The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-11
Takes Issue With New York Leader
as to Party Policy.
A REPRESENTATIVE CONVENTION
The Chicago Gathering Had a Right
to Define Democracy Because the
Rank and File Had More
Voice Than Ever Before.

new 4 OIk, Dut MT. Bryan ignores tnat
matter and devotes his attention TO the
differences existing between himself and
Mr.. Belmont on questions OF Democratic
party policy. His letter, in part, follows:
Lincoln. Neb.. April .. 1899.
Hon. Perry Belmont. New York:
Dear Sir.-Upon my return TO Lincoln
l found your letter containing the origi-
nal letter and postscript given TO the
press some days before. / cannot nnd
anything in my letter 10 which you can
consistently object
"You began your speech in Madison
Square Garden on August ., 1896. by say
ing IL was time Tor plain speaking, ana
proceeded TO accuse the Chicago conven-
ton of a betrayal OF the Democratic
party. In your Brooklyn speech on Sep
tember 10. 1886. you spoke Of the Chicago
platform as the strange doctrines. born
in Chicago OF a coalition between the un-
thinking element OF the old party and the
Socialists who masquerade as Popullsis.
1t seems that In using the words be
trayal and Incorporating ] uncOnsc. Gus
~ fell into the style which you employed
in 1895. but did not reflect upon the in
telligence OF the gold standard advocates
by characterizing them as an minimizing
clement
You ask. first. that point out wherein
your utterances are 'unpatriotic. un-Dem-
ocratic, un-American. and in conflict with
the Democratic creed as set forth In JEFF
fersOns first inaugural address We have
no accepted standard by which 10 de-
termine whether given opinion Is patti
otto or American, but we have means OF
determining whether an opinion Is Demo-
cratic and In accord with the teachings
Of Jefferson. ] presume you use the
word Democratic ~ the party sense.
otherwise that term would be as difficult
to define as patriotic or American
QUESTION OF DEMOCRACY.
"The right TO determine what is Demo-
cratic in a party sense belongs 10 the
Democratic party. The Chicago Conven-
ton was more purely representative than
any other convention held in recent
years, because the rank and file OF the
party spoke on public questions through
instructed delegates. The Chicago plat
form is the latest authoritative deini-
ton of Democracy as applied TO existing
conditions If q minority Of the dele
gates 10 a national convention, repre-
sentlng a minority OF the members of the
Democratic party. has a right 10 deter
mine what is Democratic, then each I'M
Der Of the party has A right TO denny
Democracy for himself and 10 assert
that he is a better Democrat than any
one else.
questions upon which you have taken
position In the volumes sent me-hrst,
standard money. second, paper money;
third. income tax.
Jefferson favored the double standard
as against the single gold standard. and
during his administration our nation had
the free and unlimited coinage Of gold and
silver at the legal ratio OF 10 10 J. The
ratio was changed 10 IS TO l during Jack
sons administration.
The Chicago platform pronounced
against the gold standard and In favor
OF the return TO the free and unlimited
coinage OF gold and silver at the ratio
Of Is to l. without waiting for the aid or
consent Of any other nation. As a dele
gate to the Chicago Convention you voted
for a minority report. which declared
against independent free coinage on the
ground that It would not only imperil
our finances. but would retard or entirely
prevent international bimetalism TO which
the effort Of the government should be
steadily directed As delegate TO the
Indianapolis Convention. two months
later, YOU supported a platform which
declared in favor of the gold standard,
without any declaration in favor Of in
ternational bimetallism. You may be
able 10 explain why the minority rejected
at Indianapolis the plank for which il
fought at Chicago.
'Mr. Mckinley in 1891 charged in a
public speech that Mr.. Cleveland during
his first administration was dishOnorlng
one of the precious metals. discrediting
silver and enhancing the price of gold. He
insisted that Mr.. Cleveland was trying
TO make money scarce and therefore
dear, and added: He would have in
GRO aI "a Of nd fpofn
ished the value Of everything else Money
the master. and everythng else the SER
want If Mr.. Mckinley then understood
the real purpose Of the gold standard,
as 1 believe he did, who could think JEFF
fersOn capable OF advocating a policy
which instead Of securing equal and exact
justice for all, makes money the master
and everything else the servant
MIR. Carlisle, in a speech in 1873. said
The conspiracy to destroy by legislation
and otherwise from three-sevenths TO
one-half OF the metallic money OF the
world is the most gigantic crime Of this
or any other age If Mr. Cralisle was
then right, as believe he was in his de-
nunciation of the gold standard, who can
believe jefferson capable OF being party
TO such a crime?
After the election Mr.. Mckinley sent
a commission to Europe TO secure Inter
national aid In getting rid OF the gold
standard, and Republican Congress APP
propriated money 20 pay the expenses OF
the commission. The commission failed
because of English opposition, and Eng
lish opposition was due 10 the opposition
of English fnanciers. Jeffersonian Demo
Gratis must have a better reason for sub
hitting TO the gold standard than the
fact that the English fnanciers favor II as
n means for raising the purchasing
power of their money.
OPPOSED TO INCOME TAN
II have selected these three questions
because they are important ana because
your position upon them has been clearly
defined. Your speeches abound in ex-
pressions OF confidence in the gold stand
ard. your correspondence with Mr. War
ner sets forth your opposition TO the in
come tax. and a newspaper Item, quoted
in your book. gives you credit for draft
ing that portion OF the indianapolis plat
form which related 10 the retirement or
the greenbacks and the substitution Of
bank currency.
Your prophecy that "A law 10 prevent
waRe-earners and s3lary-earners from de-
handing and securing payment in gold
Collars would not be a winning issue
ing man. I might suggest that bimetal-
Ism alarms you more than II does the
wage-earDers. II was not the employees
who were frightened at the, s?ecter OF
ing man share your desire to add to the
privileges of the banks.
ION December %. 1891, year after the
election. the Federation OF Labor adopted
the following resolutions:
Resolved, That we declare ourselves
sf n