Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-07-15
BELMONT TO BRYAN.

DLLiFiOlNt ~ DIN nm
Perry Belmont has just made public a
letter sent to Gdon. William J. Bryan in
answer to Mr.. Bryan's last letter, in
which Mr.. Belmont says in part:
"1-he dispute we are in over the Chi
cago platform was not begun by any word
or wish Of minE You were invited to
dine with the Democratic Club on the an
niversary of Jeferson's birthday. which
the club has heretofore celebrated. In
stead Of accepting or declining the inyi-
tation. you asked my present opinion Of
the Chicago platform of three years ago.
Ireplied for the club that individual opln-
ions had nothing to do with the invitation.
Thereupon you sent me personal letter
describing me as Republican masquer-
aiding as a Democrat, as unfit to celebrate
the anniversary of jefferson birthday be-
cause | condemned the Chicago platform
and your candidacy, and altogether dis
playing an undisguised intention to be Of
fensive while ostensibly answering din
ner invitation.
Every tree Is known by its own fruit. =
What has been the fruit of the Chicago
platform?
"Of the prairie states, Colorado, Kan
sas and Nebraska, the former, which gave
II POS plurality to you, has gone into the
Republican column, and the latter, which
gave to you $3.50, gave only 2,72I to the
Democratic ticket last year. OF the Pa
cifc coast states, California, Washington
and Oregon, the former yielded last year
I9,44I Republican plurality, as against
only 2,7o7 for Mckinley, while Washing
ton, which gave you in 1896 plurality of
I2,493, surrendered to the Republicans by
0o23, and Oregon increased its Republi-
can plurality from Ally to 1874.
"Of the silver mining states, Nevada,
Colorado and Utah, you carried the for
mer by 6,439 plurality, but the combined
Populist and Democratic vote last year
was only 3,oS2 over the Republican can
didate for Governor. In Colorado the
candidate for Governor
polled twice as many votes as did Nc
Kinley in 1896. You had 5I,o33 plural
ty in Utah, but last year the Democratic
Congressman only had 5000 and the SUI
preme Court Judge only $500. ! do not
need to remind you what has been seen in
New York, Connecticut and New Jersey,
which Cleveland carried in 1899, and%hich /
you lost in 1896 by tremendous pluralites
having had in New York a |
plurality of 26S,469.
THE great Republican plurality gains
898 in California, Idaho, Kansas, Ne
braska, North Dakota, Utah, Washing
ton and Wyoming, amounting in total to
I So SOC, should at least sober your I6-to-1 |
optimism.
May ask what is your plan and hope
for persuading the country, North, East
and West, to vote for the Chicago plat
form and yourself under the prosperous
farming, mining, laboring, manufacturing
and exporting conditions now in prospect
Il put to you in my letter two or three
questions easily capable of an affirmative
or negetive reply.
zone was DO you deem the money
question as presented in the Chicago
platform as now paramount to all others|
You evade.
"Anorher was, Do you insist on the
infallibility'of the coinage ratio of I6-to-I
as a test of Democracy You again
evade.
Must~all Democratic voters line up
in 1900 on federal statute making every
contract illegal which stipulates for pay
ment in gold'' was another. You evade
again.
Still another was, viii law prevent
ing wage-earners and salary-earners from
demanding and securing payment in gold
dollars, if they prefer gold dollars, be
winning issue in 1902 You again evade.
you go out of your way as defeated
Presidential candidate Of three years ago