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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1915)
' A. The Commoner 10 VOL, 15, NO. 10 M, Vt' s tt &,. R' , iV, -' (. i . ' y.v, - iQir'l.- hv v ) 2'V v., "" trtV" fev Nebraska Drys Organize for Fight -0 ' f 0 0 Q 0 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 PROHIBITION AMENDMENT "Bo it enacted by the people of the state of Nebraska: That tile constitution of the state of Nebraska be amended by adding thereto the following, to be known and designated as article 17 thereof: On and after May 1, 1917, the manu facture, the sale, the keeping for sale or barter, the sale or barter under any pre text, of malt, spirituous, vinous or any other intoxicating liquors are forever prohibited in this state, except for med icinal, scientific, mechanical or sacra mental purposes." 0 0 0 0 0 The following extracts were taken from re ports of the meeting of the Nebraska Dry Fed eration, which met in Lincoln, Sept 29-30, as re ported' by the Nebraska 3tato Journal:! More than a thousand delegates, three-fourths of them men, gathered in Lincoln September 29 30, to formulate the plan on which the fight for a dry Nebraska is to bo conducted next spring and summer. These delegates came from all parts of tho state as representatives of organiza tions which believe in putting tho liquor,, inter ests out of business. Mayor C. W. Bryan of Lincoln was selected by-acclamation permanent chairman of tho convention, which met to frame tho organization for the anti-saloon .fight next year. Mayor Bryan first welcomed the delegates to what he called the most important convention of recent years in Nebraska; he was then called by acclamation to preside over the convention. He was roundly applauded. Mr. Bryan ex pressed himself that a program was being mapped out which would sweep everything be foro it in tho campaign,. 4With 1,400 delegates at tho convention rising unanimously in support of a motion to adopt a form of amendment to submit to thq people in an effort to wipo out tho saloons and the brew eries of Nebraska, the campaign was auspicious ly, started. Contrary to the fears of many there had been no row. It had been, a give and take proposition throughout a long committee session whoro divergent views had to bo reconciled. It was a general tendency to sink individual pref erences in tho convention itself that led to this harmony. By tho form of tho amendment as finally adopted, which appears at tho head of this col umn, only regular means of enforcement can be used. It carries no legislative provisions. The liquor business is not declared a nuisance as tho Douglas county men desired. It does not pro hibit the uso of liquor or keeping it in possession for private use as many of the stato delegates desired, . Tho committee of nine men who went over tho amendment with great care for several hours decided that In its original form, in which it had been rather extensively circulated by the W. O. T. U. was faulty and indeed unconstitu tional. It set a time for tho amendment to go Into effect contrary to the present constitutional amendment. It contained two sections whereas tho new draft contains but one. Tho committee did not believe the extensive powers in the hands of tho governor, as desired by the Douglas coun ty delegation, would stand the tests of the courts, and that was omitted. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE They stand as follows to date, with tho chair man having the right to reject any of them in order to spread tho committee more widely over the stato. Tho chief purpose was to make tho committee distinctly non-partisan: Republicans Ambrose C. Epperson of Clay Center" Democrats E. O. Kretsingor of Beatrice. Progressives H. E. Sackett of Beatrice.' Prohibitionists C. C. Crowell of Omaha. W. C. T. U. Mrs. Mamlo Clafiin of University Place. . Anti-Saloon League H. P. Carson of Lincoln. Organized Labor Ed. Ashland of Omaha The socialist representative will be announced later. In the discussion over the for m of the amend ment one man, who announced that he was a minister, moved that the word 'sacramental be stricken out. He did not think a poison should be used in religious rites. He did not get a sec ond. Several shouted "Leave that to the church." Another asked why the gift part had been left out. Another wanted to know how to get a boot legger who gives a man a drink and then drops a dime on the ground, or just gives It to another man. Another asked why if easier to pass the amendment with the word "gift" omitted tho convention did not leave out the word "sale" also. All these questions were answered. W. P. Dale of Denton getting the most applause when ho vigorously declared the dry forces must not hopo to win everything In one election, but should get what they can and let the rest come along later. BRYAN PROMISES HELP Chairman Bryan read a paragraph from a let ter written him by W. J. Bryan in which the latter pointed out that Kansas does not prohibit gifts of liquor, that this would be a small mat ter anyway, and the convention should not add anything unnecessary to its amendment. The chairman said that his brother intends tQ put in considerable time in favor of the amendment next year. ' The organization committee was also ready to report. Bishop Prank M. Bristol who was to have spoken at night was ill and could not be present, so these reports jfitted into the time. The committee had had no trouble in reaching a de cision. The federation is to be non-partisan and to be known as "The Nebraska Dry Federation." Its chef campaign body is to be an executive com mittee of nine, eight to be named by the chair man of the convention, and those eight to select a chairman for themselves who will be the head of the campaign organization. The eight men are to be selected, one from, each, of tho follow ing organizations: Republicans, democrats,' pro gressives, socialists, prohibitionists. W. C. T. U organized labor, and anti-saloon league. Chairman Bryan requested that delegates belonging to each of these organizations meet in the hall after the