Evening star., 1899-03-22
Uncertain Whether They Will Go to
a National Convention.
WOULD AGAIN BOLT BRYAN
Feeling Growing Against the Chi
cago Platform.
BELMONT DINNER INCIDENT

Ex-Representative Outhwaite of Ohio is
in the city. 1t will be remembered that Mr.
OIthwaite was an active gold democrat
during the last national campaign. He sup
ported Palmer and Buckner, and has since
consistently opposed free silver as a demo-
cratic issue. He naturally has taken q
deep interest in the Bryan Belmont incl
dent.
Il think, in the first place. he said to a
Star reporter today, 'it was great mis-
take on the part of Mr.. Belmont to invite
Mr. Bryan to address a Jeffersonian
audience. If they invited Mr.. Bryan to
take part in such demonstration, they
should also have invited Tom Watson. The
Georgia populist was just as much entitled
to such consideration as was the Nebras-
kan.
Mr.. Rryan's Attitude Ridiculous,
Il think it is simply ridiculous for Mr..
Bryan to read democrats out of the demo-
cratic party. The result of such a course
Will be beneficial in one respect 1t will
impress upon democrats the fact that their
hrst duty in the future is to make no at
tempt to conciliate the representative of the
Objectionable ideas of the Chicago plat
Iorm. In Ohio the democrats who enter
tain these ideas are continually telling us
that If we are to go back into the demo-
cratic party we must go back in repentance
ana on our knees, when we have made no
EFFORTS to go to them, and don't desire to
DO SO as long as they make the Chicago
platform the measure of LOYALTY to demo-
cratic principles. 1 think Mr. Belmont's
hrst reply to Mr.. Bryan's letter was suffi-
clent, but he did not seem to see that the
sentence had a double meaning. When
Belmont said individual opinions have not
been considered In Issuing the invitations to
celebrate the birthday of Thomas Jeffer-
son, he was politely informing Mr.. Bryan
that If he was going to invite sound demo-
Gratis only he would not have been in
vited.'
What will be the outcome of this contro-
versy between Bryan and Belmont?" Mr.
outhWaite was asked.
Revolt Against Organism
1t is likely" he replied, ito result in
strong organization OF democraFs who op-
pose Organism to contest the right to use
The name ana to be considered the demo-
cratic party. There are thousands of demo-
Gratis that do not believe in Bryan's silver
notions and in some Qher features of the
Chicago platform who voted for Bryan
On the ground of regularity, and everywhere
there are signs of these men being unwili-
ing to be bound down to his notions of
what constitutes democracy. Even if these
democrats do not organize with the Palmer
and Buckner democrats they are quite apt
to look around for a better representative
or their democracy than is Mr. Bryan to
lead the party in 1900'
"Will the Palmer and Buckner democrats
attempt to go in the national convention ~
the reporter asked.
"b is not clear yet" he replied whether
the gold democrats will attempt to go into
the national convention. Circumstances
must develop their attitude on that uues-
ton. But one thing may be relied upon
They will take the wisest and best and
most vigorous course to defeat Mr. Bryan
II he should be renominated on the Chi
cago platform, and they will succeed as
they did before. The free silver arguments
nave been shown to be fallacies They
said there would be no advance in prices
until silver was restored. We are having
higher prices right along. We are having
a remarkable spectacle in this country,
Wages in industrial enterprises are increas
ing by the voluntary action on the part
OF employers. They told us the prices of
silver and wheat kept together The fact
is silver continues to go down while wheat
goes up
rs the silver sentiment of the country
Wan1ng?' Mr.. Outhwaite was asked
cannot say there is a tide against free
silver, he said, but / think l can see a
disposition on the part of a great many
men VINO upheld that plank of the Chicago
platform to consider it of far less tmpor-
tance than they did during the last cam
palgn. They are seeing the practical refu-
tations OF the arguments Of the free silver
people by the logic Of events"