The Commoner
OCTOBER, 1915
n
a bad business move, and that a local dry dis
trict would increase vice rather than curb it,
He still believes he was right on the local option
situation.
He argued the duty and obligation of the stato
to its people to use the police power vested in
it to abolish any and all social and business con
ditions which destroy the vigor and the moral
qualities of its people. The liquor business falls
within the class that the police regulation should
move against, just as does the protection of the
state from the effects of contagious diseases.
Prohibition will be easier for Nebraska than it
was for Kansas for all but one of the states sur
rounding this one is dry territory. Prohibition
is not a failure. Kansas will prove it, said the
speaker. In 1914 Nebraska paid the United
States government almost $3,000,000 as a spe
cial tax on booze manufactured or consumed in
the state. Kansas paid less than $600,000.
Esther prohibition does prohibit or Kansans are
able to dodge the sleuths of the United States
government.
Once Judge Holmes had considered this the
greatest and most moral nation on earth. But
now he is doubtful. He has discovered that this
nation uses more whiskey than any other two
countries on earth, and that the consumption of
it has Increased from 102,000,000 gallons in
1902 to 193,000,000 gallons twelve years later.
He discovered that not even Germany uses so
much beer and other malt liquors. More than
two billion gallons are consumed annually of
this kind of booze in this nation alone. Only
Russia consumes more alcohol than this nation.
In fact the United States is steeped in booze.
Chairman Bryan assured the audience that
the addition of Judge Holmes to the dry ranks
was no small gain.
ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR BYRNE OF SOUTH
DAKOTA
Governor Byrne of South Dakota discussed
the effects of the liquor traffic both in morals
and business. He warned Nebraska that the
liquor interest would not show openly the entire
activity which they would be using. They would
get their voters to the polls. Drys could not
carrv the election by wishing the state were pro
hibition. He told how the state of which he is
governor had first put a prohibition amendment
in its constitution, and then lost it through the
indifference of the voters who really wanted
the state to remain dry.
In part Governor Byrne said:
"There are some good people who question
the propriety of the governor of a state appear
in g at meetings like this and taking sides on a
question of this kind. Some people seem to
think that a governor should be a kind of digni
fied automaton, holding himself discreetly aloof
from the common, vital intersts of life, except
the things pertaining to his own election or re
election. T have been criticised at home for tak
ing part in anti-saloon campaigns, especially out
side of my own state. Last spring, I went over
to Minnesota to take part in such a campaign;
and some of our state papers criticised my action
and inquired what business the governor had go
ing out to tell the people how to vote on matters
of local concern, and I suppose I shall be called
to account for coming here. I do not take such
criticisms to heart, and I see no reason why I
should not advocate what I believe right and in
the interest of the public weal. Nor do I op
pose the saloon onlv, or especially. In my ca
pacity as a public official or because, for a period,
I happen to be such, but in my capacity as a
sovereign American citizen. And feeling, as I
do, a profound conviction in regard to the bad
effects of the liquor traffic, and convinced, as I
am, that it is one or the great evils of the day,
a menace to society, a peril to youth and a mock
ery to age, and to eve.rv sentiment of truth and
honor,' did I fail to raise my voice in emphatic
protest against its continuance, in my own state,
or in anv other state of this fair land.
"During the time I have been in public life,
I have frequently come in conflict with the forces
that seek to influence the agencies of government
.for selfish, personal ends; with those interests
and combinations of interests aptly designated
the 'invisible government existing outside of
the constitution and law, and in no way respon
sible to the people. In my own state we have
carried on a movement which, in a measure at
least, restored authority and control to men
elected by the people, accountable to the people
and removable by the people. T have always
found the llqour traffic in league with these spe
cial interests, an important part of this 'invis
ible government that seeks to pervert the con
stitutional government to its own use. When:
ever the lobby of a corporation, interest, or sel
fish organization was making a combination to
hamper the free act of the legislature, to secure
the enactment of a law, or to prevent the enact
ment of some other law, or to influence or inter
fere with the enforcement of law, the liquor in
terests were ever ready to Join in the sinister
movement with a view to furthering its own
ends and securing immunity from the conse
qiK ros of its own iniquity.
"In my state, as in many others, for years
the legislative lobby was in substantial control
at tho.capitol. It influenced the organization
of legislatures, and legislative policies" were
largely directed from the lobby headquarters.
With lavish hand it dealt out railroad passes,
express and telegraph franks and other valuable
considerations in the furtherance of its schemes,
until curbed by legislative enactment. During
all that time the liquor interests wore ready to
point in every corrupting scheme, in ovory plan
to thwart the freo expression of the public will.
It is never found allied with the agoncles seek
ing the public good, but always on the side of
selfishness and wrong. It never walks In the
wnv of nnennoflfl and light, but always by the
dark and devloua path.
SATISFIFED WITH WORK
The two days that 1,400 delegates have
worked in Lincoln have resulted in all that was
desired, the nucleus of a machine to carry on the
organization work.
No regular political convention ever conducted
its work with more harmony than was ovidonced
among these delegates. They lacked some in
the excitement that often goes with political con
ventions, sometimes because a fight and some
times because of artificial effort. The delegates
were a rather sober-minded gathering, intent
on one object. It was able to sink indi
vidual opinion and to move towards a common
end, an amendment for which all could work
willingly. Not a murmur of dissatisfaction was
heard after the troublesome points wero settled
the first night.
A. C. Apperson of Clay Center who, was sup
posed to figure in earlier proceedings arrived
late and told the convention that the chances
for success were never more rosy. Ho was glad
to hear that differences had arisen over the form
of the amendment. It indicated that interest
was great. .J
i
WILLIAM J. BRYAN
Eom the Nashville Tennessean, Sept. 28.
