Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-03-21
BRYAN AND BELMONT


aud Perry Belmont, president of the
Democratic Club, New York, concern
ing the invitation to attend the Tam
many dinner on JefersoD's birthday,
April Is. In response to the invitation,
Colonel Bryan sent this reply:
'Hon. Perry Belmont
Invitation received. Remembering
that you openly repudiated the demo
cratic platform in the last campaign, l
desire to know before answering invi.
tation, whether you have since the cleo
ton publicly announced your CONVEX
sion to the principles set forth in that
platform.
Signedl "WM. j. BRYAN"
MIR. Belmont's next note was this:
"The invitation extended to you is on
behalf of the Democratic Club. Indi.
vidual opinions have not been consider
ed in issuing the invitations to celebrate
the birthday OF Thomas Jefferson"
Mr.. Bryan's reply follows:
81 might plead previous engagement as a
reason for declining, but that would be
for the engagement; but frsnkness compel!s
me TO add another reason. l appreciate the
compliment which the Democratic Clab pays
me in extending al invitation, but l do not
understand how individual opinions can be
ignored al political gathering. You are the
president of the club, and represent the club
before the public. Your position upon public
questions was well known in 1896, and your
telegram indicates that your position has not
been changed. Ny position upon public
questions is also AS well known. The an
tagonism between our opinions is so great
that we cannot with propriety Join In 20
ltical banquet given in honor OF democracy
patron saint
Jefferson stood for certain wel-defncd
prime pies. ii your views arc correct re-
Election of his ideas l fear that my voice
would sound di5cordant note at your ban.
quet. Ii, on the other hand, the Chicago
platform applies las l beliege it does. Jetfer-
sonian principles to present conditions, then
your conspicuous presence at the Jcfiersonian
banquet would not honor the memory of the
worlds greatest democrat.
DO not misunderstood me. You may he
night, and | may he wrong; but take II for
granted that we are equally conscientious
and | trust that l may not show myself less
courageous than you You proclaimed 10
your fellow. citizens in 1886 that my election
upon democratic platform would endauger
the nations welfare. You will pardon me If
suggest that a banquet presided over by you
will in?ure, rather than aid, the democratic
party. | believe in harmonizing personal
differences, but differences in principle can
not be hs1monizsd, and, in my Judgment, 10
party advantage is TO be derived from politi
l. La. d.
crats, 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 demo-
, cratic principles on election day.
"Yours truly, w. J. BRYAN"
Mr.. Perry Belmont gave out a letter
in New York last night in reply to Mr..
Bryan, in which he says that before
answe ing the ''unwarranted letter" he
had Instituted suit against New
York newspaper account OF an alleged
libel, in which he was characterized as
"a higher priced man than the hoater
who sells his vote for two dollars on
election day." and says MIR. Bryan'a
purpose is equally deiamstory and that
his words forbid the plea that he mis-
used them through ignorance. He
further declares that the Democratic
Club OF NV York has a membership
of nearly three thousand, who oil hold
to the main principles of democracy,
while their opinions may vary in re
gard to such political questions as are
not fundamental, but merely local or
transitory, like many Of the vain con-
ceits he claims Mr.. Bryan has espoused.
But none of these three thousand, MIR.
Belmont claims, is republican. For he
never voted for republican candidate,
either for great or small Office
In further explaining his position MIR.
Belmont says: ION returning from the
Chicago convention | explained my
course in a public address to my con-
stituents and justified my protest on
the ground that legislation aud execu
tive action in enforcing the Chicago
platform would be an assault on wages
and savings, bring or silver monome
talli9m, and impair the obligations OF
contracts. I thereafter contended
wherever l had opportunity that insist
ence by the United States on the coin
ing ratio of 16 to l would be the grave
OF international bimetallismau; that if
Europe opened its minis at 10 IL and
this government persisted in the ratio
of 1G the result would be as in 1854 and
the United States would be left with
only subsidiary currency. 1t is not
practical for re to recall in this letter
the suhstance of what | have written or
spoken during or since the last presi-
Dental campaign in regard to the
Chicago platform and its many phases,
although 60 not in any way recognize
YOUR right to question my democracy"
Mr.. Bryan was the guest of the
Bryan Birthday Anniversary Club
Democratic Association Of Chattanoo-
ga, Tenn, yesterday. A largely at
tended reception was given MIR. Bryan
and Gov. Benton McMilln, OF Tennes-
see, at the Southern Hotel during the
afternoon. In the evening Mr.. Bryan
addressed an audience of 5000 people
at the city auditorium. He discussed
the subjects of the income tax, the
money question, trusts, the standing
army and Imperialism, following lines
similar to those of his recent speeches.
Speaking of Imperialism, MIR. Bryan
said: "Our nation is tempted to depart
from its standard OF morality and
adopt a policy of criminal aggression
But will it yield ? If mistake lot the
sentiment of the American people. they
will spurn the bride of imperialism and
by resisting temptation, win such vic
toro as has not been won since the bat
tie of Yorktown. The forcibe annexa
ton of the Philippine islands is not
necessary to make the United States
world power. For over ten decades
our nation hes been a world power
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