The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, December 01, 1920, Page 12, Image 12

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The Commoner
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Jfranca, p which, to Us, tho league was, far and
away, the most Important feature.
(The itepubican party accepted the challenge,
thff country was polled, and the most overwhelm
ing; vote recorded In our history was thrown
against the President. Hundreds of thousands
of DemoorAts -considering themselves none the
less Democrats Joined the Republicans in
condemning the pact.
These Democrats did more than this. They
voted to put the Republican party in power on
a platform with the torms of which they were
fully acquainted.
Now,, as Mr. Lewis suggests, it Is the duty of
these Domocrats to make their votes good. They
must support Mr Harding in every fair effort
he institutes to obey the mandate issued on the
2nd instant. The people, asked to speak,, have
spoken in the lawful way, and their commands
suttst bo" heeded. For those who voted to put
the Republicans into comploto control to turn
ow on partisan grounds and try to binder the
carrying out of tho Republican program fairly
in4rpreted would bo both an IllogicaL and an
absurd tact, Washington Stat.
fa
CHAIRMAN WHITE
iThe denial by Oharman White of the Demo-
critic national committee of the report that he
will soon resign his office gives an interesting
twist to an interesting situation. The roport
had been accepted as true, largely for tho reason
that as Mr, White had been hurriedly called to
his place and lost his battle, it was easy of be
lief that he had lost stomach for further service.
Immediately, several names were suggested
for the succession, and it xibA observed that they
were the names of men who had been McAdoo
boomers at San Francisco.
X.ook out? at once exclaimed the Cox men and
tiU Bryan men, who fancied they detected a Wall
sfreet move to get possession of the machinery
of the Democratic party.
The Cox men "have It In" for. Wall street.
When they consider the size of- the Harding
pluralities in New York and adjacent states where
"Wall street influences prevail at times, in the po
litical as in the financial World, .they And the
t English language a poor vehicle for conveying
' objurgation and disgust.
As for the Bryan men, they follow their lead-
ijt r; ana tneir leaaers reelings aDOUt wan street
h are a quarter century old. They date from 1896.
when the street made tho east "the enemy's coun
try" for Mr. Bryan, and'kept it so through his
two other efforts to reach the Wliito House. He
is still against the street and the street against
him in all matters relating to government.
It it too soon to reorganize the Democratic
national committee or the Democratic party, and
impolite to make suggestions on the subject
which arotise auspicions of sectional and fac
tional character. Whenever Wall street is men
tioned, or even suggeete, a good many people
in both parti.ee see red.- Washington Star;
TAXING "COFFIN -NAILS"
For the most part Secretary Houston's pro
peeed revision of our present inequitable tax
system .seems a step In the right direction, but as
a patriot of the 140 per cent test, we beg to
protest against the proposed "nailing" of $70,
Q&G.OOQ by a special tax on cigarets. Simultane
ously with our entrance into the war the tobacco
people started the coffin-nail propaganda, urging
that boys going to war were not fully equipped
for the service unless trained to roll a cigaret
in concert with the roll of the drums, and hav
ing a supply in stock for every emergency. This
propaganda was adroitly tangled up with as-,
severations ot unfailing patriotism that even the
churches fell for the camouflage, and one. who
dared to stand out against the systematized ef
fort to poison all the boya entering the service
with nicotine- fumes, would have been accounted
a fit subject for discipline before the state coun
cil of defense for his probable pro-German ten
dencies. Since it ia unfortunately true that hun
dreds ot thousands of the brave boys who went
to France to make this country secure from
armed Teutonic invasion fell for the ad
vances, of Dame Nicotine, must they now be
penalized in perpetuity by having to pay more
toy cigarets than the damthings are, worth? And
this to make easier the loads of profiteers who
tfiled up fortunes while the boys -were lighting
their battles across; the sea? t "is unfair, Bixby
in Nebraska gfojjte Journals ,... H
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Sone Election Results
Magnificent dry gains wore nfadp in practi
cally all tho states in tho November election.
