Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-31
VAST THRONG
GREE7SBRY YAM
AT BANQUET
FIFTEEN THOUSAND HEAR THE
GREAT C0MMONER
TWO THOUSAND HAVE SEATS AT
TABLE
Democratic Leader Sees No Chance
for Reform from Republicans. but
Believes Jeffersonian Prin-
cipIes Will Win
BY Associated Press.


KANSAS CITY, March 30.-Demo-
Gratis from all parts of Missouri, to the
number of 2000, attended a banquet in
Convention hall in this city tonight
under the auspices of the Young Mems
Democratic club of Missouri at which
William Jennings Bryan and Judson
Harmon were the guests of honor and
principal speakers, and the recipients
of repeated ovations from the $4,000
persons who thronged the great hall.
Each banquetter paid 81 for the priv
ilege of attending, even the distin-
guished guests insisting upon the Demo-
cratic prerogative of paying for their
plates. and the affair was probably the
most elaborate political feast ever at
tempted in the state.
Democratic clubs in st. Louis, ST.
Joseph and other cities of the state
sent representative delegations to the
dinner Among the guests were four
former governors of Missouri-T. T.
Crittenden, David r. Francis, William
j. Stone and Alexander M. Dockery-
together with the present governor,
Joseph w. Folk. All of the candidates
for state offices were present.
The meeting was essentially a Bryan
affair, spontaneous enthusiasm mark
ing every mention of his candidacy for
the presidency. The reception accorded
Mr. Harmon was no less cordial, and
suggestions promising him high honors
from the party were enthusiastically re-
ceiVed.
Begins 1908 Campaign
Mr. Bryans opening statement, that
1--WE have met to begin the campaign
of 1903 and to present those principles
and policies which ought to appeal to
Republicans as we'll as to traditional
Democrats" was the keynote of his
speech and showed the important sig
nificance he and his followers attached
to the meeting tonight.
A feature of Bryan's speech was his
approval of Senator LaFollette as the
Republican candidate for president.
He said:
IF the president had picked out Sem
ator Lafollette. a real reformer; if the
Republican party had rallied to Sena-
ator LaFollettes support, it could haze
compelled the confidence of reform Re-
publicans. Senator LaFollette has q
record as a reformer; he has fought
corporate domination in his own state
for a decade"
The speaker said that without the
support of the administration Secretary
Taft would have scarcely a state in the
convention, and with the presidents
support he is having an uphill fight.
Mr.. Bryan said that Taft may be the
test man the president could find
among his cabinet officers, but that
Secretary Taft's superiority over his
colleagues is due not to his positive
views but to the fact that none of the
rest of them has any reform tendencies
whatever.
Roosevelt Sentiment Strong
Mr.. Bryan said the Roosevelt senti-
rnent is strong in the Mississippi and
Missouri valleys, and argued that the
Democratic ticket is entitled to the
support of this sentiment in the coming
campaign.
Mr.. Bryan spoke as follows:
''In this great city. on the boundary
line between Missouri. with her rock
ribbed Democracy, and the west which.
Until 1896, was counted as Republican
territory, we have met to begin the
campaign of 1908 and to present those
principles and policies which ought to
appeal to progressive Republicans as
well as to traditional Democrats.
"It is only a recognition of fact
which is becoming clear to all, to say
that there is a Democratic element in
the Republican party to which a sue
cessful appeal can be made. | might
Give several evidences of this fact. In
the first place, what is known as the
Roosevelt sentiment, is strong In the
valleys of the Mississippi and Missouri;
and the Roosevelt sentiment is not so
much attached to a person as devotion
tc an idea with which the person has
identified himself.
Need of Remedy
"And what is this idea? 1t is the idea
that conditions are not what they should
he. Before a remedy can be applied
the need of :; remedy must be ad-
n.itted.
For years the Democratic party has
been pointing out the abuses which
have been growing under the Republi
can rule, but those abuses have been
denied by Republican leaders and the
country has been congratulated upon
the possession of everything essential
to its welfare.
Republican platforms have been full
OF fulsome eulogy of the Republican
PARTY and barren of promises of reform.
Even the platform of 1904, upon which
President Roosevelt was elected, was
silent in regard to government evils
and gave no hope of relief.
ITO the surprise of Democrats and to
the surprise of Republicans as well the
president began to recommend RENE
dial Legislation, taking as his guide the
platform declarations of the Demo-
cratic party. He did not follow in the
footsteps of Democracy out of any de-
sire to compliment the Democrats or
to encourage them, but simply because
the Democrats had pre-empted all the
ground in front and he could NOT so
forward without trespassing upon their
land. 1t is not strange that his sug-
gestions were hailed with delight by
Democrats and met with indignation
by Republicans.
President Not Democrat
ssn,l,n r,,.ocidenf is NOT a Demncraf-