The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-23

Declines Emphatically to Side
track Free silver-Members of
the Democratic Club Deny That
He II Invited as Guest of the Club.
- NEW YORK, Jan. 22.-Hon. w. ]. Bry-
an arrived in Jersey City from Washing
ton at 6:42 o'clock this morning and was
met by James Oliver, sergeant-at-arms OF
the Democratic National committee and
number of newspaper reporters Mr.. Bry-
an was escorted to the Hoffman house, the
headquarters of the state Democracy, in
which hotel suite of rooms had been en-
gagged for him.
Hopes for Good Feeling.
Mr.. Bryan said to the reporters that he
hoped his presence in New York would
contribute to a general good feeling all
around.
Mr.. Bryan breakfasted at the Hoffman
house with ex-Gov Hogg. of Texas; DR..
W. J. Gardner, one of the leaders OF the
Chicago platform Democrats. and James
Oliver. Mr.. Bryan had number of call
ers during the day. but the hotel was by
no means crowded.
One of Mr.. Bryan's callers asked him
what he thought of 0. II. p. Belmont as
a vice presidential candidate.
'I am not saying a word about candi-
dates just now," he replied.
VIII Not Abandon Free silver.
A reporter asked Mr. Bryan later If
there was any truth in statement in
&lut I,a
abandoning the silver issue.
IT am tired Of denying those stories."
Mr. Bryan answered. II will keep right
on in the same line I have followed all
along. adhere to my belief in the Chi
cago platform, but, of course, do not OBJ
ject to throwing in some more issues for
good measure"
Plan to Consolidate the Party.
Mr. Bryan. when asked later If he had
any plans for bringing back gold Demo-
Gratis to the party, replied:
"Yes, have plan. In the first place,
many have already come back In the
second place, there are some who never
viii come back, and II is no use to work
on them. In the third place. there are
some who will return on one or two
grounds-either that they now like the
Chicago platform, although they did not
position on national questions and are will
ing to take the whole platform while not
agreeing with every part of 1t.
1.-THE only way of keeping the present
Democrats in the party and bringing gold
Democrats back and inducing Republicans
to join us is to advocate measures that
are best for the people and thus deserve
their support. 1 believe that the Chicago
platform, with new questions, including
strong planks against trusts and imperial
ism, would give excuse to everybody to
vote the Democratic ticket in 1900"
No Dominant Issue.
Mr.. Bryan was asked If he regarded any
of the three issues as the dominant one,
but he said he did not care to discuss their
relative Importance.
AS to whether he intended to discuss only
the trusts and imperialism while in
the East. to the exclusion of silver, he
said he would discuss all three whether he
was In the East or in the West. While
here, he said, he was not going to meddle
in local politics.
Dimes With O. H. II. Belmont.
Mr.. Bryan was the guest of honor at a
dinner given by o. H. p. Belmont tonight
at his residence on Fifth avenue. The
dinner was private, no reporters being ad-
mitted, and to pencilled note Air. Belmont
made reply:
"There will be nothing during or after
dinner for publication. The dinner is a
purely social affair, and of no public in
terest."
Mr., Bryan was the only guest of ma
tional Importance, but big men In Tam
many hall were present. Among them were
John s. Carroll, leader of Tammany hall
forth, chairman of the executive commit
tee Of the Democratic state committee; J.
H. Girdner, of the local Chicago Platform
Democracy; Asa Bird Gardiner, district at
torney for the county of New York; John
B. Sexton. police commissioner; Alfred
Henry Lewis, editor of the Verdict Frank
B. Campbell. chairman of the state COM
mittee; ex-Gov James L. Campbell, of
Ohio. and ex-Gov. Hogg. of Texas.
Tammnny Will Feed Him.
Mr.. Bryan will spend tomorrow in New
York and In the evening will be the guest
of John w. kellar, president of the Demo-
cratic Club, at that club This dinner is
understood to mean that Mr.. Bryan and
the Tammany organization are in COM
plete harmony.
VIII Talk in Jersey City.
Wednesday night Mr.. Bryan is to ad-
dress a meeting in Jersey City. Congress
man DAILY and Robert Davis, of New Jer-
sey, have sought to induce Mr.. Bryan to
drop silver in the Jersey City speech, and
K was thought they had made some i'm
preston on the Nebraskan, but he said
today:
II intend to discuss all three living issues
of the day-money, trusts and Imperialism
Continued on Page Two.