The Washington herald., 1908-02-13

a-
New York. Feb I2-The anti-Bryan
dinners Of the National Democratic Club
are not quite so successful from the anti
Bryan point of view as the promoters of
the dinners expected they would be- An
otheS OF the dinners. framed to educate
the Democratic party according 10 the
clubs prospectus, Fas held tonight, but
instead Of Bryan and his doctrines being
condemned, the name Of Bryan was
cheered, and guests OF the club from
the West told the members as bluntly as
possible. without being discourteous TO
leir hosts. that so firmly did ;he West
.ern Democrats believe IN the principles
of Bryan and in the radical OPINIONS Of
President Roosevelt that failing Bryan.
the Democrats Of the West would un-
doubt6dy help to re-elect Mr.. Roosevelt,
should he be re-nominated.
II was ex-Gov Thomas. Of Colorado.
who first laid this idea before the mem
bers of the club. and he WIS supported
in his stand by the mayor Of Denver. who
spoke after him.
OId-fHshioned Democrat.
Il am an old-fashioned Democrat. and
II supported Bryan and I supported his
principles" said Gov. Thomas and al
though he was licked like tine devil in
the two campaigns he wea- through. I
think, after an, that perhaps ne was right
in his ideas about the silver standard and
currency. There is one sure thing. and
that is in times Of stress and panic the
old-fashioned silver dollar looks mighty
good when compared with Christian Sci
enCe money"
This was the only time that Mr. Bryan
name was mentioned during the evening.
but the alIusion made by Gov Thomas
70 Bryan and to his principles brought out
a round of applause Of such volume as to
demonstrate that all the members OF the /
club are not in harmony with the belief
held by the dinner committee that the
only means BY which the Democrats can
carry the State for their party is TO kin
off Bryan.
1t was noticeable also that d. Cady
Harrick. the principal speaker Of the
evening and John b. Stanchfeld both
appealed TO the members Of the club to
support the candidate OF the Democratic
national convention. In opening the
speechmaking Of the evening Judge Van
Wyck attacked the policies of President
Roosevelt.
The President. he declared, was yiolat-
ing the Constitution. for the reason that
he was, endeavoring To rule under the
principle of the one man power. and the
speaker added. Congress was equally at
fault in disobeying the spirit of the Con-
stitution by letting itself be placed in
the position Of merely acquiescing to the
VIII Of the President
DenOunceS the Tariff.
After discussing the tariff as the
mother of trusts. the speaker turned to
Federal UsuTpatOn. saying.
I'VE believe in the distribution Of gov
eernmental powers; confining the Fed
eraI government strictly to matters Of
concern and to relations between the
States: insisting that all other powers
shall be exercised by the States. or by
the people to whom they have been re-
served; Confning the State TO the exer-
else of powers purely of State concern, |
leaving local affairs to be managed by
the ocials and people of each locality.
Mr. Herrick concluded as follows:
Let us not in our anxiety for party
victory attempt to rival and outdo our
adversaries in the policies they are pur-
suing. chsU a course viii lead both parties
TO dangerous extremes; moreover, those
policies lead to special privileges. to the
overthrow Of the balance Of governmental
powers, to Capitalization and the destruc-
ton Of our present constitutional form of
government"
John B Stanchfeld urged tariff reform.
1t was the one ISSUE he asserted. upon
which all classes Of Democrats could
unite and he coEtended that the only way
in which the unrest, financially and indus
trially, that existed to-day, could be done
away with was the determination OF the
high protective tariff
Hhe said that while President Roose-
velt had contributed by his attacks on
corporations, TO the unrest and disturb |
ances to which he alluded. he insisted
that the primary cause of it all was the
high tariff policy. "It is better to have
the people of this country pay an in |
come tax, he concluded than 20 have
continued the high tariff systef of to-
day
Ex-Governor Thomas. OF Colorado
made a great ait with his hearers in |
the Western breezines of his speech |
Among other things he. advocated the
control by the Federal government of |
matters which could not be adequately |