Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-03-23

hed that II had not been made pub
lie by Mr. belmont, Mr. Bryan stated
that he had nothing TO say about the
matter, hut that the correspondence
spoke for itself:
"Champalgn, Ill.,, March 16.-Hon,
Perry Belmont, President Democratic
Club, New York--Dear Sir: / re-
celyed v few days ago the following
Telegram;
"'New York, March 5.-ITon. w. ].
Bryan, Lincoln, Neb.: In arranging
the toasts and responses at the ban
quet OF the Democratic Club on JET
Persons birthday, April 18th, the com.
mittee Is most DESTROYS, II your en-
gagements will permit your attend
ance, to have you select such sub cct
as you prefer TO discuss In your OWE
way, within the limit Of all speeches
OF twenty minutes. Please wire reply.
Perry Belmont, Presidents; Richard
Croker, Chairman
upon my return to Nebraska !
I sent you the following inquiry;
Lincoln, Neb., March 13.-,IIoa.
Perry Belmont, Democratic Club, New
York: Invitation received. Remem-
bering that you openly repudiated the
Democratic platform in the last cam
palgn, desire to know, before an
swerlng invitation, whether you have,
since the election, publicly announced
your conversion to the principles set
forth in that platform.-Willlam j.,
Bryan
III have just received your reply:
The invitation extended to you Is
on behalf OF the Democratic Club.
Individual opinions have not been con-
sldered in Issuing the invitation 10
celebrate the birthday OF Thomas JEFF
ferson.
"'PBRRY BELMONT
81 might plead a previous engage.
ment as a reason for declining but
that would he equivalent TO saying
that would come but for the en-.
gagement; but frankness compels me
to add another reason. / appreciate
the compliment which the Democratic
Club pays me in extending an inyl-
tatlon, but do not understand how
individual opinions can be ignored at
o political gathering. You are the
president OF the club and represent
the club before the public. Your po-
Bitlon upon public questions was well
known in 1896 and your telegram indi.
Gates that your position has not been
changed. My position upon public
questions is also well known. The an.
tagonism between our opinions Is 80
great that we can not with propriety
join in a political banquet given in
honor of Democracys patron saint.
Jefferson stood for certain well,
defined principles, If your views are
correct reflection or his IDEAS fear
that my voice would sound a dis.
cordant note at your banquet. If, on
the other hand, the Chicago platform
applies (as believe it does) Jefferson.
ian principles to present conditions,
then your conspicuous presence a.
the Jef'ersonlan banquet would not
honor the memory OF the worlds
greatest Democrat,
do not misunderstood me. You
may be right and j may he wrong.
but | take ii for granted that we are
equally conscientious and I trust that
1 may not show myself less cour.
ageous than you, You proclaimed to
your fellow citizens in 1896 that my
election upon Democratic platform
would endanger the nations welfare;
you will pardon me if suggest that
a banquet presided over by you will
impure rather than aid the Demo.
cratic party, / believe in harmonic.
ing personal differences, but differ.
ences in principle can not be har.
monized, and, in my Judgment. no
party advantage is to be derived from
political communion between Jeffer.
sonian Democra s who stand upon the
Chicago platform and the Republican
allies who masquerade as Democrats
between campaigns in order to give
more potency to their betrayal oil
Democratic principles on election day
Yours truly, W. J. BRYAN"
New York, March 21.-Perry Bel,
mont Monday night gave out reply
to letter received from Colonel Will
liam j. Bryan. 1t begins:
Dear Sir: / have received your let,
ter OF the 10th instant, in which you
describe those who declared in 1896
that your election to the presidency
ON the Chicago platform would en-,
danger the nations welfare as the
Republican allies who masquerade as
Democrats between campaigns in or,
der to give more potency to their be
trayal OF Democratic principles on
election day."
Mr.. Belmont then goes on to say
that, before answering "the unwar.
ranted letter." he had instituted o
suit against New York newspaper
on account of AN alleged libel in
which he was characterized as "a
higher priced man than the AoateI
who sells his vote for 50 ON election
day" and continues:
"Your purpose to be equally defAm
Rtory is obvious. Your skill in thu
use OF words forbds the plea that IN
ToUr letter You misuse them through
ignorance. The design is plain, anG
were it not that you have interwoveG
IN yO1r abuse reference to opinions
upon public questions as opposed t.
your owu, to the Democratic club, oil
(which 4 MN nrpsident and to ffo yNpo