Evening star., 1900-10-18
Analysis Of the Ovation to Bryan in
New York.
STRENGTH OF SOCIALIST ELEMENT
This Force Bryanized Croker and
Other Leaders.
TIES OF BALLOT
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

topolis in the long ago-the Indications still
| increase that it will be discounted If not
exceeded by the reception which will be
rendered Roosevelt when the Rough Rider
returns from his trip through the west. The
fact that Mckinley has been quietly at
tending to his business at Canton and at
Washington and that he has not visited the
metropolis since the campaign opened has
not given the republicans much of an op-
portunity to shout and celebrate. Ii the
weather is good the probabilities are that
Richard Croker's reception to the demo-
cratic leader will be thrown in the shade by
the ovation which will take place when
Roosevelt comes.
1t is a far cry from 1860 to 1904, but II
can be stated positively that already Roose-
velts friends are taking hold of this DEM
onstration with the idea of exhibiting his
popularity in the empire state and demon
strating that he is the man of destiny who
will step into President Mckinley's shoes
four years hence.
Meaning OF Bryan's Reception.
In the interim between the return Of
Roosevelt and, what should not be forgotten
in this connection, the return Of Bryan to
this city 1t is worth while, new that the
smoke has blown away, to enter into calm
analysis of the reception rendered the DEM
ocratic leader and it's vote-making possbl-
tiles. Regarding the enthusiasm and the
crowds which greeted Bryan last night, 1t
is worth while to say that everything de-
pends upon the temperament and the poll
tics of the person making the estimate. All
estimates of last nights crowds must fly
wide of the mark, for the reason that the
men and even the women who attempted
to hear the NebraSkan shifted positions,
and the crowds were scattered all the way
from Madison Square Garden to Cooper
Union, distance of perhaps two miles. 1t
is comparatively easy to estimate the per-
sons who heard him at the various meet
ings. The best estimates make the number
1900 at the Madison Square Garden. 80, 600
at the stand on Madison Square, 1000 at
Tammany Hall and $500 at Cooper Union.
Consequently 1t seems only fair to say
that more than $4,000 people must have
waited for hours for the mere purpose of
listening to the words of the orator, who
did not speak at great length at any of the
meetings. Bryan himself estimates that the
crowd which greeted him at Marison Square
was greater than the crowd which greeted
him at the Bartholdi Hotel after his Mad
ison Square meeting of four years ago.
The Crowds in the Streets.
But when it comes to estimate of the
crowds in tie streets even experts must
disagree Certain it is that tens of thou
sands of persons waited for hours just to
catch sight of the presidential candidate
Whether the majority were moved by any
other motive than curiosity the election re-
turns alone can demonstrate. The fact that
the night was cold and clustering; that a
high wind prevailed which made it necesSa-
ry for one to keep moving to keep warm
should be taken into consideration. Take
it all in all it is probably safe to say that
more than $1,000 people heard Mr.. Bryan
at the four meetings, and that at least 100,-
600 more watched to him drive down
long lines Of red fire as he passed from
meeting to meeting.
And now a word concerning the temper
and the character of the crowds. The re-
publican papers are learnedly discussing
the "Crokerizing of Bryan" AS matter of
fact they have only grasped one-half the
truth and the least dangerous half of the
truth at that. 1t would be more to the
point to deal with the "BryaniZing of Crok-
err. Never has Roman conqueror COM
PEELED more unwilling subject to pay
tribute or to bow and bend before his APP
proach than this man Bryan has bent to his
purposes and to his WILL TO say nothing of
, his fads, his folIies and his foibles-this
man Croker.
How Croker Was Bryanfzed.
Croker, it will be remembered, did not
attend the Chicago convention He was in
England playing at horse racing when Geo
Fred Williams witnessed that so-called
| wonderful outburst of anarchy, socialism
or what not, which resulted in men like
himself and great states like Massachu-
setts going back on the principles and ideas
of a life time. When Croker did return to
this country, the first time, he was disposed
to give Bryan fight. Then came the men,
tion of Bryan's name at Tammany Hall
Fourth of July meeting by Governor Hogg
of Texas and an outburst which almost
equaled the famous demonstration at Chi
cago in favor of the Nebraska man. Next
came the famous Syracuse convention in
which Hill and Croker combined to place
Judge Augustus Van Wyck in the guber-
Material and possibly the presidential chair
Bryan's name was omitted from the reso-
lutions and platform. but an obscure dele
to rrnrl fn hx-r,
to the name of Bryan. This caused another
stampede which almost swept the Syracuse
convention off it's feet, and but for the fact
that the platform was already adopted
would undoubtedly have resulted in compIi-
menting the Nebraska candidate in the
resolutions. These things and the reports
from the district leaders in the lower por-
tions of the city-that If Tammany Hail did
not come out for Bryan that the entire
democratic organization would go over to
the Chicago patform-bag and baggage
undoubtedly caused Croker to open his eyes
wide and wider. Certain it is that when he
came back from Europe the next summer
he reversed his position on bimetallism and
Imperialism and became an out and out
Bryanite. Hills surrender to Bryan was
less graceful.
Not until after the Kansas City conyen-
ton did Hill give up hopes and decide that
the democratic party could not be REFORM
ed, and that his only hope for a political
future was to get on the Bryan ,Dand wag-
on-a combination of all queer things
:
der followed by the surrender of men
like Edward NJ Shepard of Brooklyn who
presided at last nights meeting at the gar
den; ex-Secretary Olney and other political
fry Of lighter weight.
Perry Belmont for Bryan. Too.
Even Perry Belmont. who could not in
| duce Bryan to break salt with him at the
famous dinner proposed by Croker's club
the Democratic Club-persists in supporting
Bryan this year despite the fact that Bryan
insists that he is not democrat. That dol
lar dinner, by the way, was the turning
point in the Organization of Croker. This
dinner was started by an obscure young
lawyer named Brewster. Brewster did not
AXE a good presiding officer at the dinner
and he was quickly dropped by the Bryan
ties and taken UP by the Debs or social
democratic party in this state and made
candidate for attorney general. Even the
Debsites found 1t impossible to get along
with him, and only today he was removed
from his place as the socialist candidate for
attorney general of the state.
Though the dinner and the originator of
| the dinner have passed into Oblivion. Bryan
made 1t serve his purpose. He compelled
the democratic organization in this city to
become Bryanite In appearance If not in
| reality. But If the truth were told, two