Evening star., 1899-03-16
FIRST EXCHANGE OF SHOTS
Significance Of the Correspondence Between
Bryan and Belmont.
commencement of the Struggle Over
the Democratic Platform
of 1S06.

Inc very Drlef correspondence DStWeeu w.
]. Bryan and Perry Belmont published yes
terday, has a. very important significance.
1t may well be regarded as the opening OF
the struggle which is TO take place within
the democratic party over the adoption of
the '96 platform by the democratic national
convention of 1900. Mr.. Bryan and his most
faithful followers look with much suspicion
and some apprehension upon the sudden
revitalizing of the Democratic Club il
New York city, and its essay to enter into
national politics. They look upon it as a
GIeek horse, and this shaft was hurled at il
by Mr.. Bryan for the purpose of oetermIn-
ing whether it is hollow.
Mr.. Bryan ana his followers are not will
ing to make u sacrifice of the '56 platform
in order to let the gold democrats back
into the party, and this letter 10 Mr.. Bel
mont is intended a notice to every one
that adherence to that platform Is TO be the
test for all who, after leaving the party IL
90 desire now TO be regarded as demo
Gratis. The purpose is TO retain control OF
the party in the hands of those VINO sup
ported the Bryan ticket at the last presi-
Dental election. The proposition of bring
ing all democrats together for an attack
upon the present administration with the
cry of antitrust or anti-imperlai1sm, OF
anything else that might serve, has been
pretty generally canvassed. Those persons
who are fatuous enough to believe that
such an amalgamation is possible are given
notice by Mr.. Bryan that il cannot be ac-
complished without the acceptance of the
Chicago platform.
Mr.. Croker's object.
The Democratic Club of New York took
a very active part in the last congressional
election and the guberDatorial election of
that state, as representative OF the de-
mccracy, and it was whispered about that
this club was TO be an engine in the con-
troll of Mr.. Croker by which the opposing
factions of the democracy We're to be
brought together. Tammany was too local
in its character-as well too bad in repu-
tation-to be used for this purpose, but
through the rehabilitation of the old Demo-
cratic Club Croker was to make his entry
into national politics The first step toward
the grand scheme of getting the gold demo-
Gratis and the silver democrats together was
to invite a large number of prominent
democrats Of the Chicago platform faith in
various parts of the country to honorary
membership in the club. Some of the most
prominent and active of the Chicago plat
form democrats of the south and west
We're thus enrolled In its membership
Then. after Mr.. Belmont was elected
president of the club. letter was sent to
some of the leading democrats of the coun-
try and to certain newspapers to be pub
lshed announcing that in view of the fact
that Mr.. Belmont and considerable num-
ber of the most Influential element of the
club had bOlted the democratic ticket in '98.
MT belmont s election as president or the
club, together with the membership of GER
tain leading silver democrats, was very sig
nificant,an that the club would play a very
important part in national politics in the
future. Whether the significance to be
drawn was that Belmont and other infiu-
ential members of the club were going to
accept the Chicago platform and come back
into the democratic party or whether ii was
that the Chicago platform was to be aban-
doned and the party thus be brought to-
gether was not indicated.
Bryan People Alarmed.
The activity Of the club, however was
enough to give the Bryan people the alarm
and to put them on their guard. The an
nouneement of the great Jefferson banquet,
a. which the lions and the lambs and the
goats were to be assembled together, has
been looked upon with suspicion by some
of the Bryan people. 1t was suspected,
since this was to be known as democratic
feast, that MIR. Bryan was expected by his
presence to give sanction to the idea that
Belmont and other men to be present who
had bolted the Bryan ticket and formed a
new party in '9G should still he regarded as
democrats. without their going through the
formalty of avowing their conversion to
the principles set forth in the Chicago plat
form"
Mr. Bryan's letter is intended to announce
that he will not sanction that idea. and Mr..
Belmont's reply as clearly indicates that he
denies the right of any one to question his
democracy or to submit il to any prescribed
test.
This is regarded as the first exchange of
shots of the battle Within the democratic
party which is to cOntin1n until the meeting
Of the convention of 1917. and probably he
carried into the convention itself by con-
testing delegations.