adjournment and recommend jnorabers of the executive committee to him. This was done in part, others were announced the following morning. ON AMENDED FORM This most Important committee, equal to the resolutions committee of a regular political con vention, was composed of the following: R M Proudfit of Friend, E. L. King of Osceola, C. G. Flansburg and E. J. Burkett of Lincoln, E O Kretsinger of Beatrice, A. C. Apperson of Clay Center, Elmer Thomas of Omaha, H. E. Sackett of Beatrice, and M. I. Brower of Fullerton. Chairman Bryan asked a moment's time to consider the names he would mention, but it did not take him long to make his selections. He did not do as chairmen sometimes do, pull the list from his pocket and read it. The committee re tired at once, and so soon as the speechmakinc bogan as entertainment for the delegates Chair man Bryan hurried over to take part In the de liberations. Another committee was appointed to consider the sort of organization that ought to be perfected to conduct the big campaign The committee was as follows: E. J3ossemeyer Jr- of Superior, S. C. Basset of Gibbon, W. R. Patrick of Omaha, D. l. Love of Lincoln, and Sidney Stewart of Tecumseh! FARMERS WITH THEM A message was received from the national farmers' congress in session at Omaha cragrat ulating the convention on its purpose, wishing it n!nCZ n Ul un(lert and dec aTing that the congress had ever since its foundation been oppbsed to the liquor traffic. uu"ion been Besides this word of cheer which was cheered loudly messages were read from Governor Ar thur Capper of Kansas and Governor Geo?L I" tCherre0snuU of Bwb&HIW,r,lor Capper ' tnK and never so satisfied with WSSlSS gram for the past generation w ",pp?" say that prohibition i coinn T,aS re??y to believe that Nebraska is a bounden slave tn B vice, and am confident she will soon drive frZ her borders the chief giant of them all ?? hoped that "the fight will be carried on with,!,,? quarter until Nebraska is dry." witnom While it was spending a little time with nnti, ing to do until the committee reports were mad tho convention endorsed and congratulated !! Lincoln Typographical union for its stand r7 cently on the liquor question. A voice from L gallery suggested a word of cheer for Billy sin day which was given freely, including a men ti.on of "Ma" Sunday with it. A feminine yZ from the concourse of delegates said: "Oh wen Billy embraces Ma, anyway." ' ' THE PROHIBITION FIGHT Dr. Perley Baker, superintendent of the na tional anti-saloon league, spoke for almost an hour on the general subject of the fight against booze, which it is his life work to conduct and direct. He traced the temperance movement from the time a law was passed somewhere lim iting any person to seven go.blets of liquor at one meal, down to the present time, from the stage where only preachers combatted the business to this time when the support is from all classes H6 urged the delegates to further the fight by seeking to- name good" men in their own parties but failing in this to support the other party candidates if they are good, that is, against cor ruption and against booze. He charged that the liquor Interest not only makes rufflians in the slums but sends them to congress. Underwood and Mann, respectively democratic and repub lican leaders In congress, used every known method to prevent the prohibition amendment from coming to a vote. And it was its first test. Former United States Senator Blair of New Hampshire, aged and bent until he looked like Father Time, watched proceedings. He had in troduced the first joint resolution for prohibi tion thirty-eight years before. It had taken that long to get a hearing in the national halls of. legislation. Doctor Baker was rather proud of Mayor Bry an and said so. "I wish it would cloud up and fain mayors all over the land like Mayor Bry an," said he. Considerable applause. The speaker stopped and demanded: "What is tho matter there, republicans, can't you applaud that?" And he got another "round of apprecia tion. SOME SPEECHES . The convention did not like to quit. It in sisted on some speeches after listening to Mrs. Boss Gearhart Morrison render Henry Van Dyke's "Home Again" and vainly trying to get her to do it again, and after applauding Gaither brothers quartet. Mayor McConaughy of Hold rege told how his town went dry and stayed that way. W. A. Selleck of Lincoln declared that this was the biggest event he had seen in thirty years in Nebraska. A. L. Sutton, candi date for the republican nomination for governor, declared that the liquor interests must bo forced to quit. Elmer Thomas of Omaha sang the praises of Billy Sunday as a prohibition orator and in fluence. He suggested that efforts be made to get Mr. Sunday to make some speeches in the state next September, and the convention voted to invite him. Mayor Bryan promised to deliver tho invitation in person. Ross Hammond came down from Fremont to declare himself on the side of the drys where he had been for thirty-six years as a publisher of a small city newspaper. It would be no holi day fight, said he, for he knew something of the resourcefulness of tho liquor Interests and of the golden pot accessible to them. If they but donated 10 per cent of their net revenues in the state they would have a campaign fund of more than $100,000. But it fs a fight for life and death, and they could and probably would, necessary, spend an entire year's net revenue, or a million dollars to defeat the amendment JUDGE HOLMES SPEAKS Judgo E. P. Holmes of Lincoln, who for many years has been a vigorous and able champion or a liberal policy, read an exhaustive argument in favor of prohibition, and confessed that he naa all these previous years b'een wrong in defend ing liquor business as an industrial asset. He appeared, he said, partly to provo that previous announcement of conversion was noi J mere bluff. He had never before made a speecu in favor of prohibition nor had he ever appear before such a convention. He had open y rw ed the efforts to make Lincoln a dry city. believed it would not prohibit, that it would o J t, -1