The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-29
BRYAN VERSUS CROKER
LETTER THAT WILL NOT TEND TO
HEAL THE PARTY BREACH.
What the Standing POpOcratic Caudi-
date said About the Attitude of
Tammany Last March.

NEW YORK, Jan. "a letter from VIII
liam J. Bryan to Willis ]. Abbott, written
in March, 1898, was given out by Mr.. Abbott
to-day. Mr.. Abbott explains the circum-
stances in connection with it as follows:
I'm March, 1898 some of Mr.. Bryan's adj
mirers in New York learned that he expect
ed to be in the East in the following month
and would pass through New York. They
came to me saying that reception should
be rendered him and that he should be
asked to speak. l responded that IN my
opinion the regular Democratic organiza-
ton should be the one to give the recep-
tion and that Mr.. Bryan ought not to be
asked to speak under any auspices. l ac-
cord1ngy consulted Mr.. Carroll ana was by
him referred to Mr.. Croker. Mr.. Croker
asked me to write to Mr.. Bryan and find
out whethe he would be willing to speak in
New York, but refrain from discussing the
money question. l wrote to Mr.. Bryan ac-
cOrdingly and received the answer given be-
low. This letter l wrote to Mr.. Croker at
the Democratic Club, in order that he might
have no illusion concerning Mr.. Bryan po-
sition. AS Mr.. Croker has now definitely
antagoniZed the Democrats who hold to the
Chicago platform, ii is the belief of many
friends of Mr.. Bryan that this letter, IN
which he declares that New York Demo-
Gratis should show their hands or accept
the hostility of the members of the party in
the South and West, should be made pub
lie" The letter from Mr.. Bryan follows:
My Dear Mr.. Abbott am just in re-
Ceipt Of your letter. Please say to Mr.
Croker that 1 shall not be able to come East
until about April 13. At that time snail
be pleased to meet him and talk over the
political situation. IT, as 1 have heard, he is
compelled to leave for Europe before that
time, express my regret to him. appre-
ctate his invitation to speak there, but ne
will, upon reflection, realize that | could not
afford to make a speech upon the lines Sug-
gested. The national platform declared the
money question to be the paramount issue,
and l fully indorse that declaration. So be-
lieVing l could not, directly or indirectly,
encourage any State to abandon the national
platform. While Democrats OF the West
and South have no right to force the ma
York, yet the Democracy of the Nation does
have a right to expect the Democrats of
New York to stand by the platform or an
nounce their hostility. We ought to know
whether the New York Democracy means
peace or war.
ITO ignore the national platform in a state
convention will be notice that the Democrats
of New York are hostile to that platform,
but lack the courage to declare 1t openly.
The platform of 1896 will be reaffirmed in
1900, and I, for one, would like to know as
soon as possible whether we are to regard
the New York Democrats as allies or enc
mics. If the Democrats of New York invite
me to speak in New York city while in the
East I shall accept the invitation with pleas
ure, but 1t must be with the understanding
that shall not be restricted as to the sub
jeCt of discussion l do not care to be a
guest where the Chicago platform is denied
a hearing.
II believe that the restoration of bimetal-
lism is necessary, and that 16 to is the
only ratio at which bimetallism can be re-
stored. and have no right to expect favors
from those who are hostile to this doctrine.
/ can say to bimetalism at 16 to l as Ruth
said to Naomi: 'Entreat me not to leave
thee, or to return from following after thee;
for whittier thou gOest l will 60 and where
thou lodgest / will lodge. Thy people shall
be my people, and thy God my God. Where
thou dest will l die, and there will be
buried. The Lord do so to me and more
also if aught but death part thee and me-
mo one is compelled to accept my judg-
ment, and ] must myself be guided by 1t,
and in my judgment the attempt to chain
the Nation to gold standard is so cruel and
xxcl bod hot I ho n MT
if / should trade my convictions upon this
subject for any political advantage which
the New York Democrats might be willing
to offer.
Let me add another word: 1t is not only
right that the New York state convention
should stand by the Chicago platform, but
it is good policy. Bimetailism will be as
strong in New York when it is fully under
stood as it is now in the West and South,
and the sooner the Democracy of New York
begins the defense of the Chicago platform
the sooner the work of education will be
completed. To ignore the platform when
all the States West and South indOrSe it will
have all the force of a declaration against
the platform, and such a course will make
it more difficult to indOrse the platform
hereafter.
I'VE were embarrassed in the last cam
paign by the fact that the Democrats of
your State went to Chicago to oppose the
platform which was adopted Unless the
party in New York expects to respeat this
experiment in 1900, it should lose no time in
taking firm stand upon the Chicago plat
many and the Democracy of New York /
ought to suggest that the party in New
York has something at stake as well as
the party in the Nation.
'Tammany needs the Democracy of the
Nation as much as the national party needs
Tammany, and Tammany should recognize
this fact. Democratic principles have too
firm a hold on the plain people to give the
party in any section any promise of success
by abandoning them Democracy was de-
fined at Chicago, and the definition is so
satisfactory that no material change will
be made in that definition for years to come.
/ hope the New York Democrats, for their
good as well as for the good of the party
and country at large, will speedily bring
themselves within the definition by giving
an unqualified Endorsement of the Chicago
platform