Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-15
PoLITfcAL

The dinner Of the New York Demo
cratic club, in honor of Jcffcrson's
birthday anniversary, was In some
respects a notable occasion, 1t was
distinctly on the "plutocratic' order,
admission to 1t costing SO, yet the at
tendance was larger than at any other
banquet ever held in that city. The
decorations were on a grand scale ana
the dinner was sumptuous. Mr.. Richard
Croker was the central figure of the as
semblage and his popularity with this
element of the democracy was amply
and cordially attested. 1t appears TO
have been a Enthusiastically demo.
cratic occasion in the confusion that
prevailed, little attention being given TO
most of the speakers by n majority of
the diners, who evidently were there
for a good time and not to receive in
structiOn in Jeffcrsonian principles.
Judging from the press report of the
speeches they were not at all remark
able and the occasion was not so well
improved as had been expected in the
sounding of political keynotes. The re-
marks of the president of the club, Mr..
Perry Belmont, were highly laudatory
of Thomas Jefferson, but the speaker
omitted any reference to the financial
views of that statesman. Mr.. Belmont
indicated his sympathy with the ex-
pansion policy in what he said of the
Louisiana purchase, while his comment
upon certain principles enunciatcd by
4, ng.,.., 1N,,.a chat 1A 10 rttnplX. "a ~
variance with the Chicago platform.
Judge Van Wyck, who was the demo
cratic candidate for governor last year,
was expected to announce the attitude
of the democratic element represented
at the dinner on all leading national
questions, but he also, as appears from
the press report, had nothing to say on
the monetary issue. He talked very
well about our growing IN and
the duty of promoting it, denounced
monopoly and admonished the democ-
racy to exercise ian intelligent and
eternal vigilance, the price not only of
liberty, but good government" He
spoke of the inadvisability of an al
lance with Great Britain, as to which
there Is nc controversy. But we are
no wiser now than before this banquet
in regard to the attitude which this ele-
ment of the New York democracy pro-
poses to take a year hence IN the silver
question. 1t is doubtless safe to as
sumo that it will be then, as three years
ago, opposed to free silver, but a plain
statement now to this effect would prob
ably exert an influence favorable to the
sound money cause II therefore it is
to be regretted that the opportunity for
making such Il statement that the ban
Quet of the New York Democratic club
gave was not improved.
There was another banquet on the
same evening, in Milwaukee, and there
the money question was not ignored.
ON the contrary it was the prominent
subject of the principal speech of the
occasion, in which the democratic leader
announced that the free and Unlimited
coinage of silver is still an issue and
will be in he next national campaign,
while Mayor Harrison of Chicago de-
clared that "the old fight must be made
! again, Il fight along the lines laid down
in the platform of the last democratic
convention" This is the real keynote
Of the democracy which will control the
national convention of 1900. This ele-
ment has the courage of its convictions.
1t will reattirm the Chicago platform
and make the fight chiefly on that. The
campaign of next year is already
clearly defined.