The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-16
BRYAN SEEKS INFORMATION.


The response of Col. Bryan to the in
vitation extended TO him by the Demo-
cratic Club of New York city 10 be pres
ent at the great dinner which that club
is going 10 give on April Is. the anniversa-
ny Of the birthday of Thomas jefferson,
seems 10 indicate that he thinks il is very
necessary for him to be careful of the
company he keeps Instead of saying
whether or not he accepted the invitation,
he wired Mr. Belmont, the president Of
The CLUB, an inquiry as to whether he had
publicaHy announced his acceptance of
the Chicago platform. lie wanted 10 know
Mr.. Belmonrs position in respect to the
Chicago platform. because that gentle
man had, in the campaign of 1895, pub
lically repudiated it,
But Col. Bryan did not get the informa-
ton he sought. Mr.. Belmont, in answer
to the inquiry. said the invitation to at
tend the dinner was IN behalf Of the Dem
ocratic Club, and that individual opinions
had not been considered in issuing invita-
tons to celebrate the birthday Of Thomas
jefferson.
1t would be Interesting to know just
what Col. Bry7n's purpose was in asking
Mr. Belmont whether he had experienced
a change Of heart in respect to the Chi
cago platform instead of accepting or de-
clining the clubs invitation Was it to
decline the invitation If MIR. Belmont had
replied that he etill failed to see any wis
dom in the l6 to l idea or did he want the
Information he sought as a basis OF some
remarks he intended to make? The an
swer to that question will find it's way into
the public prints, in all probability, in the
course of few days.
Mr. Croker is the ruling spirit in the
Democratic Club, and Col Bryan knows
what his views are in regard to the Chi
cagO platform. It has not been so very
long since MIR. Croker said that the Dem
ocratic party would make a mistake if it
should go before the country in 1900 on the
platform of 1896. 1t is pretty safe to as
sumo that the great majority of the mem
bers of the Democratic Club hold about
The same views of the Chicago platform
that Mr.. Croker does.
In this connection it is worthy of notice
that Senator Jones, chairman of the Dem
ocratic national committee, has addressed
a letter to each delegate from New York
to the last Democratic national conven-
ton, asking him what he thinks the at
titude of The New York Democracy will
be on the question of reafhrming the Chi
cago platform in the next national con-
vention.
Senator Jones says he thinks that the
South and the West are overwhelmingly
in favor of standing by the Chicago decla-
ralions of 1896. and he would like to know
how the Democracy of New York feels
about the matter. 1t cannot be predicted
of course what the answers of the gentle
men to whom Senator Jones has addressed
his letter will be- but there appears to be
good reasons for thinking that the great
majority of the Democrats of New York
do not feel any more kindly towards the
Chicago platform than they did On 1896.
Indeed, It is doubtful If the percentage of
the Democrats of that state who favor the
Chicago platform is as great as it was in
that year.
The answer of Col Bryan to the invita-
ton of the Democratic Club and the letter
of Senator Jones to the delegates of the
last national convention seem to justify
the inference of a purpose to discipline the
New York Democracy in some way. Just
how that could be done is not clear. Stlll
If the good of the party called for action
of that kind a way might be found 10 do it,
One thing is pretty certain, and that is
that if Mr.. Croker's influence in the Dem
ocratic party in New York is as great
as it is thought TO be, the New York dele
CATION TO the next Democratic national
convention will not be IN favor of the
Chicago platform.