The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-04-14
THE NEW YORK BANQUET.
Seven Hundred Democrats Attend the
Jefferson Dinner IT the Waldorf
Astoria.
lRy the Associated Press.l

New York, April 13-Seven hundred
Democrats attended the Jefferson L v,
banquet of the Democratic Club OF
New York at the Waldorf-Astoria to-
night. There were many there of ma
tional reputation and chief among
these was former Judge Alton 3. Par
ker Democratic nominee for President
last November.
In the banquet room portraits OF
Jefferson were conspicuous.
Ia addition to Mr.. Parker the
speakers were United States Senator
Newlands, of Nevada; Mayor McClel-
Ian, of New York; Congressman Hen
ry T. Rainey. of Illinois. and j. j.
Willet, of Alabama. Senator Car
mack, of Tennessee, was the only one
of those expected to speak who could
not attend.
Mr.. Parker was the first speaker
and he was enthusiastically received
Frequently he was interrupted by ap-
plause The speech was on the flu
ture of the Democratic party, and was
replete with suggestions for harmony,
and urgent appeals against sectional
ism Mr.. Parker said in part:
ST do not come here to make ex-
cuses or explanations about the past,
to promote any personal purpose or
ambition for the future, or to further
the ends of any section, faction or
interest. | am moved solely by de-
sire to commune freely with my
countrymen who believe that the
time-honored doctrines of the Demo-
cratic party, as deduced from the
great policies defined by the man
whose birth we here commemorate,
and established by the founders, are
still true, still alive, still worthy of
acceptance and devotion, and still
necessary, if our institutions are to
be maintained in their early vigor.
eve meet after a defeat which was
easy to foresee and predict. 1t was
preceded by division and faction in
our ranks over a period of eight
years and they have done their worst.
1t was emphasized by the use of gov
ernmental powers for partisan pur-
poses, by the reckless and unprece-
dented expenditure of money, and by
demagogic appeals to interests as wide
apart as the poles.
1--WE may, however, recall that this
is not the first time that the party
has been in what seemed hopeless
minority. 1t was SO from 1860 until
1876 when a great wrong, which has
been far-reaching in its effect upon
morals and justice. left it in a minor
ity for another eight years. But, even
when its conditions was least en-
couraging, it was still the same con-
sistent advocate of patriotic and man
ly policies as when it was in the full
plentitude of power during the first
sixty years of the last century.
Surprise is sometimes expressed
that the South has remained solid,
and yet no student, whatever his
prejudices, could over look the fact,
that in politics there is a sense of
gratitude, not for favors expected, but
for unselfish. and commanding SER
vices to humanity. Indeed, nothing
in all the recorded history of man
kind has been more pathetic, more
heroic, more deserving of admiration
and sympathy, than the attitude of
the South since 1866. As fate would
have it. their defeat in war was the
smallest of their woes because it could
neither threaten nor bring dishonor.
But the new contest-with partisan
rancor, with military power, with
theft and robbery, with poverty and
the enforced domination of a race
lately in slavery-forced as it was
without time for recovery and that,