The age-herald., 1899-03-24
"The Lords Supper is to a
 Good Christian AS A JEFFERSON BANQUET Is to a Democrat" Said Mir.
 Bryan. SPEAKING OF BELMONT'S DINNER Details of Col. Bryan's Trip Around
 Mineral District.
MANY ENTHUSIASTIC LABoRERs
 nA
Shook Hands With the Great L. As He Went Through Various Plants - Greatly Impressed
 With the Resources.


 What the Lords supper is to Christian, so a Jefferson banquet is to democrat "For the same reason that a good Christian would revolt at having the ssacrament presided over by an infidel, . for the same reason l would object to being present at a Jefferson banquet presided over by Perry Belmont" | VIM. J. BRYAN in an interview. ' This forceful epigram was uttered yes- terday morning by William Jennings Bryan, while discussing the much talked of banquet which is to be given in New York on April 13, the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, and which is to be presided over by Perry Belmont
 Colonel Bryan's connection with this ban quet has already been fully published in the newspapers. It is banquet being got ten up under Perry Belmonts direction and is to be composed almost entirely of so-called gold democrats, most of whom re- pudiated the Chicago platform in 1896. Sev- eral days ago an invitation was extended Coloney Bryan to be present at this ban quet and discuss the issues of the day from any standpoint he choose.
 Colonel Bryan declined the invitation, writing Mr. Belmont that their views on what constituted democracy were so radi- caly different that he did not feel that the two could sit together at a banquet pur- porting to be given in honor of democracys patron saint.
 MT. Bryan was discussing this matter when he uttered the graphic words with which he Is credited above.
 Belmont's Book of Democracy
 "I see from the papers that MT. Belmont is going to send me book giving his views on various political subjects" con- tinued Colonel Bryan. "When l receive 1t l shall endeavor to point out some differ- enees between MT. Belmont's views and those of Jefferson's. If Belmont is a dem ocrat, then the ideas that I formed of Jei- ferson are very erroneous ones"
 Colonel Bryan announced yesterday that in all probability he would be present in New York on April IS, at a real Jeffer- son banquet, which will be held in that ely at the Crystal Palace. Belmont's dinner is to have a thousand guests, and $10 a plate is the price to be paid for each plate. The real democratic banquet, which will also be given on that night, will have ten thousand democrats present and will cost only dollar a plate; one which Is much more suitable to the means of the average democratic voter
 In this connection Colonel Bryan said that he thought the reasonable priced po- litical banquet, where everybody could at- tend, was much better and accomplished F.; quet, where only comparatively few could afford to attend.
 The Great Leaders Reception
 Birmingham threw open its gates yester- day to welcome William J. Bryan, the great democratic leader. While elaborate program had been arranged for his recep- tion, yet he was greeted on all sides by a spontaneous enthusiasm which showed palmer than anything else could, what a hold Colonel Bryan has on the people of Birmingham. During the morn ing he was taken in a special train around the Birmingham Mineral railroad, and the train stopped the workmen of the various industrial plants crowded around to shake his hand and assure him of their good will
 Colonel Bryan said that he enjoyed his sight seeing trip around the Birmingham district immensely, and that it was great source of pleasure to him to see how loy- ally the people supported him.
 He arrived in Birmingham from Nash vile shortly after o'clock, and was met at the depot by large number of demo- crats who composed the committee ap- pointed to receive him. He was taken inn mediately to the Morris hotel, where break fast was served. In the breakfast party were Colonel Bryan. Judge Wm. Richard son of Huntsville, E. B. Kirkbride, presi- dent of the Bryan club of Mobile; James Pearce. of Marion county; Judge Mobley, of Green county; John Case. of Mobile; John H. Wallace. of Huntsville; Captain W. P. Lay. of Gadsden. and John w. Tom
 
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