The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-21

BRYAN BEL MONT LETTERS
WHY BRYAN WOULD NOT AT
TEND THE BANQUET.
BELMONT NO JefFERs0NlAN DEMOCRAT
His Presence at the Banquet no Honor to Jeffsr
sons Memory, and an Jury to Dem
ocra's Who Uphold the Chi
cago Platform,
cago Platform.

cago Platform.
Chattanooga Tenn, March 20-Hon.
W. J. Bryan was the guest of the Bryan
Birthday Anniversary Club of this city |
to-day. a largely attended reception
was rendered Mr.. Bryan and Governor
Benton McMillin, of this State. at the |
Southern Hotel during the afternoon. |
This evening Mr.. Bryan addressed an |
audience of 1000 people at the City An. |
ditorum. Governor McMillin. Congress |
man Moon and other distinguished Dem |
ocrats of Tennessee occupying the ros |
trum with the speaker. Mr.. Bryan dis |
cussed the issues before the public touch |
ing upon the income tax, the money |
question, trusts, the standing army and |
imperialism, following lines similar to
those of recent speeches. Speaking Of |
imperialism. Mr.. Bryan said:
Our nation is tempted to depart from
its standard of morality and adopt a |
policy of criminal aggression But will |
it yield?
IF | mistake not the sentiment of the |
American people they will spurn the |
bribe of Imperialism. and, by resisting
temptation. win such a victory as has |
uut Uttll WON Sillct the DHlLle Oh Ork- |
town.
The forcible annexation of the Philip |
pine Islands is not necessary to make the |
United States world power. For over |
ten decades our nation has been a world |
power During its brief existence, it has |
cXerted upon the human race an infu- |
ence more potent for good than that of |
all the other nations of the earth cons |
I T. Il N. -.
without a sword or Gatling gun Mexicol
and the republics of Central and South |
America testify to the benign influence |
of our institutions. while Europe and |
Asia give evidence of the working of the
leaven of self-goyernment
In the growth of Democracy we OBJ
serve the triumphant march of an idea
an idea that would be weighed down
rather than aided by the armor and wea,
pons proffered by Imperialism" 90I
THE BRYAN BELMONT LETTERS.
Chattanooga, Tenn, March 20-Hon9
W. j. Bryan today gave out the follows |
ing correspondence to the Associated |
Press. having been notified that it had |
not been made public by Mr. Belmont |
Mr.. Bryan stated that he had nothing |
to say about the matter but that the |
correspondence spoke for itself:
Champagne, ILL.,. March 16
Hon Perry Belmont. President Defnos,
cratic Club, New York.
Dear Sir: | received fc days ago |
the following telegram:
'New York, March g.
:" Hon. w. j. Bryan, Lincoln, Neb
In arranging the toasts and re-
sponses at the banquet Of the Demo |
cratic Club of Jelferson's Birthday. |
April 18th, the committee are most de- |
sirous, If your arrangements will per-
nit your attendance, TO have you Sc !
lect such subject as you prefer TO dis |
cuss in your own way within the limit, |
all speeches being limited to twenty |
minutes. Please wire reply.
fSignedl .s.pERRP RT-T MONT
"'presid MT
RICHARD CROKER
chairman
Upon my return to Nebraska ! sent |
the following enquiry:
Lincoln. Neb.. March 70
!" Hon. Perry Belmont. Democratic |
Club, New York
Invitation received. Remembering |
that you openly repudated tbs Demo- |
cratic platform in the last campaign, |
desire to know, before answering invi- |
tation, whether you have since the cleo |
lion. publicly announced your conversion |
TO the principles SIT forth in that plat |
form. tSigned
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
Il have just received your reply:
" The invitation extended to You is |
on behalf of the Democratic Club In. |
dividnal opinions have not been consid- |
cred in issuing tbs invitations TO cele- |
brate the birthday Of Thomas jefferson |
tSignedl PERRY BELMONT
Il might plead a previous engagement !
rs q reason for declining hut that would
be equivalent to saying ! would come |
but for the engagement, but frankneSs /
| conpels me TO add another reason. | |
appreciate the compliment which the !
Democratic Club pays me in extending
an invitation. but | do not understand
how individual opinions can be ignored
at political gathering. You are the /
president of the club and represent the !
club before the public Your position |
{! upon public questions was well known |
IN 1896 and your telegram indicates |
that your position has not been changed. |
My position upon public questions is al |
so wEll known The antagonism be- |
tween our opinions is so great that we
! cannot with propriety join in a political |
banquet given in homer of Democracy's |
patron saint
Jefferson stood for certain well de- |
| fined principles. If your views are a
correct reflection of his IDEAS, fear
that my voice would sound discordant |
note at your banquet.
IF, on the other hand, the Chicago
platform applies (as | believe it does,
.Jeffersonan principles TO present con
ditions. then your conspicuous presence
at the Jeffersonian banquet would not
honor the memory of the worlds great
, est Democrat.
tDo not misunderstood me. You may
be right and may be wrong. but | take
, it for granted that we are equally con-
scientious, and | trust that | may not
show myself less courageous than You
You proclaiml 10 your fellow citi-