highly honorcd at
being given the opportunity to address
lew words 10 80 notable n gathering.
L am no speaker and shall not detain
you, Knowing we'll how anxious all
present are TO hear the guest OF honor
of the banquet
we are here assembled for three pur-
poses' IL seems to me: First. to honor
tne memory of the founder, l might say
patron saint OF American Democracy
.ne great Thomas Jefferson; second, to
nonor our standard bearer of Demo-
cracy, the great believer in and ex.
pounder OF Jeffcrsonian principles, Will
iihHl Jennings Bryan; third, by assem-
1tiils as we have to give n practical
demonstration of our firm resolution to
wrest the helm OF government from the
hands of the Republicans who are
steering us to sure destruction and ruin,
ana to place it where 1t belongs, in
the hands Of Democracy.
TO WIN OR LOSE.
we often hear that the late war wiped
out AL sectional feeling, and that to-
Jay there is no North. no South no
tbs ana no West. ! am satisfied that
THIS is true, but | am also sure that
inns was true from n national point of
Wow long before. Let. then this bnn-
quct be the outward visible sign of this
same unity in the Democratic party
Tonight the East extends its hand of
Meicoh,e 10 the West and is ready to do
Honor TO one of her great sons of whom
she is so justly proud. Let this be the
sign that there is no North. no South.
no East, no West in the Democratic
party. Whatever our Individual local
on sectional opinions are let us cxDress
thein ana let them hc rcspccted-this is
the soul OF Democracy. But when.
after these opinions and conditions have
necn submitted to our chosen leaders
III conventions; when they have sifted
thcm down and chosen the material
from which our platform is to be con-
S'ructed. then let as. with one voice,
say. this is the pla tform upon which we
VIII stand, shoulder 10 shoulder, as q
unit to win or lose.
DEMOCRACY MUST RULE.
We have reached n point when De-
nocracy must rule, or the heirs to this
greatest republic that we know of
must bow their necks to the most pow
erfui plutocracy the world has ever
known; mind YOU not even Il national
piutocracy, but an inter ional plu-
tocracy without faith or kin which
VIII drag us to the most abject slavery.
! am no hater of money or wealth. and
doubt the honesty of any one who is.
put DO nate the one who does not I'M
derstand the words, Live and let live"
~
To-day the people are waking up to
the fact that the freedom of man Is
the question they are called upon to de-
eide and not theoretical issue for po-
lltical supremacy, and in looking about
Tor the means 10 secure this right they
see their only hope in the Democratic
party. And what makes them hesitate?
doubt i'll the unanimity in the party
Ana what makes the Republicans eX-
ult? The same thing coupled with the
knowledge they are concentrating all
the sinews of war. There is one other
lay OF hone held out to them by honest,
but | hold misguided people and that
is, the creation of third party. to be
made up of as they claim, from the
best elements of both. What that
means | don't know. This ray is a
mere VIII o the Wisp. 1t only creates
2 situation for the multiplication of
deals. The most liberal minded man
never claims more than two sides to Il
question; then. why third party? Let
us range ourselves; let there be no clas-
silications OF rich and poor, labor and
capital. The great jefferson know no
classes. nor do we. Take away man'si
right To improve his condition or take
away his right of maintaining it, and
you reduce him below the lowest of Gre
atures, and God. the Creator, and the
laws of nature forbid this. and by
these laws Democracy will abide
THE ISSUE ] y 1900.
The issue will be in 1900 are we to be
controlled by the Cosmopolitan money
freemen of this great Repub-
lie? Nothing more. nothing less.
The Republicans have ranged them
selves on the side of the trusts. which
means the assured wealth of the few
and the unrcmitted labor of the many,
and these trusts in many cases, are
controlled abroad
The Republicans have ranged them
selves on the side of monopolies and
the concentration of wealth. They
have ranged themselves on the side OF
controlling the municipal. State and
National legislation by wealth. They
were slow in avengnG the insult and
injuries of the enemy. and only did so
when pushed 10 ii by the Democracy of
the country. They are guilty of car
rying on our late war in partisan and
corrupt manner. and to the profit of
corporations. They are to-day leading
us into the acknowledgements of foreign
alliances ana grating upon us impe-
rialistic principles. To all this. De-
mocracy, | hold. is opposed and is as
semblins its mighty army TO defeat its
dangerous foe.
DUTY OF DEMOCRATS.
The individual Democrat should be
ready to subordinate his personal views
TO the accomplishment of this great
task. AS for myself Shoui1 tho nau-