Especially gratifying wore the gains made in
the wet states, that Is, states that wore wet at
the .time national prohibition became operative.
Perhaps Now Jersey distinguished herself the
most of any of this class of states. "She elected
a legislature that is certain to repeal the fake
beer bill which Governor Edwards signed with
much gusto and which probably encouraged
him In his statement that he would make the
state as wot as the Atlantic ocean. The legis
lature will undoubtedly pass a strong law en
forcement measure.
Now York made progress in the election of a
governor pledged to use his influence for the
repeal"of tho fake beer bill of that state and to
work for the enactment of an adequate dry, law
enforcement code.
Although Massachusetts voters in a referent
dum approved the fake beer bill enacted by the lty tor BSXSn? rZrLlt??
lnHf wtTftt nmi vnWd h finvnnr Hnn,w - " V? "Sent to participate in .any
MB. BRYAN'S AX&nr RECORD
The following letters are self-explanatory':
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 10. To the Editor of -the
State Journal: The article appearing in "yes
terday morning's Journal, contributed by S. S.
Warren, relative to Bryan' resignation during
the Spanish War, cannot. go unchallenged. Not
only is the article misleading but the truth has
been trifled wth to a very great and damaging
extent. ' .
Before critlcfzing Nebraska's foremost citi
zen, the cleanest politician, and in myrhumblo
judgment the greatest stateman of the twentieth
century, it would he well to be in possession
of these facts: Colonel Bryan.'a regiment left
Fort Omaha July 18, rS98, arrived at Jackson
ville, Florida, July 22, 1898, The regiment "was
in camp in the southland from July 22 until
December 30, 1898. During thJ period there
was not a land or naval battle fought in Cuban
waters, the naval battle on July 3 having prac
tically ended the war with Spain.
i wisn to state there never was an opportun
ist legislature and vetoed bv Govornor Coolidce
by a small plurality of a little over 8,000, the
moasuro' failed by more than 60,000 to secure
a majority of the votes cast. The growth of
temperance sentiment in Massachusetts Is re
vealed in thavoto on license for tho munici
palities. Last year 22o municipalities voted
wet and 11 5 dry, This year 277 voted dry and
75 wet. '
Missouri voters did, themselves proud by ap
proving the law enforcement measure by
80,000. "
Ohio Voters approved a law enforcement code
by 276,000; .
Wisconsin voters approved tho law enforce
ment measure which carried a provision thaj,
the state definition of intoxicants should be in
conformity with the definition of the Volstead
Cjode. They elected a -legislature that will
prbbably strengthen this state enforcement code.
The voters of the seventh Minnesota congres
sional district return'ed Congressman Volstead
to Washington in the face of terriflo opposition.
Volstead' victory is one of the modt important
achieved, on November 2.
. Pennsylvania increased the dry membership
of both branches of the legislature . and in
creased the numher of urys.in the congressional
delegation, as did also most of thev above named
states.
The dry law enforcement issue figured promi
nently in the election In all tof these states and
the result Is a clear indication of strong approval
"by the majority of the people of bono dry pro
hibition. American Issue. ,
DISCREDITED IN NEBRASKA
. "PInhead management" In politics will noi
work toward success any more. When a party
management begins operations by cutting ovt,
Ignoring and driving away a large portion of the
party's members, the defeat is inevitable. That
was the attitude of those who wiggled Into con
trol ot the Democratic party in both the nation
an this state. The theory upon which they la
bored (in vain) was jto do It alone. Bat it
can't be done. If there is no conciliating policy,
there Is no solidity. The Hastings Democrat has
a pretty correct vision of the late situation when
It said in its last Isetie: '
"Keith Neville and his anti-progressive gang
of political plnheads Imagined they" could win
aparty victory in Nebraska without the aid
or consent of progressive Democrats. Instead
the most overwhelmlng and humiliating defeat '
in the history of Nebraska democracy. Never
were men delegated at the head of party affairs
in Nebraska who exhibited such littleness of abil
ity, managerial incapacity, narrowness in party
vision and lack of respect for party decency.
