New-York tribune., 1901-01-30
IBF TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE. I

branches of Congress became excited over the
forthcoming dollar dinner at Columbus on
Fsbruary H. which is Lincoln's Birthday Mr.
1entz brings the news that the dinner is to be
the biggest affair Of recent times and that n is
~ be given under the auspices Of the Jefferson
Iackson-Lincoln League. of which he is presi-
5ent Mr. Lentz lives in one of the few normally
safe Democratic districts in Ohio and is now
serving his second and probably last term in
Congress He was caught in the catacIysm that
hit Organism last November, and il was thought
that he crushed and mangled as badly as
the peerless himself, but It appears that he
has vitality enough not only TO organize this
wonderful new league. but also to have himself
elected president Of it. BY virtue of this office
Ientz will preside at the dollar dinner and in
troduce the speakers of the evening of whom
Il goes without saying, there will be almost as
many as there are guests. 1t was Mr.. Lentz's
original intention to limit the number OF guests
10 one thousand, but so great has been the de-
rrand for tickets-price 81 each, payable in ad-
vance-that he has raised the limit to sixteen
hundred. In view Of the fact that to the Demo-
Yop mind there is a strange and weird magic in
the number 16, Mr.. Lentz positively refuses TO
enlarge his list OF dollar banqueters by the ad-
a,tion Of another name though he has been sub
iected TO tremendous pressure TO do so since his
return to Washington.
LENTZS LEAGUE AND ITS CREED,
What the membership of the Jefferson Jack
son-Lincoln League is President Lentz declines
10 say. Nor will he enlighten the anxious in
ouirer as to what portions OF the earth the
league has spread over during the few months
Of its existence. When asked about these and
other details he merely hands 10 the searcher
after information the official literature OF the
organization. which is decorated with the coun-
Of Taffa
lincoln under each Of which. in the order given.
are these ennobling words: Equality Hon
esty" Liberty" Beneath the whole, printed in
red ink, are these somewhat involved sentences.
which probably constitute the motto Of the
league:
Truth loses battles. but wins wars. Truth lost
a battle at Bunker Hill, but won a war at York
town.
II is believed that the foregoing sentences
were composed by no less a parsonage than Mr..
Lentz himself. though his native modesty pre-
vents him from proclaiming his right TO the
tmperishable credit of their authorship.
The objects and character OF the league are
set forth in these terse but ringing sentences,
which il is declared. could not have been writ
ten by anybody but the Hon John Jacob Lentz:
The only creed required by this league is
faith in the American principles or equality.
honesty and liberty, as exemplified in the life
work and public services Of Jefferson, Jackson
and Lincoln
The only Initiation fee required by this league
is good character and good citizenship
The only dues required by this league is 81
semi-annually, in advance.
Why dues are collected twice a year is not
known, unless II be that after a while It is the
intention Of the league TO give a couple Of dollar
dinners a year instead of one. so that 1t may
celebrate the birthday OF Bryan, well as that
of Lincoln.
TT makes no difference what this is for"
said President Lentz to-day, when asked about
it. Suffice il to know that the Republicans
from Mark Hanna and Mckinley down. are aw
fully scared by the organization OF this league
and are particularly worked up over the fact
that our first great dinner is in celebration Of
Abraham Lincoln's birthday"
ALL THIS FOR ONE DOLLAR
With boundIess pride in achievement and ex-
pectancy President Lentz then gave list Of the
principal speakers at the forthcoming dinner.
together with the subjects TO which they Will
address themselves. follows:
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN. Of Nebraska-''Jerer-
GEORGE FRED WILLIAMS. Of Massachusetts. JOHN
- -3,A p ALrGELD; Of nlnOs-'JaoksOn.'
son ana Lincoln"
RICHARD FRANKLIN PETTIGREw. OF South Dakota
Aepresentative DAVID A. DE AFaMoHD. of Missouri
Box and Not BY the AIusket.''-(Jackson
This whole feast Of oratory will be topped by
poem 10 be written and read by DR.. Howard
S. Taylor, OF Chicago who. by selection Of Will
lam Jennings Bryan and appointment of Chair
man James K. Jones, is the poet laureate of the
Democratic National Committee. It is hinted
that the poet laureate will increase the leagues
trinity TO a quartet by adding thereto in stirring
verse the name Of Bryan.
THE WEST TO RULE DEMOCRACY.
It is the general belief in Washington that the
purpose OF Mr.. Lentz's league which Will be
developed at the Columbus dollar dinner is two
fold. First, il IS TO launch the Bryan Presi-
Dental boom for 1904, and, second, TO reorganize
the Democratic party in harmony with the
character, views and records Of the principal
speakers at the dinner. 1t will be observed that
the name Of only one Easterner-George Fred
Williams, Of Massachusetts, on the list of
orators, and his name is underWritten by that
Of John p. Altgeld. OF illinois, as sort OF under
study. While Towne and Pettigrew have been
loud shouters IN the Popocratic band wagon for
four years, they have never heretofore attended
function that was strictly under the manage
ment OF Bryan Democrats. The inference, there
lore is that their speeches at Columbus on
February II will formally proclaim the demise
OF Western Popocracy and the transmgration
OF its soul 10 the Bryan Democracy. This, then
VIII thoroughly Westernize the Democracy and
strengthen the hold OF the Bryanites on the
party organization. The East will be left en-
drely out, and even the South will not have so
conspicuous a position in the reorganized
democracy IL has maintained through the
mutations Of the party in recent years.
Why Senator James *. Jones, Of Arkansas,
aho Representative James ID. Richardson, OF
Tennessee. the titular leaders OF the Democracy