The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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189' but insisted that the recognition of their rights need not and does not justify them in resisting or resenting the equal rights of other men who may prefer independently to contract for their Own labor on their own terms. Nothing which My, Beck said made against the legal rights of union- ism, but something which he said did favor the legal rights of workingmen who prefer to be inde- pendent of organizations. Mr. Bryan was there, and he added to his pre- pared speech an impromptu outbreak against things which Mr. Beck did not say, but which Mr. Bryan misunderstood. ' , , We have no criticism-though others may have -to make of Mr. Theodore M, Banta for inviting Mr. Bryan to speak at the dinner .... 'T Mr, Banta has done a public service which he possibly did not intend .... A f The Boston H emld also quotes the latter part of the Eagle's opinion as valuable. The Philadelphia Press gives nearly' two col- umns to the report and comments of its regular correspondent, with head-lines and extracts as follow : Bryan's Reception Not Enthusiastic-New Yorkers Studied Him Closely at the Banquet- of the Holland Society, but were Disappointed- First Appearance before Representative Men -Society Represents Best and Most Iniiu- ential Class in' New York, but They do NO'U Find Bryan a Deeply Intellectual Man--M12 Beck's Masterly Address in Startling Contrast

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191 a OVG13 8, majority of these citiz ' their own fortune. They liailes ildiggrjtgdeihi Dutch power of thrift, caution combined with courage, and to their inspiration we of New York City to-day owe much of what is best in it Colonel Bryan must have observed that there was no .pressure to meet him, that men did not gather impetuously around him, and that there were none of those .formal tributes to leadership and authority of which he has had so many when appearing publicly and in a political relation. In fact, the President of the Society, Mr. Banta seemed .called upon to urge, one or another of the more distinguished members of this Society to come and be presented to Colonel Bryan. Of all that were present, a majority probably did not meet him personally, and there may have been, in fact, no purpose on thepart of the trustees of the Society that there should be anything , like a reception. C l With no little cunning, those who arranged the programme for this feast placed Colonel Bryan's name at the end of the list of speakers, thereby making it certain that not any would leave the banquet hall, no matter how prolix those who preceded him in responding to toasts were, until the end .... , Mr. Beck's address was brief, but was, in a cer- tain indefmable but yet very impressive distinc- tion, probably the best that he has made since he retired from the office of Assistant Attorney+Gen- eral at Washington and came to New York to practise law. i e . judge Van Wyck, once the Democracy's candi- date for Governor, was so charmed by it, perhaps more by the manner, the elocution, the rhetoric, than by the thought, although' that pleased the Judge greatly, that he spoke with enthusiasm of the address afterward. It seemed to be the fine flower of cultivated eloquence, and the Dutch and ' if .Et 1' D . 1 U .VJ iff , ,X ' J . -D-nf3 inxl 'wx -.wa F M