New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
CONFESSION DINNER.
DEMOCRATIC CLUB SCENE.
Speaker Tells Jefferson Gathering
to FOlIovg RooseueIfs Lead.


eeratIe Or Republican orsanizaton, can, within
the next four years. under RoosoVolt's couraQe-
Gus leadership, shsst's greed and cunning. ersd-
lcate gratt and fraud from the public service
Senator Newlands.
u we are 20 deal effectively with these vsrioua
issues whether in O9positon or in power, IL will
De necessary TO have real party. with real fol-
lowers, attached to real and recoorizedI ,-ig,.
ciDles n s 1ot sv,s,,-L tt,-t :. oi,-i99 i . PI
lection OF fads.-Alton 8. Parker
Once holding IS not the only function Of tho
and too much leadership based on that theory
ourselves to-day.-sAayor Mcclellan.
We may as well make up our minds now that
the day OF the boss IN Democratic politics Is
at an end.-JOhn W. Kern, Of Indiana.
We have let the Republicans choose their
positions and issues, and have been content 20
&c a mere party Of oPPosition--J. J. WilIett, os
Alabama.
Confession may be good for the SOUL but IL "a
not an aid TO the digestive apparatus wrestling
with a Jefferson Day dinner. This was exenl-
plified at the Waldcrf-Astoria last night. when
Democrats. under the auspices of the DemOcratic
Club. gathered TO do honor 10 the birthday Of the
great Democrat and hear speakers tell how the
party had degenerated since his day.
From some points Of view the dinner was not
entirely love feast. While there was plenty
Of enthusiasm. and while predictions as to fut-
ure victories were not lacking. there was gem
eral tendency on the part Of the speakers to tell
unpleasant truths. as the excerpts from their
speeches at the TOD Of this column win show.
1t isn't pleasant 70 be told in the language oG
the Bowery that you are "a dead one yet that
was what ]. J. WilIett. Of Alabama; John ".
Kern. of Indiana, and Congressman Henry T.
Rainey told the Democrats. big and little. who
had gathered round the festive board
Neither is il conducive to the peace OF mind
which should follow good dinner and good
cigar to tell boss" that his DAYS are numbered
| if the party is to succeed. There were several
"bosses" of varying degrees Of power whose
shirt fronts emitted sharp cracks Of panied SUR
prise when Mr.. Kern administered his short arm
jolt anent the waning Of the OF the boss
| day. It was hard to believe that the speakers
were in earnest when they unfolded dazzling
| array Of Democratic faults and were able to
display only a few dull virtues. There were
complaints that even these were hidden under
a bushel
NEWLANDSS SUGARED PILL.
A good many cigars went out when Senator
Newlands told Democrats that the best thing
/ they could do was TO support President RoOse-
veIt's policies and follow his lead. The Senator's
speech was one OF the features Of the dinner.
He probably did not intend it, but it was
nevertheless a compliment TO President Roose-
/ velt and for the most part advice to Democrats
/ to walk the path he had cleared. Realizing that
he was giving his patient bitter pill. the Sena-
/ tor put liberal coating Of sugar on its outside
/ by saying that President Roosevelt was follow
| ing Democratic principles. There were spots.
however. where even the sugar failed to pre-
| vent the making OF wry faces-for instance. when
/ the listeners were told that while they prated
Of what they were going to do. President Roose-
| welt did it.
| Even Alton B. Parker while he was practi-
cally the only speaker to attack President Roose-
welt. sounded the funeral note when he intimated
that it might be good idea TO have real party
and real issues for a change.
For the most part. however. he showed that
his defeat still rankled and that rancor still
dwelt within him. He reiterated in a vague way
his campaign Utterances about the use OF money
and governmental influence. and advanced the
common law nursing bottle remedy for the curb
/ ing OF the trusts, which he advocated when he
thought IT would win votes for him With the
indictment of Beef Trust officials staring him in
the face. he tried to show that President Roose-
Welt had done nothing to remedy trust evils.
Mayor Mcclellan. following him. resumed the
sackcloth and ashes note and told his listeners
a whole lot of things they ought not TO have
done.
BULLETINS ON PARKER'S SPEECH
Mr.. Parker made Strong hit with his au-
dience when he prefaced his remarks with ths
statement that he was not present to explain
or apologize for the past or predict the future.
safe" shouted Tim" Hurst the oldtime
baseball umpire. The AstOr gallery was
crowded with members of the club and its
guests. jefferson simplicity sufocated by
the luxury and osteutatioUs display OF the din
ner. The wines. the viands. the flowers and the
details of the dinner were all Of the most lavish
nature.
John Fox president Of the Democratic Club.
presided His brief address was cheered, and
when ex-Judge Parker arose to speak he was
cordially but appTehensively greeted. His
speech, handed out in manuscript. dealing with
the United States Constitution covered four full
columns and the mathematicians figured il
would take about one hour and three-quarters
10 deliver it, He started out at steady gait.
and as he progressed bulletins were issued. He
started at $50 o'clock. The first bulletin came
as follows:
that the Board of Estimate meeting next Tuesday
be postponed until later date His release froml
10.Sl-August Belmont has ordered expresses 20
run in subway all night. So belated guests may SET
lo:sO-John H OBrien and Thomas Hassett.
Mayor MeClellans aids, ere sptting eotlie or
tween es n PrtaRds9 '''e
lO:4O-EsS-Judse Hcrriek has postponed a meetng
select him State leader
Later bulletins came fast but were befogged
by cigar smoke and champagne.
Ex-Mayor Van Wyck who TO have acted
as postmaster. and who was the moving spirit
OF the dinner. sat at the guests table,
The Tammany men present privately ex-
pressed the opinion that ex-Judge Parker was
not received as enthusiastically as they had
hoped for, Everybody rose to cheer the Mayor.
nd