William Jennings Bryan speaks at the audi
torium tonight on "The European War and Its
Lessons for Us."
That, at this time, is the most important pos
sible topic to the American people. Mr. Bryan,
at this time as at all times since he became a pub
lic man, Is the speaker of all speakers in the
United States, who can present the facta of an
important question by a way that gets homo to
the people. To these two essentials of a master
ly address, there will doubtless be added the
third essential, a large audience of intelligent
persons.
Mr. Bryan has spoken in Nashville a great
many times, and no other man has so uniformly
drawn large crowds or created intense interest
in what he said. But since Mr. Bryan has been
heard In Nashville, he has added very materially
to his great record of achievement. Since Nash
ville people have had an opportunity of hearing
him, the procuring of the peace treaties, prob
ably the most monumental single work of his
life, has given him additional fame throughout
the world. Since he was heard here, Mr. Bryan
has left the cabinet of President Wilson, that he
might more effectively work with the president
toward keeping the United States from being
drawn Into the vortex of war. The jibes of cer
tain newspapers have not succeeded in bring
ing the people to believe that there was a rup
ture between Mr. Wilson and Mr. Bryan. It
was merely the reaching of a conclusion that
the two men, working toward the same result
by different means, might come nearer achieving
the thing desired, a thing that was very difficult
and the achievement of which at that time was
extremely doubtful, even with the utmost util
ization of all the means at hand. The president
knows and has said that Mr. Bryan was not in
any sense at variance with him as to what must
bo done. Mr. Bryan knows that and has said it.
And the people of the United States know it
thoroughly and have never doubted It.
And so Mr. Bryan continues, as he has been
for the last twenty years, one of the greatest
powers for good in the United State. It is
doubtful If tho American people, much as ther
love this man, will In this generation realize th
magnltudo of tho service ho has rondercd them.
For almost exactly nineteen years now, Mr. Bry
an has had tho car of a larger part of tho Amer
ican people than any other man has ever had.
Ho has used his unmatched opportunity to In
culcato in tho public mind principles that have
nlrcady gone a great way toward roturnlng the
government Into tho hands of tho people, and
thoy will contlnuo to go forward along this road
for a generation yot.
William Jennings Bryan is ono of the great
Americans of all tlmo becauso of what he has
accomplished himself, but ho is Immensely great
er becauso of what ho has mado It possible for
others to accomplish. Many of tho laws that
have boon put on tho statuto books by others had
tho way blazed for them by Mr. Bryan. The re
forms that were effected in congress a fow years
ago might have corao In tho fullness of time, but
thoy could not havo boon brought about at the
tlmo they wero but for tho work done by Mr.
Bryan. Woodrow Wilson would have been a
great president at any tlmo and under any cir
cumstances, and would havo achieved many not
ablo reforms, but tho task was mado much eas
ier for him by tho missionary work of Bryan.
Some of tho great measures enacted during the
Wilson administration might not have been pos
sible at all but for Bryan's work.
In fact, It may bo said without exaggeration
that tho wholo progressive raovomont in Amer
ican politics owes Its existence to Mr. Bryan.
Practically every policy of tho Roosovelt admin
istration that was of real benefit to the people
was taken bodily from Mr. Bryan's code. Where
over there has been a crusade that resulted in
tho purification of politics, the germ of it can
bo found in a principle) enunciated for a fight
mado by Mr. Bryan.
Tho Bryan policies havo successfully proved
themselves sane, safe and sound. A great num
ber of men havo adopted ono Bryan policy after
another and many times havo forgotten that
they wero Bryan policies. It is no uncommon
thing to find men toiUj absolute enthusiasts for
a principle on which thoy condemned Mr. Bryan
a few years ago. Tho man and his work have
stood tho tent. They are Incorporated Into the
law and the life of the land.
That fs tho man who speaks to tho people of
Nashville tonight on tho lessons of the European
war. All of us must realize that that war does
contain very important lessons for us, lessons
tho duo observance of which will lead us In paths
of safety, lessons tho disregard of which may
plunge us Into calamity. It may bo that none
of us aro ablo, just yet, to read- those lessons
aright. The learning of a lesson is a process pain
ful and slow. Many may not bo ablo to accept
Mr. Bryan's Interpretation of those lessons. He
will not claim that ho has himself learned them
thoroughly. That Is probably an Impossible task
in this brief time. But, with deep earnestness,
he has brought a great mind to bear upon them,
and there Is no shadow of doubt that he Is doing
much toward enabling the people of the United
States to read their lessons for themselves.
An excellent example of tho effects of mob psy
chology Is glvon by those former advocates of
peaco who have permitted themselves to be dra
gooned by pressure of popular opinion Into fa
voring some sort of a larger war program. The
regret at their recantation Is mellowed by the
fact that anybody whose convictions are not
moored to his courage so securely that they can't
resist transient tides, never strengthened muck
tho forces with which he was once aligned.
Mr. Taft recently expressed the opinion In ft
carefullv considered argument that while wo
man's suffrage is certain to be adopted by the
United States sometime, that time has not yet
arrived, and that if It Is sufficiently delayed tm
give better preparation to women as a class. Its
"advantages will outweigh Its probable injurious
consequences." At the rate that the ex-presi
dent is progressing he will get around to
dorslng direct election of senators by 1930.
The republican editors of the east are trying
to be mysterious about the identity of the next
republican nomlnco for president by saying that
"ho will be a man who stands for the funda
mental principles of the republican party," That
description fits most any of the standpatters of
former days, but the real problem is to flni
enough voters to stand for the aforesaid funda
mental principles. They have repudiated thet
so often in recent years.
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