The times., 1899-02-23
DEMOCRATIC TRIBUTES
TO WASHINGTON
Notable Banquet of the Viz
ginia Association.
Mr.. Bryan Sounds the Nebraska
Keynote.
American Expansion Is Wrong
Without Form md
ESid.

Five hundred and fifty Democrats cele-
brated the 161th anniversary of the birth
of George Washington last night. They
were the members of the Virginia Demo-
cratic Association of the District of Co
lumbia and their guests.
The celebration was held in the National
Rifles Hall, in G Street between Ninth and
Tenth Streets, and took the form of a
banquet, and was one of national signiti-
| canoe as nearly every State in the Union
was represented. The flower of the party.
from East, from West from North and
from South. was at the board, and the
greatest of these was the delegation from
the South.
When the music strayed into the chords
of Dixie" The Star Spangled Banner"
The Bonnie Blue Flag" old Kentucky
Home" and other melodies. the citizenry
present broke loose and gave vent to pent-
up feelings The celebration was one that
gave honor to those who participated. The
patriotic instinct spread from the flags to
the speakers and from the speakers to the
long populated lines of tables.
The hall was arrayed in appropriate de-
signs. Everywhere blazed forth the Stars
and Stripes. The stage was banked with
flowers and palms, while the centrepiece
was a splendid portrait of George Wash
ington. On either side were portraits of
Andrew Jackson and William Jennings
Bryan. Therefore were the Democrats
present pleased. and they cheered their
pleasure.
Upon the centre table, facing the guests,
was magnificent floral tribute to Colonel
Bryan. This was basket of roses lilies,
and ferns which stood over four feet high.
| The inscription on the basket read as
follows:
This basket OF flowers is presented to YOU by
the Democracy Of the District of Columbia
slight token Of their love and affection for you.
whom they regard as the foremost Democrat OF
the great democratic nation of the earth.
Your exalted PATRIOTISM sublime courage, and
unerring Judgment in dealing with questions OF
public concern testify To the wisdom OF that great
convention of Democrats who, in 1895. selected
you TO lead the party, and reinstate it in the
mind and conscience of the nation, the sheet
anchor Of the hope and aspirations of all lovers
OF liberty and free institutions
May God. the giveT of all good gifts bless
YOU and give you strength 10 lead the American
people through the troublOus times that now
upon our nation, liat. III liie words Oi lhe I'M
mortal Lincoln, a government of the people,
for the people, and by the people may not
perish from the earth
The Democracy of many States made
merry. Laughter and jest were the order
of the evening. and the assemblage had no
fear OF treaties, nor parties, nor leaders.
The great gathering of representative men
cheered every patriotic sentiment TO the
echo, and made itself hoarse when the
names of great Democrats were mentioned
Two wars were refought and resettled. and
in the end the guests and members c'asped
hands and sang;
There's flag that's blest than all beside.
And the brave coloring of the hall died
away into insignifcance when the leaders
arose and spake. The trueness that was in
those who sat at the tables came forth and
asserted itself and a wild scene followed
each patriotic statement. Men cheered,
men shouted, men stamped their feet, men
clapped their hands, men waved flags, ban
ners, and handkerchiefs.
The rear gallery was occupied by ladies'
and the applause from that quarter of the
hall was not small. Altogether it was the
greatest banquet of the Virginia Demo-
cratic Association, and the Democrats
present gloried thereat
After an elaborate menu had been served
and enjoyed, the orchestra enthused the
gathering with much patriotic music. The
scene when Mr.. Bryan appeared was in
deeed great The hall was an intricate
,F MOI
| and it was fully five minutes before Older
was restored
President Harper'~ Address.
President r y. Harper then arose and
delivered the address of welcome. Presi-
dent Harper was greeted with much ap-
plause. He said:
| Fellow Virginians and Democratic
| Friends: AS President of the Virginia
! Democratic Association of this city. it af-
| fords me much pleasure to extend to this
| great body of representative Democrats a
| most hearty welcome, and in behalf OF
| the individual members of our association
the high appreciation OF the honor you
have conferred. not only upon them, but
also on the old Commonwea tn of Virginia
| by meeting with her sons 10 celebrate the
birthday anniversary of the great Ameri-
can statesman given to this country by thC
| State OF Virginia, and who, by his natural
| worth and patriotism, has been so appro-
priately termed from one end of this great
| country of ours to the other, not only as
the Father of his country. but also a
First in war. first in peace, first in III,
hearts of his countrymen.'
1t is not my purpose to detain you by
eulcgy upon the life and character oi
this great man. as we have Virginian
I sulf ,,ft
day, who is much more able to perform
that part of our entertainment than / am
| Il will, however, ask a few moments OF
! your time as to what this association has
done. is doing and may be depended upon
doing in behalf of those governmental
questions given to this country by another
| Virginian. who has made sacred the sol
at Monticello.
We were organized in the fall of 1880
and from that time TO this. whether il
has been in the days of Democratic pros
perity or in the times of her adversely, We
have always responded like heroes. when
ever the trumpets call has been sound ed
by our party, and upon at least one oc-
cas!on we saved the political reputation o
the State by sending from this city more
lega! Virginia voters than the State gave
Democratic majority. In 1892 we sent in
TO the State ,232 voters at an expense t,
| the members of the association and theii
| friends of nearly $1,000. In 1896 there
was one city in the State which gave tn,
Democrats ten majority, and upon looking
over our books We found We sent /
voters to that point.
Now. in the last Congressional election
we centered our guns on one district-th'
Tenth-and gave notice that what we wouit
do with the Republicans there would b,
a plenty. do not know what they though
| of our efforts. but | do know the result