The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-16

New York, April 15.-The Dollar JEFF
ferson dinner of the Chicago platform
Democrats at the Grand Central Palace
tonight. in point of numbers, was one
of the biggest affairs ever held in this
city. Nearly 5000 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 We're four
japanese and three Chinese present,
but the Chinese were merely specta-
tors, and sat up in the second gallery.
They said that they had come to see
Mr.. Brvan.
The main hall presented a 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 ornaments
were punches of celery and granite
ware coffeepotS.
The boxes about the hall We're fes-
tooned with flags, with silken banners
suspended between the flags. At the
back of the stage We're two American
flags. draped, one bearing the portrait
of jefferson, and the other the portrait
of Bryan. Small portraits of BRYAN
were intersperSed between the flags on
the balconies.
On the stage was an immense floral
horseshoe of carnations. roses ana
heliotrope. 1t had, worked in flowers,
ear~nn1
Below, in red carnations on white TcSes,
was the name Bryan Surrounding
all were the numerals, 10 TO j. Back
on one of the cane bottom chairs was
magnificent bouquet OF roses, American
beauties. But not even on the guests
table was there a single flower.
Looking up from the top tier, the hall
presented a scene such as is seen at
western barbecues OF Rhode Island
clam bal1es.
BRASS BAND WAS THERE.
A brass band of thirty-fve pieces on
the balcony discoursed music through
out the evening. The diners began to
arrive at the Grand Central Palace at
o'clock. There were 150 policemen IN
and about the place.
The women, to the number of AIS,
dined in the long hail just off the sec
ond gallery They sat down on the
tables at $50 o'clock. The first excite
Inent of the evening occurred when the
Eussian-Anerican Democratic assocIa-
ton, 250 strong, from the Eighth as
sembly district, marched in. They were
received with cheers.
There was no concerted attemnt to
seat the 5000 diners simultaneously. All
We're told TO go and sit down About Z
O'Clock nearly every seat of the mems
table was occupied, and the service be-
gan. over GOO walters started out into
the main hall with soup few minutes
before Z o'clock. Three thousand bot
ties of wine We're gratuItouSly served
by a wine company.
W J. Bryan did not arrive until
shortly after o'clock. Crowds on the
outside signaled his appearance by ire
mendous cheering. He came in a cab,
and was escorted through a tremen-
dous crowd to the waiting room outside
the main hall Here he shook hands
with the committee. Then he was es-
cOrted TO the guests table, long table
in front of the platform.
Following came the speakers of the
evening. The band played Hail to the
Chief as Mr.. Bryan was hurried down
one Of the main isles. There was tre-
mend0us cheering and waving OF nap
ktns. Diners stood on chairs and tables,
waving franticatly. The demonstration
lasted for FIVE minutes.
Among those who sat at the guests
fable were: James H. Brown, presid-
ing; on his right, w. ]. Bryan: on his
left. Charles A ToWne of Minnesota. O.
II. 2. Belmont, William s. McNary, sec
retar-y Of the Democratic state commit
Zee of Minneapolis. Mayor J. L. Rhi-
rnoobs of CoVington, Ky; Bolton Hail.
George Fred Williams, ex-Congressman
William L. Ryan Of Rochester A. S.
Townson of Virginia. Colonel Thomas
Smith of Virginia and John Clark Rid
path.
The crowd was thoroughly repre-
sentative one and before the dinner
was concluded, hundreds of the diners
left their seats and crowded about the
guests table and began to shake hands
with Colonel Bryan This was stopped
with much difficulty.
ats o'clock the committee and speak
er~s ascendad to the platform. Mr. Bry-
an received a Vociferous ovation. the
diners in many instances again stand
s,gson chairs and tables and the wo-
s1..-4i waving napkins wildly.
James r. Brown called the meeting
TO order and introduced George Fred
Williams Of Massachusetts who was
given a fine reception. The crowds in
the galleries meantime had increased
and there were at least 5000 people in
the han. The mention of Henry
Georges name evoked an extraordinary
demonstration.
BELMONT FIRST SPEAKER.
o. II. p. Belmont was next intro
auced and in the course of a brief
speech said:
..Tonight the east extends its hand
sf welcome to the west and is ready to
DO honor to one of her great sons of
-nom she is SO justly proud. Let this
be me sign that there is no north. no
south, no east. no west in the Demo-
cratic party. Whatever our individual
local or sectional opinions are. let us
express them ard let them be respect ed:
fi1is is the soul of Democracy But
when, after these opinions and condi-
tions have been submitted to our cho-
sen leaders, in convention when they
have s5fted them down and chosen the
material from which our platform is to
be constructed then let US. with one
voice, say this is the platform upon
which we win stand, shoulder to shoul-
der as a unit TO win or lose.
I'VE have reached a point when
democracy must rule or the heirs of
This greatest republic that we know of
must bow their necks to the most pow