The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-27

nary correspondence in which each siir-
mished for position. Mr.. Bryan did not
choose to accept Mr. Belmont's invita-
ton to the Democratic clubs banquet
First. he wrote a letter to Mr.. Belmont
in which he declined the invitation and
demanded to know if Mr.. Belmont had
undergone change of views since 1896.
Mr.. Belmont replied with the statement
that individual opinions were not an
issue so far as the banquet was con-
cerned; that it was gathering of dem
ocrats to discuss democratic principles
and to honor the memory of jefferson.
Mr.. Bryan insisted that individual opin-
ions must be considered. He frankly ad-
mitted that no previous engagement
prevented him from attending the BAN
quet. The antagonsm," he wrote to
Mr.. Belmont, between our opinions is
SO great that we cannot with proprety
join in a political banquet in honor of
who stood for certain well defined prin-
ciples." He fears that his voice would
be "a discordant note at the feast,
while "the conspicuous presence" of Mr..
Belmont at it, says Mr.. Bryan, now
fully aroused to a sense of repartee
would not honor the memory of the
worlds greatest democrat. You pro-
claimed to your fellow citizens in 1895
that my election upon the democratic
platform would endanger the nations
welfare. You will pardon me if l say
that a banquet presided over by you
will injure rather than aid the demo-
cratic party" Again: I'm my opinion
no party advantage is to be derived
from communion of Jeffersonian demo-
Gratis who stood by the Chicago plat
form and republican allies who mas
querade as democrats between cam
paigns in order to give more potency
to their betrayal of democratic princi-
pies on election day" The consistency
of Mr.. Bryan's position is admitted and
approved even by the gold democrats.
Mr.. Belmont comes off the worse for
the encounter. The gold democratic
New Haven Register declares:
Now, without the slightest sympathy
with Colonel Bryans views upon the
money question and deep in our faith
that he is a dangerous leader we are
none the less bound to admit that he
comes out of this battle the victor. Mr.
Belmont, without saying so in just those
words Is ready to abandon his position
upon the money question as paramount
principle and talk about something else,
almost any old thing" Colonel Bryan is
unwilling to abandon his advocacy of free
ell in y,y,t, 1, INl;.
ignorantly says will cure poverty and do
lot of other queer stunts" Bryan says
Jeffersonian democracy means just what
he says 1t means, and those who do not
agree or acquiesce are not democrats or
course, this is absurd but so far as the
federal organization up to date is con-
cerned ''it goes Belmont. OH the other
hand. presents no programme at all eX-
cept meaningless patitudes about JEFF
fersonian principles" In sense he re-
minds us of the anti imperalists who
make great deal of noise but present no
alternative for the salvation of our ma
tonal soul from shipwreck on the rocks
of imperialism. He ought to have known
that Colonel Bryan proposes to play the
game to the finish. at the stakes of 1896.
and that Mr.. Belmont was putting into
his hands the most effective weapon he
could fashion when he gave him the op-
portunity to decline the invitation and
give reasons. 1t was poor Judgment and
very bad politics for the one. and from
his point of view. good judgment and fine
politics for the other.
The result of this correspondence
must convince the gold democrats-if
such a term is permissible, for it is not
clear how a gold man can be demo-
crat-the Bryan-Belmont correspond
ence must convince the gold men of the
country that the free coinage issue is
not only alive but that Mr.. Bryan as
the leader of the regular democracy
purposes aggressively to keep it to the
front