"If the Democratic party is ever r.gain to
attain supremacy in state government the Demo
crat boldly states it must be purged of all such
leaders who are responsible for its present dis-
credited and demoralized oondition in Nebraska." .
t-F. L. Whodon in Kearney Democrat..
-j 1 ,
Reorganizes are going to reorganize the"
Democrat party. That ia what it left of it, is
again to have the breath of life breathed into it.
Some say that Cox is to furnish the hreath.
Others, that McAdoo is to b the man, hut the
facare, that the. corpse will remain dead 'until
the f &l responsibility for the task 13 turne.d qyer
to one--W. J B.. Ho is the only .one1 who lli be
abe,to even start .apulsebea,t.r-Ble5HUi; Neb.,
Leader' , r' . " -;- .- , , .
real battle with the Spaniards. I will also state
that tho orotocol which .waa thn nraliminn.rv
treaty ot peace was signed long hef ore , Bryan
? thought of resigning. On the 12th of August
preliminary terms of peace were agreed upon at
Washington, the French minister acting, in be
half of Spain. On December 1& or X4, 1898, Bryan
resigned as colonel of the Third Nebraska, his
roasons for doing so are not for me to criticise,
he probably preferred to. be where he could ' do i
the most good. Immediately after resigning, Mr.
Bryan went to Washington ahd hastened tne" rati
fication of tho peace treaty. The war with Spain
being over, his services In the army were "rid
longer required. .
Had Mr. Warren .heard Bryant farewell ad
dress f o the "boys," he Would not indulge in stash'
unjust criticism Bryan was not a'coward, as
Mr, Warreri infers in his. article,
On December SO, 1S8, the: Tftlrd Nebraska
embarked for Cuba' for garrison duty, and 're
mained in" Cttb until April 7 ltS, .WliileIh
Cuba, onr. cartridge belts were empty, we never
had occasion to use a ball cartridge. However,
We had target practice occasionally. r '
Having served as a private in Bryan's' regi
men t, I am able to furnish the above dateteand
facts. In what regiment did Mr. Warren serve?
Respectfully, ,
A. B. WOEL'LHAF
Company C. Third Neb. Vol. Inf.
My Dear Mr. Woellhaf r I am grfcatly obliged
to you for your defehBe. My political enemies
ar,e still active, and I have to rely on friend's to
protect me from misrepresentation, I have a very
pleasant recollection of my association with the.
boys of the Third Nebraska Infantry and . am
willing to leave my reputation ia their hands.
With good wishes. Tours truly, .
W.,X BRTiAN.
GIVE THB HHipPINES XKE1R FREEDOM
Manuel Queion, president of .the Philippine
senate says that the Filipino want a govern
ment administered by Filipino. W believe the
XJnite Statee should give it to them. Americans
have given them qader, security, pce; schools,
sanitation, and virtual freedom, assuming all the
burdens and all the risks.
N If that is not satisfactory the quicker the Sit
uation is corrected to their satisfaction the bet
ter for the United States. A government adminis
tered by Filipinos meante full responsibility. TKey
must manage their own army and1 their own de
fense. When the United States withdraws it with
draws: It givear them full freedom,, but does not
guarantee it. We cannot be held responsible for
acts over which we have no controL If the
free Filipinos get into trouble they can get out
of it or remain in it. That will be an .under
stood bargain, If they go from iCinlg Iiog. 'Stork
that will be strictly their- own affair;Chicago
Tribune. . " ' , :
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" " ::J. wniii confer?
A Marion, .O., dispatch, dated Dec. 11, says:
, William Jennings Bryan will confer with Presi
dent elect Harding Friday, December .XT iti$ras
announced tojiay. Senator .Harding said that he
had invited Mr. Bryan among other Republican
and Democratic leaders selected. toGonferjwith
him, and that the date had been ilxed tV coin-
.., i.u .tux, jaryan-s presence in v Marion to
$PQMM laymen' imfetiug tt3UblM2ton
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