Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-04-15
BRYAN ON DEMOCRACY.
Another Letter to Belmont by the
Silver Apostle. {

Lincoln, Neb., April 1~1.-Colonel
William j. Bryan yesterday mailed his
answer to the last letter received from
Perry Belmont some weeks ago. The
correspondence thus far has dealt
largely with the rival Jefferson din.
ners to be held in New York, but Mr..
Bryan ignores hat matter and devotes
his attention to the differences exist
ing between himself and Mr.. Belmont
on questions of democratic party pol
icy. His letter in part follows:
You ask, first, that I point out wherein
your utterances are "unpatriotic. undemo-
cratic, un-American, or I'm conflict with
the democratic creed aS set forth In JEFF
Persons first inaugural address,
We have no accepted standard by which
TO determine whether a given opinion Is
patriotic or American, but we have
means OF determining whether an opinion
Is democratic and In accord with the
teachings OF Jefferson. ] presume you use
the word democrat In the party sense,
otherwise that term would be as difficult
10 define az patriotic" or American"
The right to determine what is demo-
cratic I'm a party sense belongs to the
democratic party. The Chicago conven,
ton was more purely representative than
any other convention held In recent years,
because the rank and file Of the party
spoke on public questions through In
structed delegates. The Chicago platform
Is the latest authoritative definition OF
democracy as applied to existing Condi-
lions, III a minority OF the delegates to
n national convention representing "A NIL
nority of the members OF the democratic
party has a right to determine what IS
democratic, then each member OF the par-
" has n right 10 define democracy for
himself and TO assert that he Is "A better
democrat than anyone else.
Let me apply this principle TO three
questions upon which you rave taken a
position I'm the volumes sent me:
!. Standard money. 2. Paper money. B..
Income tax.
Jefferson favored the doubles standard as
against the single gold standard and dur
ing his administration our nation had the
free and unlimited coinage Of gold and sill
yer at the legal ratio Of 10 10 /. The ratio
was changed TO lG to / during Jackson 5
administration.
The Chicago platform pronounced
against the gold standard and In favor or
the return 10 the free and unlimited coin
age Of gold and silver at the ratio Of IL to
], without waiting for the aid or consent
OF any other nation. As "A delegate to the
Chicago convention you voted for "A mi
dependent free coinage, on the ground
that il would not only imperll our
finances, but would retard or entirely
prevent international bimetallism, 70
which the effort Of the government should
be steadily directed As a delegate 70
the indianapolis convention, two months
later, you supported a platform which de-
clarcd i'm favor Of the gold standard, with
out adding any declaration in favor OF IN
tcrnational bimetallism. You may be able
10 explain why the minority rejected at
Indianapolis the plank for which ii Fought
at Chicago.
haVc selected these three questions be-
cause they are important n because
your position upcn them has been clearly
defined. Your speeches abound I'm express
sions OF confidence in the gold standard;
your correspondence with Mr.. Warner
sets forth your opposition to the income
tax. and "A newspaper item. quoted In your
book. gives you credit for dlaTting that
portion Of the Indianapolis platform
which related to the retirement OF the
~greenbacks and the substitution OF bank
currency.
Your prophcsy that "a law to prevent
wagc-carncrs and salary carners from de-
manding and securing payment in gold
dollars would not bc a winning issue,
CvinCcs a tender sOliCitudc for the laboring
man. | might suggest that bimctallism
alarms you more than ii does the wage
carners. 1t was not the employees VINO
were frightened at the spcctcr Of free sill
yer I'm 1896; neither did the laboring men
share YOU desire to add to the privileges
OF the banks.
| am not willing to believe that you are
more Interested I'm the labOring man than
they are in themselves, or that YOU know
better than they what Is good for them.
Yours truly. w. J. Bryan.