Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-03
DEMOCRATS BANQUET
BRYAN AND STEVENSON SPEAK
AT DES MONIES.
Latter Gives the Hearst Presidential
Boom Boost-Bryan's Toast
Was Democracy"

A dispatch from Des Moines, Iowa, last
night says Three hundred democrats at
tended the Jeffersonian banquet here to-
| night, and the demand for tickets could not
be met. The attendance was representative
| of the democratic party throughout the
| state. The principal speakers were William
| ]. Bryan and former Vice President Adla
| E. Stevenson. William Randolph Hearst OF
| New York, who had been announced as a
| speaker, sent letter in which he urged
! continued devotion by democrats to the po-
| litical principles OF Jefferson. Mr.. Steven
| son gave his views to the proper policy
for the democratic party in the coming
presidential campaign.
Former Vice President Stevenson, who
was regarded as representative Of the
thermometers" at the Jeffersonian banquet
tonight, closed his address with reference to
W. r. Hearst, which was taken by many
who heard it as an Endorsement of the
New York mans boom for the democratic
presidential nomination.
Responding to the toast Democracy"
Mr.. Bryan spoke, In part, as follows:
while this banquet has not been adver-
tised harmony banquet it is much
more in the interest of harmony than high
priced banquets, which are held for the pur-
pose of securing a select audience for the
men who have not recently appeared on the
stump in behalf of the democratic party.
by seeking for it; it comes as the reward
Of right doing. Harmony is a thing to be
felt, not a thing to be talked about. The
mere mention of harmony suggests differ
ences that need reconciliation, and the vo-
ciferous talk about harmony among those
who disturbed it, left the party and lent
their influence to the enemy, naturally re-
calas the issues that created the disturb
ance and naturally suggests the inquiry
whether the prodigals have repented or de-
mand repentance Of the party.
THE difference which existed on the mon
ey question still exists, for while the re-
publcans are boasting that the money ques-
ton is settled, money is tight in the great
financial centers, and the financiers of this
country are resorting to extraordinary
methods to get enough money into circula-
ton to carry on business.
"On the trust question the same line of
cleavage appears The men who threatened
panic if silver was restored, now threaten
panic if the trusts are disturbed; and the
trust magnates are casting about for a
democratic candidate so much like a repub-
lican that the trusts can rest easy, no mat
ter which candidate is elected.
REORGANIZATION means retreat and re-
treat means decentralization and disaster.
From the low standpoint of eXpedience re-
treat could not be justified. The party
polled nearly 100000 more votes in sup
port OF the Chicago and Kansas City plat
forms than were polled by Mr.. Cleveland
even before his political crimes were ex-
posed.
What would be the result today if the
standard were put in the hands of men
known to be unfaithful to democratic prin-
ctples, or even in the hands of those that
are known to be faithful? But there is a
sordddness about the arguments made by
the reorganizers which ought to disgust
any well-meaning or high-minded citizen. 1t
Is really insulting to Il man to intimate that
he thinks 1t is more important that we get
control of the administration than that we
administer power in accordance with demo-
cratic principles and in the interest Of the
people at large.
ITO say that a right principle must be
dropped because the party has suffered de-
feat In support of the principle is as ridicu-
lous as 1t is cowardy. The democratic
party has been defeated more often on the
tariff issue than any other issue, and vet
that Is the issue that the reorganizers
would make the paramount one The trust
question was an issue both in 1896 and in
300, and there is as much reason for de-
c4aring that the elections INDICATED private
monopolies as to say. that they INDICATED
the gold standard. In 1900 the trust uues-
ton was more discussed than the money
question, and yet the people who want to
drop the money question pretend to feel an
interest IN the trust question. Imperialism
was the paramount issue in 1900, and over
Swallowed all others, and yet those who are
opposed to imperialism would not be willing
to drop that issue"