Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-04-20

In His Speech Claimed That There Can Be
No Harmony Between the National
Democrats and ''Chicago Platform" Dom
ocrats- George Fred Williams, o. Ii. T.
Belmont, Ridpath AID Others Also spoke,
New York, April 1S-The Jeffersoni-
an banquet of the Chicago Platform
Democrats Ut the Grand Central raj
ace saturday night was strikingiy
simple i'll its arranEemeDts, profoundly
impressive in its enthusiasm.
The welcome given to Colonel Bry
an from the 5000 diners us he entered
the hall was tulnutuous. 1t was nOt
a dress affair. The most of the Chica-
go Platform DeinucratS wore plain
clothes. National colors sutticed for
the decoration OF the hall.
The first of them began to drift into
the hall as early as ha1f-past five
o'clock They sat down and patient
ly waited
BY half-past six The vast space Of
the main dining hail was filed not
with men in dress coats but in their
workaday clothes. All these had ap
parenlly but one object in view. ana
that was TO see and hear Mr.. Bryan.
When he did appear at the great en-
trance to the bangueting hail. 3,etn
men arose from their seats aud
cheered as one. The women who had
left the gallery boxes to dine on their
own accoNnt i'll their own particular
room. came hulryiug back and seemed
to join in the welcome.
Men forgot that they had dinner Ia
bles in front of them and jumped upon
them to get better view of Mr.. Bry
an.
The order of speakers and foasts
was as follows:
George Fred Williams TRUSTS and
Monopolies:" Oliver II. L. Belmont,
concentrated Wealth. John Clark
Ridpath, .rhomas Jefferson John :.
Crosby, "Civic Liberty" Judge James
+. Tarvin Power of Organized
Wealth." Jerome O'Neill, "Labor's
Hope" Charles \. Towne. American
ISM William j. Bryan, Democracy
Mr. Bryan walked down the aisle
leaning on the arm of Eugene V. Brew
ster chairman of the Committee of
Arrangements. Following them were
James X. Brown. Or. John II. Gardi-
ner. @. IL. f. Belmont John s. Crosby,
Willis j. Abbott and others of the in
yited guests.
When Mr. Bryan reached his place
nj the guest table. one man jumped on
the platform and proposed Three
cheers for our next PRESIDENT.
In his address among other things.
Mr.. Bryan said:
''rhc character of political banquet
is determined. not by the cause of it.
but by the sentiments which are Mo-
ven into the post-prandial oratory.
1--WE have not one word of hostility
to utter toward those Democrats who
left the Democratic party in 1896: far
he it from MS to criticse any man
whose Judgment or conscience leads
him out of the Democratic party.
when the Republicans met ut st.
Louis some of the Republicans left the
Republican party rather than accept
the platform written out ut st. Louis.
They organized Il distinct party and
they took Il name sufficiently different
from the Republican name so that no
one would mistake the one for the
other
"rhey made Il bold and honest fight
and Republicans who left the party in
1896 have neither gone back, nor,
standing outside, have they attempted
10 write the platform of the party
which they left
"There We're democrats who left us
in 1896. They organized Il distinct
party. They nominated a ticket and
perfected their national organization.
But instead of calling themselves Gold
Democrats, so that they would not he
mistaken for the regular Democrats.
although they didn't expect to carry
a precinct in the United States. they
called themselves National Demo-
Gratis"