Gilpin observer., 1899-04-20
THE DOLLAR DINNER.
Big Crowd, Great Enthusiasm, But Little
Silvia.

view 1orR, April 15.-The dollar JEFF
ferson dinner of the Chicago platform
Democrats at the Grand Central Pal.
ace to-nignt, In point of numbers, was
one of the biggest affairs ever held in
this city.
Nearly 1900 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 specta-
tors and sat in the second gallery.
They said that they had come to see
Mr.. Bryan.
The main hall presented n different
aspect from that of the Metropolitan
opera house at the ten-dollar dinner of
the Democratic club. There were no
flower embellishments, but just great,
long avenues of tables covered with
plain white plates. The only orna-
ments We're punches of celery and gran
iteware coffee pots.
A brass band of thirty-five pieces on
the balcony discoursed music through
out the evening The diners began to
arrive at the Grand Central Palace at
o'clock. There We're $50 policemen
in and about the place
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 six hundred wait
ers started out into the main hall with
soup few minutes before Z o'clock.
Among those who sat at the guests
Tpp ID
ing; on his right, w. j. Bryan; on his
left, Charles A. Towne of Minnesota;
o. II. p. Belmont. William S. McNary,
secretary of the Democratic state COM
mittee of Minneapolis; Mayor j. L.
Rhimoohs of Covington, Kentucky;
Bolton Hall, George Fred Williams,
ex-Congressman William +. Ryan of
Rochester, A. S. Townson of Virginia,
Colonel Thomas Smith of Virginia and
John Clark Ridpath.
Mr.. Bryan was given a very enthusi-
astic welcome when he finally rose to
speak, after the other orators had fin
ished. Among the things that he said
are the following:
THAT platform means something,
and If you ask me why it was that In
the campaign of 1896 the hearts of the
people were stirred as they have not
been lately stirred, 1 will tell you that
1t was because the struggling masses
found in that platform an inspiration
and aggregate wealth found in It a
menace to every man who robs his
neighbor for his own benefit"
1.-THE Republican party. in all Of its
politics, is putting the dollar above the
man, and in that is departing from the
doctrine of Lincoln. its founder, for, in
1859, he said the Republican party be-
lieves in both the man and the dollar,
but in cases of conflict the man before
the dollar.
"The Republican party is putting the
dollar above the man in all its leglsla-
tion. and nowhere is it more apparent
than in matters of taxation. The Re
publican party is not trying to restore
justice in taxation. The war has
shown that when this government
deals with an Individual its power is
unlimited, but when it deals with prop
erty its power Is limited. 1t can draft
the citizen, but 1t cannot touch the
dollar. In the liour of peril the nation
can take the son from his mother and
the husband from his wife, and stand
them up in front of an enemy's gun,
but 1t dare not lay its finger on the
wealth of the rich and make them con-
tribute their share"
Mr.. Bryan discussed the question of
bimetallism at length. repeating we'll
known argument, and said:
II have been asked why I am not
willing to drop the money question. I
reply. Because the money question
won't drop u.s.
II know not what others may desire
or what they may be willing to do but
l am not willing that our declaration
against the gold standard shall be
dropped as long as n handful OF Eng
lish financiers can determine the finan-
cial policy of seventy million of Amer
lean people. And some say that IL we
will not drop the money question, we
ought to drop the ratio Of 16 to I.
''When you find man opposed to 16
to l. inquire and you will find that he
wns never in favor OF 1t. and then in
quire again and you will find that there
Is no other ratio tina. he is in favor of.
We denounced international bImetal-
lism MS delusion and a snare In 1896.
1t has been proved 10 be so since 1896.
We declared for the ratio of 10 to 1 in
1896. and no party has arisen to advo-
cate any other ratio but 16 to 1.
Until some other party proposes
some other ratio and tries to secure
blmetallism at some other ratio. there
Is no reason why we should discuss
ratio with them. The ratio OF 10 to
was decided upon, not mt the Chicago
convention. but at the primaries which
elected delegates to attend the Chicago
convention. The ratio of 10 to / Ind
been submitted to the people and those
who wanted II In 1896 are in favor of
1t now. And they know why they are
In favor of 1t. The ratio of 10 to 1 Is
the ratio at which our gold and silver
coins now circulate. We simply ask
reinstatement of the law that was on
the statute books-where II was before
the act of decentralization was secretly
passed" s4