The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-14

| roses. Tho tables were piled with MASSES
| OF roses and ferns intertwined. SO album
dant were the iowerg that some OF the
! guests were hardly able to see each other
over the floral banks. Swans and vases
OF nlahaster held flowers; there were cor
nucopias, horns Of plenty filled with fiow-
ers and fruit. and the scene was set of
| with ribbons OF cardinal silk.
The floor OF the auditorium was raised
to a level With that OF the stage by tenn
porary floor, making one rectangular
room OF immense size. The tables were set
| in rows parallel with Thirty ninth and
Tortieth streets. The guests OF honor
were at two tables set about under pros
cenium arches and at right angles to the
other tables.
| The stage was set with gorgeous pal
ace scene OF the court OF Louis XIV. Four
great electric chandeliers lighted up the
! picture.
ConspIcuously displayed at the west end
OF the dining hall was the inscription:
| Jefferson, 1T43-1Sog. Democratic Club"
| This was composed OF ineandescent
lights 1t surrounded the picture of Thorn
| as Jefferson
The ali-silver candelebra. with shades
harmonizlng with the floral effect, were on
all the tables.
The guests began to arrive at o'clock,
but the dinner did not begin for an hour
aud half after that. Captain Price OF
! the Tendorloin and forty4two policemen
we're In and around the building cor
don of bicycle policemen surrounded the
building. a crank letter received a few
days ago. IN which threat was made TO
blow up tho building during the dinner
I seemed TO have made the police unusually
( vigilant. number of detective sergeants
In evening dress mingled WITH tie guests
to see that no unbidden person might on
ter. There were number OF flremen also
on guard TO prevent danger from fire.
inside the building was an army OF ush-
crs and attendants These wore a drab
uniform with silver buttons.
Just before the guests we're called to
order Richard Croker and Perry Belnont
entered a box. Mr.. Croker was in en- :
thuslastlo conversation with those about
him, and waved his hand to guests ali
over the hall.
There were fully 400 more than the 1900
planned for. but all found seats. This Is
said to be the largest number ever ac-
commodated at banquet in the history
OF tho city.
me service OF the menu was oxcellent
Croker held levee just before the regu-
lar speech making began He shook hands
cordially with everybody and smiled as
man after man congratulated him upon tbs
success OF the dinner.
Ferry Belmont began to speak a. 10
o'clock. He said
~ is hitting that this Democratic cluh
celebrate the birthday of him whose monu-
ineht rs the declaration OF Independence
.ne nrst democratic president, the first
, secretary OF state the constructor Of the
, irst democratic platform, the founder OF
, the democratic party
) Ihomas Jefferson was a party man o,
| the democratic type. To him as a demo
Graf. the world ia debtor for tina,
: when was novelty In political gov
ernment until his own immortal words
proclaimed the doctrine that the rinh
0 to life, liberty and the pursuit OF hap
0 plness' Is inalienable. and to secure II
| governments are instituted DERIVING
4 their Just powers from the consent Of the
i governed. As lawgiver, the North
e western ordinance, framed by him. IL his
= imperishable record. II has been, under the
n constitution. source of the greatness and
o power and chief popularity OF the Ameri-
= can Union 1t was formulated in 1884, de.
e veloped in 1877, greatly perfected after the
g Mexican war for the government OF terri.
d tories theoretically under the absolute con.
= troll OF congress, yet always In condition
OF self government In order that they may
: Mt themselves TO become American States
: AS a diplomatist and skilful politician
n the acquisition OF Louisiana places hin
o beyond all present rivalry. To his grea
10 achievement our country owes the vas
Is domain west Of the Mississippi now tn,
j. seat Of eleven prosperous States. May ou
/ country always have such o presidcn
l. when the wise enlargement OF the Nationa
domain becomes expedient or necessary
70 A democratic president controlled b
ID the teachings OF Jefferson and traditions o
l. his party would today have definite pol
:; icy perfectly understood by the Nation a
J. large, but modern republication ia nop
u portunism--no one knows whittier II i
% going. The opportunlst often does wha
70 s most inopportune. The politician in
Influenced by eXpediency often does what 4
"a most inexpedlent. The present republican
y policy is thrift and drift.
\ This is not the place, or time, TO relat
E In detail the history of the negotiations b.
ID jefferson with Napoleon, beginning u
A. that month OF 1902 whoa a Spanish office
at New Orleans revoked the license grant
10 ed by the treaty with Spain OF 1895 to de
10 post American products at that port an
le freely ship them thence to the West Indie
II and Europe and ending OH that last da
g in april In the next year when the treat
was signed
y Attempts to impair the title of JeffersoI
lie to the honor of the American part of tina
70 successful diplomacy have been failures
n The plan was Jeiferson's; the execution o
the plan was his. While he baffed til
l. Federalists. endeavoring to push him int
"a a war with France he conciliated tn
x Northwestern States eXasperated becaus
at deprived of an outlet to the gulf, Hi
= official instructions 10 Livingston an
~ Monroe, his private, letters to each pub
in ling head on the American side, Recon
ia revelations also show that Jefferson ex
D. plotted In most effective way the hope
q. and fears which controlled the conduct o
NJ tho great first consul.
40 II is not easy for history to separate tn
N president OF the United states from tn
al credit or discredit OF the chief acts of a
l. administration So IL Is with jefferson
N and the Louisiana purchase; with Madi
10 son and the war of 1912; with Polk and tn
N war Of 1913; with Lincoln and the war 0
y secession with Grant and the Alabam
-. treaty. SO will Il be with Mckinley an
81 the war with Spain Praise. or blame, TO
X. what was demanded at Paris will be his
" II the president has the bencnt OF success
he should bear the burden OF failure.
The recent treaty with Spain has bee
70 ratified II is now n fxed fact in our la,
rs and our politics. It declares that 9th
y civil rights and political status OF the ma
tive inhabitants therein ceded to the Unit
le cd States shall be determined by tn
m congress-" The discretion and decision
10 are legislative, and not executive Til
o. presidents war power growing out Of tn
Us war With Spain. Is at an end. II he doe
Mt not assemble congress to do what tn