The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-04-21

OhlcaBO platform democrats NJ the /
Grand Central Palace, New York, Sat I
urday night, in point Of numbers, was
one of the biggest affairs ever held in
the city. Nearly 5000 men and
women sat down at long tables in the
various rooms of the big palace.
There were all kinds of people there,
dressed in all kinds Of clothes. There
were four japanese and three Chinese
present, but the Chinese were merely
spectators, aud sat up in the second
gallery. They said they had come to
see Bryan.
The main hall presented a different
aspect from that of the Metropolitan
opera house at the $40 dinner of the
Democratic club. There were no flow
er embellishments, but just great long
avenues of tables covered with plain
white plates.
The only ornaments were lunches
of celery and graniteware coffee pots.
The boxes about the hall were festoon-
ed with flags, with silken banners sus-
pended between the flags. At the back
of the stage. were two American flags
draped, one bearing the portrait of
Jefferson and the other that of Bryan.
Small portraits of Bryan were inter
spersed between the flags on the bal
comics.
On the stage was an immense floral
horseshoe of carnations, roses and he
liotrope, it had, worked in flowers, the
words, "Women's Bryan League. Be-
low the red carnations in white roses
was the name Bryan" Surrounding
all were the numerals "16 to l." Back
on one of the cane,bottom chairs was Q
magnificent boquet of roses, American
Beauties. But not even on the guests
table was there a single flower.
There were $50 policemen in ant
about the place.
The women to the number of All
dined in the long hall just off tn,
second gallery. They sat down to tn,
tables at $50 o'clock. The first ex
element of the evening occurred whel
the INSTRUMENTATION Democratic AS
ISOLATION, $50 strong, from the eight
assembly district, marched in. The,
were received with cheers.
r There was no concerted attempt t.
, seat the 5000 diners simultaneously
All were tcld to go in and sit down
About 7 o'clock nearly every seat c
the mems tables was occupied, an
= the service began. Over 600 waiter
r began work shortly before 7 o'clock
q The menu included soup, fish, roas
8 beef, turkey, ice cream, ceffee an
cigars.
I Three thousand bottles of wine we1
e served.
/. William Jennings Bryan did not a
b rive until shortly after 7 o'clocl
Crowds on thaoutCide signaled his al
appearance by tremendous cheering
1t He came in a cab, and was escorte
d through a tremendous crowd to Il
n waiting room outside the main hal
Then he was escorted to the guest
table, long table in front of the pla
W form. Following came the speake
of the evening.
The band played "Hail to the Chic
Al as Bryan was hurried down one of Il
" main aisles. There was tremendo1
p cheering and waving of napkins.
s Diners stood on chairs and tabl
Id waving frantically. The demonstr
of ton lasted for five minutes.
= The crowd was a thoroughly rep1
:" sentative one, and before the dim
s. was concluded hundreds of the dine
IT. left their seats and began to sha
rs hands with Colonel Bryan. This W
NV stopped with much difficulty.
90 At 8 o'clock the committee and t
W speakers assembled to the platform.
es Bryan received a vociferous ovatio
ch the diners in many instances aga
nd standing on chairs and tables and
"a women waving napkins wildly.
: James r. Brown called the meet
he to order, and introduced George Fl
Sc, Williams, of Massachusetts,, who v
an given a fine reception. The crowd
nd the galleries meantime had increas,
- and there were at least 5000 peol
80 in the hall. The mention of Her
ng Georges name evoked an extraor
Mt nary demonstration.
)ut o. H. P. Belmont was next int
MD duced, and read from manuscri
John Clark Ridpath spoke on "Thon
i8e jefferson. When Mr.. Ridpath S
ing that Jefferson stood shove Adams 6
un- Otis, and was the most intellect
les democrat that ever lived, a hund
~ voices shouted:
''No, mol Bryant
uer At the close of Mr.. Ridpath's spe