The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-14
THE NATAL DAY
OF JEFFERSON.
Democrats Do Honor to
the Party'S Founder.
THEDEMOCRATICCLUB
Of New York, Give the Long Talked
Of Anniversary Dinner.
BELMONT AND VAN WICK SPEAK
The Former Pays an Eloquent Tribute
to the Father Of Democracy.
His First Inaugural the Partys
First Platiorm-Van Wyck
Gives Some Sound
Advice.
THEDEMOCRATlCCLUB
BELMONT AND VAN WICK SPEAK

NEW YORK, April 1s-The dinner OF
the Democratic Club in honor Of the birth
Of Thomas Jefferson was held tonight at
the Metropolitan Opera House. Looking
from the tiers to the floor Of the vast
dining hall the tables seemed Ike great
beds Of roses. The thirty-two tables were
on either side of the guests tables Each
table was piled with mass OF roses and
ferns intertwined. So abundant were the
flowers that some Of the guests were
hardly able TO see each other over the
floral banks. Swans and vases of ala
baster held flowers there were cornuco-
pias or horns of plenty filled with flow
eys and fY0it, and the scene was set o6
with ribbons OF cardinal silk.
MADE ONE ROOM
The floor Of the auditorium was raised
TO a level OF that Of the stage by a tenn
porary floor, making one rectangular room
Of immense size. The tables were set In
rows parallel with Thirty-nnth and For
tieth streets. The guests of honor We're
al two tables set about under the pros
cenium arch and at right angles TO the
other tables The stage was set with
gorgeous palace scenes OF the court Of
Louis XIV. -Four great electric chande-
iiers lighted up the picture.
C03sYaoV09sly placed AZ tne wsSt end
Of the dining hall was this inscription:
Jefferson. 1880.
Democratic Club
This was composed OF incandescent
lights. Ii surrounded a picture OF Thomas
Jefferson.
Tali silver candelabra shades, harmon
f1fter q. ,b, ffo,qT .ffaof v.4ra on al fh..
tables.
The guests began 10 arrive at O'Clock.
but the dinner did not begin for an hour
and a half after that.
WILL GUARDED.
Captain Price, Of the Teuderloin, and
| forty -tMc policemen were IN and around
the building a Gordon Of bicycle police
men surrounded the building. a crank
letter of a Few days ago. in which a
threat was made to blow up the building
during the dinner. seemed TO have made
the policemen unusually yigiant \ num-
Der of detective sergeauts in evening
dress mingled with the guests TO see that
no uni .dden person might enter. There
We're a number OF hremen also on guard
to prevent any danger from fire.
Inside tho building was an army OF
ushers ana attendants These wore drab
uniforms with silver buttons.
ROOM TOR AN{.
There were fully three hundred more
guests than the fifteen hundred planned
tor, but all found seats. This is said to
be the largest number ever accommo-
dated az a banquet in the history Of
this city.
The band struck up Hail 10 the CHIEF
J mt 7.30 o'clock and Richard Croker arm
/ in-arm with John Stanchheld, marched
| down the aisle.
with them were Frederick G. Schraub
Robert b. Roosevelt General J. Catlin
and Amos ]. Cummings.
The service Of the menu was excellent
SSt s0y0o eoNtVsi0N Was caused by some
OF the diners stripping the tables OF
/ flowers and ribbons and throwing them
70 ,he women in the boxes. Mr.. Croker
held lcvce just before tie regular
| speech-making began
TIE confusion was very great. As the
time grew near Tor making the speeches.
! fhc orators were almost discouraged AT
the prospect Of making themselves heard.
Perry Belmont began to speak al 10
| o'clock, and the uprOar was so great
that he could not be heard hundred feet
away. BY degrees more quiet was OBJ
taircd. Mr. Belmcnt said in part:
SPEECH or PERRY RELMONr.
Thomas Jefferson was a party man of
1
crat the world is a debtor for that which
was a novelty in political government
until his own immortal words proclaimed
the doctrine that the right TO life. lib
erty and the pursuit Of happiness' is in
} anenable and 10 secure il governments
/ are instituted. deriving their just powers
! from the consent OF the governed" As a
iaw-giver the Northwestern Ordinance
framed by him is his imperishable record.
II has been. under the Constitution. a
source Of the greatness and power and a
| cbtee peculiarly Of the American Uniou.
| II was formulated in 1854. developed in
! l7s7 greatly perfected after the Mexican
! war for the government Of territories
theoretically under the absolute control
| Of Con/reE yet always in a condition Of
self-government I'm order that they may
fit themselves 20 become American States
I AS a diplOmatist and ski1ful politician the
acquisition Of Louisiana places him be-
yond all present rivalry. TO his great
achievement our country owes the
vast domain west Of the Mississippi now
the seat Of eleven prosperous states. May
our country always have such a President
wbep the wise enlargement Of the ma
tional domain becomes expedient or neces-
saryi
THRIFT AND DRIFT.
A Democratic President controlled by
the teachings OF Jefferson and traditions
OF his party would to-day have a definite
policy perfectly understood by the ma
ton at large. but modern Republlcanism
Is inoppOrtunism-nO one knows whittier
it is going. The opportunst often does
what Is most inODnOrtune. The politician
Influenced by expediency. often does what
is most inexpedient The present Re
publican policy is thrift and drir.
u Is pot easy for history "a separate
| the President OF the United States from
the credit or discredit OF the chief acts
OF an administration So Il Is with JEFF
ferson and the Louisiana purchase: with
Madison and the war OF 1872 with Polk
and the war OF 1sfs; with Lincoln and
the war OF secession; withsGrant and the
| Alabama treaty. So 1t win be with Nc
| Kinlev and the war with Spain. P-aise.
or blame. for what was demanded at
| Paris VIII be his. II thel President has
the benefit Of success he should bear the
burden OF failure.
Jeferson's first inaugural Is our first
| r>s~>o~~Stte clatforro The fundamental