The Commoner
MABCH, 191G
the opposite side from what the enlightened
voters of the state declare for? The question is
easy to answer. The democratic party in Ne
braska will be in the same position that it is in
a number of other states that have voted dry
when the democratic party failed to take the
human side of this great question, viz., the party
will be practically out of business in this state.
I believe that it Is of vital importance to the fu
ture of the party in Nebraska that its candidate
for governor take his stand on the human side
of this great question, both on account of the
service that such action will render to the people
of the state and on account of placing the demo
cratic party in a position so that after the elec
tion, regardless of the result of the election as
to the candidates, the democratic party may he
in a "position to serve the masses of the people in
the future as it has in the past.
A report has been published back and forth
in the press of the state to the effect that I have
stated that it is my intention to demand that
every candidate on the democratic state and
legislative, ticket should state his position on the
wot and dry Issue. I have made no such demand,
and I would have no way of enforcing such a
demand if I should attempt It. The report prob
ably grew out of an announcement that I made
about sixty days ago for Mr. W. J. Bryan. In
that announcement .he stated that he was, com
ing to Nebraska to take part in the primary con
test. It is his Intention to try to prevent the
special Interests of the state under the leader
ship of the liquor interest from using the demo-"
cratic .party organization and the democratic
party candidates to jQght its battles in this state
at the coming election. Mr. Bryan recognizes
that the fight that he has undertaken will be a
fight of some dimensions. He will need all of
the help that he can secure. He has appealed
to the progressive democrats of the state to file
for positions on the state and legislative tickets
so that these progressive candidates can take
part in the primary contest and help make the
fight that he expects to participate in.
Mr. Bryan has not demanded that every can
didate on the state and legislative tickets make
a public statement as to where he stands on the
wet arid -dry question. It is Immaterial- how
many men "filer for the various state and. legisla
tive positions who do "not state their position on
the paramount issue- of the campaign, but what
Mr. Bryan has requested is that at least one man
file for each place on the state and legislative
tickets who Is willing to say where he stands and
who is willing to stump the state with Mr. Bryan
to prevent the special Interests from using the,
democratic party .this year as they are endeav
oring to do.
It is not Mr. Bryan's intention to unnecessar
ily embarrass candidates who may have no opin
ion, but what he most earnestly desires is t6 help
make the kind of campaign he believes Should
be made. He is not interested in candidates
whose only desire is to ride on the wagon while
the -contest is being made, but he is looking for
men who are courageous enough to help pull the
wagon and who are willing to help pull out a
real democratic victory In the primaries that will
enable the democratic party to pull out a victory
in the fall election.
I announced my candidacy for governor with
considerable reluctance. During the past two
months, while the discussion has been going on
pro and con through the press about the pos
sible candidates and issues for the democratic
party to consider, I have urged various promin
ent democrats in the state to become candidates
for the nomination, for governor, and among
those whom I have urged to become candidates
are such well known democrats as Judge Edgar
Howard, Hon. W. H. Thompson, Judge J. J.
Thomas and Hon. I. J. Dunn. They stated to me
that owing to the peculiar conditions existing in
the state on account of the issues to be consid
ored at the coming election, they expressed the
belief that I was the logical candidate and should
outer the primary contest as the candidate for
governor. I also -wrote to Hon. J. S. Canaday
and endeavored to Interest him in the state con
test. He replied that it was not his intention to
take part In state politics this year. I was in
hopes that one of the above named worthy dem
ocrats could be drafted to lead the contest in this
state this fall.
If one of the above named democrats had vol
unteered his services as candidate for governor.
I would not have filed as a candidate.
Does this look like "dictation" or like
"making a condition that no one but myself
could meet?" Why don't discontented ones tell
the 'public what their grouch or grievance is?
They have none, as-1 have, and have always had
very friendly personal relations with all of thorn.
Why don!t they tell the public what the REAL
trouble is? The democratic party will have to
draw 20,000 votes from other parties to elect
its state ticket. This can be done if tho party
will take its stand for a platform And a cause
that means a better citizenship and a more pro
gressive and prosperous Nebraska.
CHAS. W. BRYAN.
COMMENTS ON MAYOR BRYAN'S CANDI
DACY FOR THE NEBRASKA DEMOCRATIC
GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION '
.Albion Argus (Dem.): Tho indications are
that Mayor Charles Bryan of Lincoln will bo a
formidable candidate for the democratic nomin
ation for governor Charles Bryan
is a political boss with no peer, and a politician
of much experience, but no ono denies that he is
a man whose hands are clean and ho Is a fighter
from start to finish. Tho people will find no
dove of peace nestling about him, and everyone
loves an aggressive leader.
Charles W. Bryan will bo a candidate for the
democratic nomination for governor at tho com
ing primaries. He will be actively supported by
W. J. Bryan, who will campaign the state for
about a month before the April primaries.
The Argus predicts that ho will bo a strong
candidate and opposing democrats must be pre
pared to see him successful in spite of their op
position. While he is unequaled as a political
boss he is a scrapper and more practical in pol
itic than W. J. Bryan. He knows politics like
an open book and believes that all Is fair in pol
itics as in love. Nevertheless he is a clean man
personally and morally and shows courage in
shouldering prohibition and making a fight for
the ofilce when he knows how ho has come to be
hated by his party associates whom he has an
tagonized for years Charles Bryan
will start a fight from the beginning and will
neither ask or give quarter The people need
not be surprised to see him performing duties
as governor 'of Nebraska after tho expiration of
Governor Morehead's term of office.
Fairbury Journal (Dem.): Tho possibility
that C. W. Bryan may be tho democratic nom
inee for governor of Nebraska is sending shivers
down the spines of the special interests in Ne
braska, and their followers. , Mr. Bryan is a
brother of W. J. Bryan and it is our opinion that
this relationship is a handicap 'rather than a
help to him in his publio life. Charles W.
