The Democratic advocate., 1897-05-08
ANSWERED.
William jennings Bryan Replies
to Ex-President Cleveland.

William Jennings Bryan fSepiles
to Ex-President Cleveland.
REGULAR DBMOCRAGY'S POSITION.
AT the Reform Club banquet IN New York,
ex-President Cleveland and ley otns[
nro,ninent members of the National 5oid1
De,nocraev. fred the opening gun OF the
eamnaiga for 1900 by declaring their lnlen-
t;on az maintaining their organization Wit-
liam Jennings Bryan, the candidate q the
q 500 600 regular Democrats OF the now me-
,oorabIe 1896 campaign, replies IN spirited
oneusletter Here are both sides
TX President Cleveland None can Tor,
oefthe doubt and fear Of that Doistefoas anu
nass;oaafe campaign. when the fate o. tne
i,a.a, seemed Is the balance The danger
III tba situation arose from the hasty impulse
~ those whose naisfortunes had been cruelty
Waved unon. and from the enthusiasm of IN
questioning, thoughtless party ieaity. ne
daIiveranee came through the action OF those
Win saw The trick. and loved the principles
az their marty too well to follow its stolen ban
ners in an attack upon those national sais-
guards, which party, as wen as paafioeislnf
should at all times defend.
Answered DIV Wltltdui VCit1AtsFT7
..Mr, Cleveland asserts that when the fate Of
the nation seemed in the balance, deliyerance
came through the bolting Democrats. Does
bo mean through those Democrats who voted
directly for Mr. Mckinley. or through those
Who voted for the indianapolis ueket9 Inc
leaders among the gold Democrats clam to
have voted for Palmer and Buckner Ger
taiplv this did not entitle them TO pose as
saviors OF their country. They knew that the
contest would be close, even Mr.. cleveland
refers to the campaign as one oi donne anu
fear Was it patriotic for gold democrats 70
tbrav their votes away upon ticket wmch
had no chance when their support might have
decided the contest? There IS q ionch q
hnn,ar IN the boisterous intentions OF those
,,ho dnring the contest, watched the strug-
,.le from afar and after the battle was over
Claimed all credit for the victory.
Fx-president Cleveland "Ihe party,
nlacad n mower as the result Of splendid
Democratic patriotism, has failed % meet me
obligationsof the people trust. LIS distinct
campaign declaration thatls was hhfeset'eul
Il II favor of sound money, the character ana
controlling effectiveness OF the suppofs =
Gained on the faith of that deelaraflon' the
,,,;yarsaI concession that the conflict OF imam
cial theories constituted the issue which was
,,assed mon bv the suffrages of the people,
and the country's pressing eXlgencies anu
,,sa5s ali demanded prompt and sufficient
actiop by the party entrusted with power, N
a. oftorf 10 place our nations finances, ad,
;usted 10 every popular need, upon a safe ana
snre basis approved by the business Judginel,t
oftbe land and secure from successful attack
because defended by majority OF the thought-
fully honest men Of all parties. -
.iInstead. however, OF addressing theih
4,.tr fLa taanaonTS ana repre-
sentatives Of this victorious party, these pro-
4assad champions of sound finance, have; pc,
foro the eyes of an expeetant people, returned
Z, L1,t haste to their wallowing in the mire OF
a..t,.a..a nrotecfion, offending millions OF
,,ofarz ~ their exhibition Of party bad
faitb and disgusting millions mere BY their
unconcealed determination 70 repay pa part1isilii
snpport from the proceeds OF increased p'I
dens Of taxation placed upon those already
overladen. Those who believe thal CRISIS
i II hand can hardly fail to see that the party
,,o1sa. i so Joined to IFS idol OF mad pro
teotion and IS SO completely doomed to pop
Ear condemnation, that it is a useless instFl.
ment Of defence against the impending peru.
Answered by William Jennings Bryan
slProbabIy the most unexpected thing IN
,ha a5slress vas b;s reference to the RepuDll-
can Administration. He boPFows emphasis
from, = seriptural text and accuses the Kepue-
licans Of returning in hot haste TO fhetf vat
lowing in the mire of extreme proteen0h-
This is an unfair criticism, because. the ne
pubieaBs have never shown any alspositlo'i
to abandon extreme protectlon.
liNr Mckinley won political tame as the
anosfIe If 4 high tariff, and during the late
camnaion reiterated his devotion to TINS poll-
~ Those Democrats who voted Tor MI
Mckinley voted with their eyes open TO tarlh
possibilities.
Weather have those Democrats reason to
,emnlain of Mckinley S attitude on the money
question. To be sure, the President has sent
an argosy abroad in search, not OF a golden
fleece but of an object equally elusive, name
IL. an international agreement for the festoi-
alton Of bimetallism, but in so DONG ne IS
only carrying out pledge contained N MS
platform. no = nos.
session of guarantees not given to the pubhc
generally, or expected the Presidentto aoan,
doa his platform. they ought to be satlshed
with his financial policy. He promised TO
maintain the gold standard until relief comes
from abroad. and he is doingit in spite OF the
continued distress caused by such policy,
'tThe Democrats who supported the CnI-
eaoo platform can consistently condemn botn
the tariff policy and the financial pohcy OF tne
Administration, bat those who supported M.
Mckinley are only receiving what they had
right to expect.
ilNr. Cleveland accuses the Republicans
of a determination TO repay partisan support
from the proceeds of increased burdens OF
taxation placed upon those already over
ssHe knew that the Republicans had col
leeted a campaign fund larger than ever be-
fore known in American politics. Did It ever
occur to him that the contributors would ex-
pect repayment through legislation friendly 10
their interests Has not the Dlngley blII peen
drawn exactly upon the plan OF the MCKINLEY
hiIl2 II may differ in its schedules, but 1t
does not differ in its general plan and prepa-
ration. But if those Democrats who sup
ported Mr.. Mckinley have no reason to eritl-
else his course. what shall we say OF those
Democrats who supported the Indianapolis
tisket? What claim have they to eonsldera-
tion al the hands of the President
President Cleveland in the mean.
time the allied forces of calamity, encouraged
by these malign conditions, are still active
and aggressive. They confidently speak OF
the encounter in which they failed OF success
as only the first battle, and gladly hail every
nntoward incident and every added pretext
flr passion and resentment as new and vel
come allies in the continuance OF their cru
aade.
ssThey are willingly wicked and stupid who
believe that disaster waits upon that ascen-
dancv of those forces, and yet turn away from
the plain evidence of their dangerous strength.
Let us be honest with each other and with
ourselves. If there are many among us who,
though not actually and actively enlisted in
the cause of free silver and its accompanying
yagariss. can look with complacency upon
their growth and triumph, or if there are any
who, not fearing individual loss, are needless
Of the honor and glory Of their country, or i
there are those whose childlike and simple
faith in their country's resources, blinds them
to all public danger, inaction and neglect on
their part may be accounted for ifnot excused,
but nothing can explain or excuse inaction on
the part of those who can make no compro-
mise with the advocates of unsound money or
who love their country honor more than self
advantage, or who are convinced that an un
stable and unsafe currency inyitably bodies
the greatest depth of loss and misfortune to
all the people of the land. These should not
delude themselves. The peril they dread is
directly impending"
Answered by William Jennings Bryan
.sThe important part of Mr.. Cleveland's ad-
dress, however, is found in his declaration of