The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-01
BRYAN AND
BELMONT.
The Ticket That Is Being Fixed
Up In New York.
o. III. p. Is an AvOWed Candi-
date For Vice President.
TAMMANY'S SUPPORT
To Be Exchanged For Abandon
ment of Silver.
Opposition to Trusts to Be the
Battle Cry.

New York, May 1.-Oliver H. p. Bel
mont, who entered New York politics
six months ago with a bid for Tam
many nomination for congress. is now a
candidate for the Democratic nominal
tion for vice president in 1900 on a tick
ct to be headed by W. ]. Bryan TIE
political ambition of Mr.. Belmont is OF
the kind that is not easily discouraged
He Is now posing as the confidential
friend and agent of Col. Bryan in the
east, and in that capacity he has OPEN
ed negotiations with Tammany Han
His general plan of harmony in his own
interest is to induce Bryan to drop the
silver issue, and Tammany to support
Bryan for a denomination on plat
form of war on trusts.
This arrangement, if carried out. ac-
cording to Mr.. BeImont's ideas would
include a New York delegation in 1900
pledged to Bryan and Belmont While
the new agent of Col. Bryan is not ta-
ken with great seriousness by many
political leaders in this city, it is rec
Ognized that he can make a lot of trOu-
BILE for Tammany, because of his rela-
tons with the ChIcaSo platform faction
of the Democracy in this state.
1t is understood that Belmont enter
ed politics at the suggestion of his wife.
who was the wife of w. K. Vanderbilt.
and is the mother of the Duchess OF
Marlborough Mrs. Belmont is ambi-
tiOus for her present husband, and in
sists that he can and shall obtain a
the manager and director of the politf-
cal movements of Mr.. Belmont, and.
being woman of tact, energy and abiI-
ity, she may be able to push him to the
front.
Mrs. Belmont has managed with great
tact and skill to maintain high place
in New York society When her daugh-
ter married the Duke of Marlborough
she might have resided abroad and
moved in the best English society, but.
according to report, Mrs Belmont
Ill 1T -
decided that her husband should enter
politics and obtain some high Office. 50
that in time she might enter British
society, not as the American mother
in-law of a duke. but as the wife Of an
American statesman. 1t is because Of
that plan that Oliver Belmont now
aspires to become the running mate OF
Bryan next year.
The BeImonts, it is said, nave great
faith in the power of money in politics.
and they are willing to spend freely in
order to win success Mrs Belmont re-
celVeS an allowance OF S2OO, 600 from
her former huSba nd, and Mr.. Belmont :
income is s16O. 900 a year. With this
money they can play a leading part in
the most expensive social circles Of the
city, and spare something for politics.
Belmont is the owner and nominal edi-
tor of a weekly newspaper called The
Verdict, in which his own peculiar views
in relation to trusts and capital in gen.
eral are exploited at length The paper
is supposed to be a somewhat expensive
luxury, but it serves to keep the mama
of the owner before the public.
While posing as the friend and agent
of Col Bryan. Mr.. Belmont agrees with
Croker that the Democrats should make
opposition to trusts the chief issue in
the next campaign Mr.. Belmont is not
opposed to trusts and capital on general
principles. He admits that there is no
particular harm to the state in the ac-
emulation of wealth, but he insists
that the rich should spend the money
they have and not hoard it, General
and liberal expenditure by those who
have is, according to Mr.. Belmont, the
better plan for the relief of the poor.
and a general division of the fruits OF
labor He would not destroy trusts. but
would compel them to pay higher wages.
and spend more money in every way
open to them on the same principle
he would compel very rich men to spend
all of their incomes in order that they
may not grow richer while their less for
tunate fellow beings are growing poorer.
Mr.. Belmont would carry this theory to
the extent of making its application the
chief issue for the Democrats in the next
national campaign. The silver question.
he asserts, is merely a matter of diff
ference of opinion and should not enter
a national Famn9Ign