Bryan has attributes and talents all his own,
whollv apart from his famous brother, as some
have discovered who have met up with him in
political scrimmages. Mr. Bryan would make
an ideal governor for several reasons, particu
larly because he has no entangling business re
lations, is capable, .brainy, active, unafraid and
a natural leader of men and measures.
Charles Bryan has filed as a candidate for
the democratic nomination for governor. Out
of all the turmoil and unrest a good man comes
to the front. When he becomes governor of
this great state there will be consternation in
the camp of his enemies in the state house.
The "Bryan political machine" consists of Mr.
Bryan, who has' no offices to give out, no finan
cial schemes to work with a "divvy" to friends,
not even an ambition to hold office. The people
need not be afraid of that kind of a "machine."
amount to anything, that all he is Is a result of
the training and teaching of his brother, and in
the samo breath they condemn the brother. It
is a well known fact that C. W. Bryan is one of
tho cleanest men, both politically and morally,
in the state and it hurts the gang that are bade
of the human leeches to sec such
men get into office. To tho democrats
of tho state who believe in good, clean men in
office it means that they havo a fight on. We
aro not particularly in love with Mr. Bryan, but
wo can not help loving him for the opposition he
is suro to have. y0 look for people
who do not approve the big brewery combine
controlling our political party to get In the game
and nominate Mr. Bryan and then
wo can elect him.
Holdroge Progress (Ind.): Tho most import
ant political event of tho week in Nebraska io
without doubt the entrance of C. W. Bryan Into
the primary contest for tho democratic nomina
tion for governor. Contrary to the hopes and
expectations of Mr. Bryan's enemies he comes
out in support of President Wilson, and appar
ently has no criticism for the President unless
his statement against private profit out of the
preparedness program may bo interpreted as
such. Late utterances of the Prcsidont concern,
ing government manufacture of munitions point
rather to agreement bctweon himself and Mr.
Bryan on that point. Mr. Bryan will represent
those democrats who believe that the prohibit
ory amendment should havo the party endorse
ment. , Mr. Bryan la a man of progressive ideas
of government, and if nominated by democrats
will command tho respect and support of thou
sands of republican voters. Nebraska democracy
led by an out-and-out prohibitionist would be a
novel situation, but the signs aro that It would
bo good politics.
St Paul Phonograph (Ind. Dem.): Hon. C. W.
Bryan, at present mayor of' Lincoln, and one of
the prominent democrats of the state, accepted
a filing made in his behalf by about 125 of his
' friends, for the nomination of governor, on the
democratic ticket, subject to the wishes of the
voters of that party at the primary election to
be held in April. Good for C. W. Bryan. There
may be better men in the state for that office,
but there are none that will say that C. W. Bry
an is not a first-class man for the place, except
those who are opposed to any man who stands
for clean politics; and just watch the number
of the small bore politicians get up on their hind
legs and screech at Mr. Bryan, and we will wager
a good deal that they do not know what they
are hollering about. The Phonograph does not
expect to take a very prominent part in the
primary campaign. We expect to vote for the
best man and let our readers follow the same
course without any advice from us, providing a
good, clean campaign is carried on by all candi- -dates
and their supporters.
What can be said against C. W. Bryan? He
is a hrother of W. J. Bryan. Some
try to make people believe that is an awful
thing. They tell you that Mr. Bryan does not
Columbus Telegram (Dem.): We
will suggest the name of the one man above all
others best qualified by his personality and his
record to lead tho progressive faction of the
democratic party as Its candidate for governor
cither at the primary, or at the November elec
tion. Thero are many who might
fill the bill, but one better than all others, we
believe. His name is Charles W. Bryan, and
that name is a synonyiri for a'l the good prin
ciples advocated by progress! democrats in
Nebraska. If. the progressive' mocrats can
give Charles W. Bryan the party" nomination at
the primary he would be supported at the No
vember polls by many reactionary democrats,
and by twenty thousand progressive republicans.
Since the above article was placed
in type good news comes from Lincoln that pro
gressive democrats have filed a petition in behalf
of Charles W. Bryan, and that he officially con
sented to stand as a candidate for the nomina
tion for governor. This Is indeed good news to
all progressives and anti'-corporation democrats
He (Mr. Bryan) did not offer him
self as a candidate until earnestly urged to do
so by other progressive democrats who had been
favorably spoken of by tho democracy of tho
state for that honor. Mr. Bryan is in no Fcnse a
dictator, but he is a fighter. His candidacy
means a sure dividing of the sheep and the
goats in the democratic ranks in Nebraska. He
will bo opposed by every democrat who is obli
gated to the big special interests. He will -be
supported by the free democrats in Nebraska.
By "free" democrats I mean the kind who are
not hog-tied by the big interests which seek to
do tho governing in Nebraska. Charley
Bryan will be nominated, because in Nebraska
there are more free democrats than the hog-tied
kind.
Riverton Review (Dem.): Charles W. Bryan
has taken the bull square by the horns and has
announced himself a gubernational candidate,
on the democratic ticket. He stands for a dry
Nebraska and calls for others on the democratic
ticket to come stand beside him. That the
wet and dry issue is the all important one In
this state so far as party politics is concerned, is
true. Both the democratic and republican par
ties have submitted to brewery domination and
control until today they find themselves unable
to talk out loud for fear of bringing down upon
their heads the merciless lash of the booze in
terests. It Is this condition that has' caused
thinking men to declare that they are in this
war to the end. Charles W. Bryan kriows just
the kind of a wild fight he is getting into. He
knows the very men and the very influences he
will have to meet, but he is unafraid. He knows
that the cause of moral rectitude and moral lib
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