Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-03-25

Bryan, on Monday, gave out to the
press the correspondence with refer
ence to the recent invitation sent
him by the New York Democratic
club. The correspondence is as fol-
lows:
"CHAMpAIGN, ILL.,, March 16, 1899.
"Hon. Perry Belmont, President,
Democratic Club, New York:
DEAR SIR received a few days
ago the following telegram
"tNEw YORK, March 9.-Hon. VIM.
J. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb.-In arranging
the toasts and responses at the banquet
of the Democratic Club of Jefferson g
birthday, April 13, the committee are
most desirous, if your engagements
will permit your attendance, to have
you select such subject as you prefer
to discuss, in your own way, within the
limit required for all speeches-2O
minutes. Please wire reply.
"PERRY BELMONT, President,
ORCHARD CROKER, Chairman
upon my return to Nebraska, l
sent the following inquiry:
"Hon. Perry Belmont,
Democratic Club, New York:
"'Invitation received. Remember
ing that you openly repudiated the
Democratic platform in the last cam
paign, desire to know before answer
ing your invitation, whether you have,
since the election, publicly announced
your conversion to the principles set
forth in that platform.
"'WM. JENNINGS BRYAN
"'I have just received your reply.
The invitation extended to you is on
behalf of the Democratic Club. Indi-
vidual opinions have not been con-
sidered in issuing the invitations to
celebrate the birthday of Thomas
jefferson. "'PERRY BELMONT
II might plead a previous engage
ment as a reason for declining but that
would be equivalent to saying that 1
would come but for the engagement,
but fraukness compels me to add an.
other reason. I appreciate the com
pliment which the Democratic Club
pays me in extending an invitation ;
but 1 do not understand how indivi-
dual opinion can be ignored at politi-
cal gathering. You are the president
of the club, and represent the club be-
fore the public. Your position upon
public questions was well known in
1896 aud your telegram indicates that
your position has not been changed.
My position upon public questions is
also we'll known. The antagonism be-
tween our opinions is so great that we
canuot with propriety join in apolitical
banquet given in honor of Democracy g
patron saint.
Jefferson stood for certain well de-
fined principles. If your views are a
correct reflection of his ideas, fear
that my voice would sound u discord-
ant note at your banquet.
IF, on the other hand, the Chicago
platform applies (as I believe it does)
Jeffersonian principles to present con-
ditions, then your CONSPICUOUS presence
at the Jeffersonian banquet would not
honor the memory of the worlds
greatest Democrat.
"Do not misunderstood me. You
may be right and may be wrong; hut
l take it for granted that we are equal
ly conscientious, and 1 trust that l may
not show myself less courageous than
you. You proclaimed to your fellow
citizens in 1896 that my election upon
Democratic platform would endanger
the nations welfare; you will pardon
me if I suggest that banquet, pre-
sided over by you, will injure rather
than aid the Democratic party. be-
lleve in harmonizing personal differ
ences; but differences in principle can
not be harmonized, and, in my judg-
ment, no party advantages are to be de-
rived from political communion be-
tween Jefferson Democrats who stand
upon the Chicago platform and the
Republican allies who masquerade as
Democrats between campaigns in order
to give more potency to their betrayal
of Democratic principles on election
day. "Yours truly,
"WM. ]. BRYAN"
After the above was made public
Mr.. Belmont, on Monday night, gave
out the following as his reply to Mr..
Bryan's last letter:
"DEAR SIR have just received
your letter of the 18th, in which you
describe those who declared in 1896
that your election to the presidency on
the Chicago platform would endanger
the nations welfare as 'the Republi-
can allies who masquerade as Demo
Gratis between campaigns in order to
give more potency to their betrayal OF
Democratic principles on election
day."
Mr.. Belmont then goes on to say
that before answering "the unwarrant-
ed letter." he had instituted a suit
against New York newspaper on ac-
count of an alleged libel in which he
was characterized as "higher-priced
man than the foater who sells his vote
for 50 on election day." and continues /: