The Portland daily press., 1899-04-17
DOLLAR DINNER.
Three thousand Ate and Heard 'Bryar
the Orator.

Hrr given AZ tne Ofdnu Oeutrui phihce W.
night, in point OF numbers, was one OF
the biggest affairs ever held in tn city.
Nearly 5000 men and women sat down Mt
long tables in various rooms.
The crowd WAS thoroughly
representative and Before the. din
ner was concl uded hundreds Of diners
left their seats and crowded about the
guests table and began to shake hands
with Col. Bryan. This was stopped with
much difficulty.
At nine o'clock the colonel and speakers
assembled the platform. Bryan received
vociferous ovation. the diners in many
instances again standing on chairs and
tables and the women waving napkins
wildly.
James X. Brown called the meeting to
order.
Then the chairman introduced George
Fred Williams who was given q tine re.
ception. When Mr.. Williams stated that 1t
was not the purposs to win the deserters
back but to keep them out there was
tremendous cheering which lasted for sew
eral minutes. When he said that the
question was not detraction from the
Chicago platform but additions thereto,
there was another demonstration. The
mention of Henry George evoked an I'M
paralleled demonstration.
The great crowd waited patiently
through all the speeches. There were at
first many calls for Bryan, but when 1t
was seen that the programme was to be
adhered to they waited. When finally
Mr.. Bryant rose to speak perfect tenn
pest of applause from the men and wom-
en- broke cut. 1t was frantic Demon
stration. Chairman Brown said before
eu NJ. Bryan to present to you this bunch
Of American beauties In behalf of Ameri-
can admirers, and the donors Inscription
is this: You, like these roses, are the
nations trust. -
A tremendous amount of cheering
greeted Mr.. Bryan as he accepted the
flowers. He spoke as follows:
MIR. BRYAN'S SPEECH.
"Mr. Chairman, Democrats. ladies and
gentlemen-I esteem 1t great privilege
to be permitted to attend this, probably
the largest banquet ever given in the
United States. l appreciate the kindness
which has been manifested by your aetion
and by the words of those who have pre-
coded me, desire to thank the donors of
these flowers for the good will which the
flowers betoken. shall carry back to my
Western home new courage from your
nd chan ho lad ~ POL ha
pie in other states that in New York
there be those who are true to the princi
Piles of Democracy as written In Democ
racy's latest creed.
"All that we ask is that those who
come into the Democratic party shall De
d part of the Democratic party. We
simply insist that man cannot be
political bixamist. The Democratic party
has "a platform. 1t does not dismay those
who stand upon IL to hear 1t denounced
this year by those who denounced it two
Years ago. We got accustomed to it In
1886; and 1t Is not strange now, but it
would be surprising thing indeed to
hear that party denounced by those who
left it two years ago,
but that we do not hear. The Demo-
cratic platform IL satisfactory to thoss
who supported it in 1896. That platform
was written by the representatives of the
Democratic party in the most Dem ocratic
convention that has been held in IA
quarter of a century. 1t Is compliment
to receive Presidential nomination from
any national convention, but am proud
that my nomination came not from u
convention of bosses, but of Democratic
citizens. 1t has vindicated that platform
and every plank of It is stronger today
than it was when the platform was
written.
"1o those who believe that We should
invite into the Democratic party all those
who cannot share In the purposes and the
aspirations of that party-I cannot spenk
for others: l speak for myself say
that l would not abstract from its plat
form single plank to get back every
man who left it, Nor do believe that
We could draw people to us by cowardIce.
The day for mbiguity has passed. That
platform means something and IL 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, l will tell you that 1t was be-
cause the struggling masses found In that
platform an inspiration. and aggregated
wealth found in it menace to every man
who robs his neighbor for his own bene-
fit. 1t WAS these who have entrenched
themselves behind abuses Of government
who objected to that platform and well
bn6y lul8ut uuJcCb UcCousc phnp pAooiofih
was aimed at every abuse of government
and l was glad that was supported by
those who would have only asked me for
Just laws. ] am glad that tho six million
and a half who voted for me simply
wanted me to get other peoples hands
out of their pockets and not to get their
hands into other peoples poo kets.
Mr.. Bryan then argued the cause OF sill
yer in the lines of previous speeches.
Continuing, Mr.. Bryan spoke about
financial transactions in New York and
the power of banks. He said: 1T graft
fies me to know that the industrial situ-
alton is exciting the attention Of the
American people. But 1t seems little
pathetic to hear men who helped the Re-
publican party to spread these abuses to
beg us to come and help them undo what
they did in 1895. But we are glad TO have
even eleventh hour repentances and we
are glad that the industrial trusts are
opening the eyes Of people who aro blind
to the other trusts against which we con-
tended in 1896.
= "There is another object that is not
included in the Chicago platform and is
VET included In the principle 1t sets forth.