The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-03-25
Bryan will Have Nothing to do With
Gold Democrats.

WIN ~
Chattanooga, Tenn, March sO.-w.
]. Bryan today gave out the following
corrcspondence TO the Associated Press,
having been notified that il had not
been made public by Mr.. Belmont
Mr.. Bryan stated thst he bad nothing
to say about the matter. but that the
correspondence spoke for itself;
Champaign, ILL.,, March l6. 1899.
Hon. Perry Belmont president democratic
club. New York.
DEAR SIR IL received. = few days
ago, the following telegram:
"New York, March 5.-hon. W. j.
Bryan, Lincoln, Neb.-In arranging
the toasts and responses at the banquet
Of the Democratic Club, on Jeiierson's
birthday, April is, the committee are
most DESTROYS. # your engagements
will permit your attendance. to have
you select such subject Is you prefer
to discuss in your " way, within the
limit set for all speeches, Of twenty
minutes. Please wire reply.
ssPERRY BELMONT,
"RICHARD CROKER, President
Chairman"
Upon my return to Nebraska, | sent
you the following inquiry:
.'Lincoln, Neo., March lS-Hon.
Perry Belmont, Democratic Club, New
York :-Invitation received. Remem-
bering that you openly repudisted the
democratic platform 10 the last cam
paign, 1 desire 10 know before answer
ing invitation, whether you have since
the election, publicly announced your
conversion to the principles eel forth
in that platform.
CIVILIAN J. BRIAN
l have just received your reply:
1.-THE invitation extended TO Jon is
on behalf of the Democratic Club.
opinions have not been con-
sidered in issuing the invitation TO
celebrate the birthday of Thomas
Jefferson. s'PERRY BELMONT"
l might plead q previous engagement
as 3 reason for declining, but that
be equivalent TO saying that |
would come but for the engagement,
but frankness Oompels me 10 add
another reason. appreciate the COM
pliment which the Democratic Club
pays me in extending an invitation, bot
do net understand how individual
opinions can be ignored NJ 3 political
gathering. You are the president Of
The club and represent the club before
The public. Your position upon public
questions was well known 10 1896, and
your telegram indicates that your
position has not been changed. Ny
position upon public questions is also
well known. The antagonism between
our opinions Is SO great that we cannot
with propriety JOIN in = political
banquet gwen in honor Of democracy's
SAINT. Jefferson stood for Ger.
tain well defined principles. II your
views are q correct reflection Of bis
IDEAS, | fear that my voice would sound
q discordant note at your banquet. II,
on the other hand, the Chicago plat
applies las | believe 1t does)
Jeffersonlan principles TO present con-
ditions, then your conspicuous presence
At the Jeffersonian banquet would not
honor the memory Of the worlds
greatest democrat.
DO not misunderstood me. You may
be RICH. and | may be wrong, but i
il for granted that We re equally
conscientious and | trust that | may
not show myself less courageous than
you. You proclaimed to your fellow
citizens in 1896 that my election upon
q democratic platform would endanger
the nations welfare; you will pardon
me if suggest that a banquet presided
over by you will injure rather than aid
the democratic party. I believe 10
.harmoniIing personal differences, but
differences in principle cannot be
hArmonized and, in my judgment, no
party advantage isto be derived from
political communion betwean .Jeffer-
sonian democrats who stand upon the
Chicago platform aud the republican
allies who masquerade as democrats
between campaigns in order TO give
more potency to their betrayal Of
democratic principles on election day.
Yours truly,
W. J. BRIAN.