Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-23
BRYAN CANNOT WORK THEM
New York Democratic Club Does Not
Endorse His Candidacy.
SIMPLY GUEST OF PRESIDENT KELLER
Members of Club Caution Their EN-
ccutivc Head i'm II Lcttcr-Citc
Bryan-BclmontC Correspondence
-Rcmembcr Last Campaign.

o. tho Democratic club and now a member
Of the Board of Governors Robert b. Roose-
welt and John f. Doyle, was sent tonight to
John w, Keller president Of the Demo-
cratic club:
at is with the most kindly feeling, and
certainly with no desire to Crticise your
acts that we take the liberty as members
o. the Democratic club to address you. We
are credibly informed that you have in
vited w. j. Bryan to become your guest
az the Democratic club and take dinner with
you and party of friends
I'm other words, Mr.. Bryan Is to be en-
tortalnCi by you and the place OF such en-
tCrtainment is at the Democratic club.
While it Is your unquestoned right, or the
right of any other member to invite any
gentleman whom he may choose to become
his guest at the club, yet under existing
conditions we greatly fear that your act will
become construed by the public as the act of
the club should you give such dinner to
this distinguished guest without affirmatively
disclaimng such intention on the part of the
club. We ourselves can fully distinguish
between an official act and individual opin-
ion
1--WE want 1t understood too, that we have
no personal objections to Mr.. Bryan, nor do
we object in the slightest degree to your
giving him dinner at the club, An your in
dividual capacity as one of its members
We should much regret, however, If what
you propose to do should be construed
throughout the country as a political en-
dorsement by the club of the presidential
candidacy at this time of Mr.. Bryan.
None but Democrats Members.
Tho Democratic club Is essentially
l., ~,
5000 members none but democrats belong
to it. You are now its president and in the
absence of a disclaimer on your part to the
contrary your course in anything that per-
tains to the club or it's affairs might be
construed, and not unreasonably so, as the
act of the club. 1t will not do to say that
such construction would only be placed
upon your acts by the ignorant or misin-
formed because Mr.. Bryan himself has es-
tablished a precedent which is applicable
to the case now in point.
I'VE desire, to call your attention to a
portion of the correspondence which took
place between your immediate predecessor,
as president of the club, and the dstin-
guished gentleman whom you have invited
to be your guest at the club. You will re-
me mber that Mr.. Bryan now stands before
the nation as asprant seeking the demo-
cratic presidential nomination.
Here the letter cites the acrimonious COR
between Mr.. Bryan and Perry
Belmont, growing out or Nh. -N.jfyan 's
doclination of the Democratic clubs inyi-
tation to the Jefferson day banquet last
April, in which he condemned political
communion between Jefferson democrats
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 of demo-
cratic principles on election day.
Do Not Believe in Free silver.
The letter continues:
at may be fairly inferred from all of
the foregoing that If you were not consid-
cred by Mr.. Bryan as an avcwed believer
in his doctrine of free and unlimited silver
coinage at the ratio OF 16 to /, he would also
have declined your invitation on the ground
that no party advantage is to be derived
from political communion with you at the
Democratic club. We do not believe in the
wisdom OF free coinage at that ratio. We
do know, however, that we are democrats
and are interested in the success of the
party in the city, in the state
and in the nation.
This being true, we sincerely but respect
fully urge upon you, occupying as you do
the position OF president of the club, not to
DO anything which would tend to forestall
the action of the next democratic national
"As an individual, we insist upon the
right to express our opinions in regard to
he future policy of our party and the selec-
tion of its nominees. We believe it unwise
10 permit the opinion to go broadcast
l,p,,, hn hat tgg,l
club OF this city or the democratic party of
his state so far in advance of the convcn-
lion are irrevocably committed to the en-
iorsement of the principles of the last ma
tional platform, or of the views of the last
presidential nominee.
I'VE are painfully aware of the fact that |
in 1896 we lost the state OF New York by
l6S ,469 and the city by more than 10000. 1t |
IS our desire, If possible, to prevent a repe-
ition OF another such democratic political !
I'm conclusion let us again repeat that
we again take this course in good feeling, |
md to prevent. If possible, misconstruc- |
ion OF your individual act as being the act |
)f the Democratic club"
Commissioner of Charities John w. Kcl- |
err has announced the following list of |
guests who will dine with him at the Demo-
'ratic club tomorrow night when Bryan will !
1e the guest of honor. There will be thlr-
cen at the table, including Mr.. Keller, |
Iohn Carroll. John Whallen, Judge OGor- /
nan, Andrew Freedman, Bernard J. York, |
". l.. Brown, o. II. p, Belmont Alfred |
Henry Lewis, Ex-Governor Hogg of Texas, |
Thomas +. Grady and Norman e. Mack.
w. J, Bryan arrived in Jersey City from
AT 6:42 o'clock this morning and !
aas met by James Oliver sergeant-at arms |
II the democratic state convention, and a
lumber OF newspaper reporters. Bryan was
'scorted to the Hoffman house, headquarters
If the state democracy, in which hotel a
uite OF rooms had been engaged for him.
Bryan said to the reporters that he hoped
li5 presence in New York would contribute
o a general good feeling around,
Bryan breakfasted at the Hoffman house
With Ex-Governor Hogg of Texas and w.
!. Girdner, the leader of the Chicago plat
orm democrats, and James Oliver. Bryan
rad a number Of callers during the day but
he hotel was by no means crowded.
Not Talking About Candidates.
One OF Bryans callers asked him what
le thought Of o. II. p. Belmont as a vice
presidential candidate.
81 am not saying a word about candidates
ust now" he replied.