The independent., 1904-01-21
the BRYAN BANQUET
Home Coming Of Great NsbraskAn Csls-
bratsd by Biggest Banques Ever
Held In Linooln

BANQUET in honor OF MIR. BryanS nome
coming was given at the Lindell hotel,
Lincoln, Monday night. More than
100 persons were assembled, largely
from other towns and cities within
the state, and a number from Colo
rado, South Dakota, and Iowa.
The usual banquet routine need not
be described here, except to say that
the Lindell management was taxed to
the utmost to care for the more than
700 guests, but everything passed on
as smoothly as one could wish, con-
sidering the immense jam in lobby and
aIning ROOM The toast list was as
follows:
eve Have Kept the Faith" w. II.
Thompson, Grand Island.
"Principles, Not Men," W. D. Old
ham, Kearney.
"Just Democrats-That's ALL" HI.
B. Fleharty, South Omaha.
"Signs of the Times" A. G. Shallen-
berger, Alma.
Fusion, Good and Bad" C. J.
Smyth, Omaha.
'The Salt of the Eearth," G. w.
Berge, Lincoln.
James Manahan, of Lincoln, presid-
ed as toastmaster, having for his SYM
boil of authority real old Irish black
thorn presented him by Mr.. Bryan. 1t
is needless to tell those who know
Manahan, that he makes an ideal
toastmaster-his Irish wit keeping ev
cry guest in the greatest OF good
humor.
To a populist onlooker one OF the
encouraging signs of this banquet was
the firm grasp several OF the speakers
showed regarding the real issues and
the real mission of the democratic
party. At the great majority of ban
quets, responses to the toasts are u.s.
ually mere conjuring with the party
name and an attempt to be witty; but
w. I'll. Thompson, A. G. Shallenberger,
c. j. Smyth and Mr.. Bryan, especially
in their responses showed a realiza-
tion of the fact that the real issue is
between the big fellows and the little
ones, between the plutocrats and the
producers that there is no room foI
two plutocratic parties: and that thar
mony'' between plutocrats and the
great common people cannot honestly
be brought about.
Mr.. Smyth responding to the toast
Fusion. Good and Bad,' withou
mentioning names ,adverting to the re
cent action of the Jacksonian club a
Omaha in taking back the members
expelled in 1896 and apologizing there
fore, quoted from the resolution
passed by the club in which it wa
asserted that "a wave OF fusion swep
over this nation and especially in Ne
braska, which caused the democrati
party to tremble for the ultimate re
suit. IF true" said Mr.. Smyth
was this good or bad fusion? Let u
see." And he recounted the fusio
brought about by Cleveland in lS9
between Cleveland and Clevelandite
and Hanna and Hannaites'' that work
ed the undoing of the democratic par
ty, concluding this fusion was 5a(
very bad"
Casting $4,000 votes for Cleveland i
1883, the democratic party in Nebras
ka had dwindled down to $4,000 vote
in 1893, because of the blighting iT
fluenee of the stuffed prophet. but
said Mr. Smyth, "behold the party
1896, after it had thrown off the col
poration element. 1t had risen frol
insignifieance to great power and ha
taken on the stature of a man, mob
and commanding. 1t now became
guiding influence in the deliberatior
OF the national organization. Afts
that men anxiously listened to kno
what Nebraska democrats tLougl
upon this question or upon that W
ceased to follow and commenced
lead. The world learned where NJ
braska was and from time 10 time 1
eye was centered upon II, and toda
the action OF the party In no state
watched with more interest than Il
action of our party here. The fusic
which brought this about was ECO
II may be that II IN at an end becau
impraetlcsble. but no man who co
trlbuted to It's creation and assisted
"a maintenance can feel aught but
sense of pride that he was permit,
Co do SO"
The abstract uf Mr. Bryans spec
on the Moral Issue" given Ia d
press does not do Justice to the spec
as actually delivered The room crow
-. A.