.The Commoner
DECEMBER, 1916
23
who has done so much to bring about
this sentiment in the west as you
have. At latit we have elected a
President without New York and
Tammany, and you, at last have been
vindicated. I am very glad that Ne
braska gave such a large majority
of the President, and it pleases me,
furthermore, to know that, after all
the assaults that were made on you,
the people of Nebraska voted the sa
loon into oblivion. Geo. E. Duls.
Washington; D. C, Nov. 14.
When you stood up In the Baltimore
convention with power and perhaps
in the most courageous, open way
anyone ever stood in a national con-.
vention and made it possible for us
to have Mr. Wilson for President,
we were grateful to you. Now that
your speaking and influence in Ne
braska and neighboring states have
made Mr. Wilson President again,
wo are again and still grateful to
you. Most people on the Atlantic
coast see clearly the decisive work
done by you in this presidential elec
tion. Daniel B. Motley.
Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 14. Your
dream of a democratic west has at
last been realized. Permit me to
congratulate you on the splendid vic
tory. While I regret the loss of our
old friend Kerr, who deserved so
much to win, there is consolation, in
the victory for democracy in the
west. Isaac R. Strouse.
Warrenton, Va., Nov. 12. I want
to congratulate you for your wonder
ful missionary work in the west ror
the re-election of President Wilson,
and I am sure the American pe'opje
appre late your efforts. To me it
was the closing of the greatest climax
in the history ,pf- the ,qouijtry. :Chas.
S. Weaver.
Washington, D. C, Nov. 13. Now
that the smoke of battle has cleared
away, and the forc.es of progress are
assured of victory, I am taking the
liberty of writing a word of thanks in
my own behalf and in behalf of many
of my friends from New Jersey, to
you who once again routed the forceB
of corruption and political dishonor,
and as a result of your incomparable
steadfastness now witness the pow
ers of greed against which you have
almost single-handedly contended in
shameful retreat The President has
Tiade a wonderful record, it is true,
but you prepared the wi7 for every
thing he has accomplished. The vic
tory is yours no less than his. Y,ou
are the inspiration of young Amer
ica, and your place In the affections
'f your countrymen who place integ
r'ty above double-dealing is assured.
Your wisdom, your eloquence, your
nobility and your courage are among
America's most priceless possessions,
and while the stars continue in their
course, the history of your deeds and
lo story of your life will-be read
v''th admiration and wonder. All
hail to America's greatest man! May
(W preserve you long, and with you
vour health and happiness. Edward.
J Hart.
Ountersville, Ala., Nov.-13. The
enclosed clipping prompts me, as an
unfaltering admirer of your life and
character, to express to you in this
letter my deep feeling that the lovers
of human rights, and beneficent gov
ernment are indebted to you more
than any other one man for the re
cent victory at the polls. This great
victory is the result, not of your
speeches in this campaign, but of
your continued preaching and teach
ing of true principles of democracy
J. A. Lusk.
Sidon, Miss., While others are
rushing to congratulate President
Wilson, I wish to congratulate you,
the real victor, as the returns show.
I thank God that the peace-loving
masses that you have always led can
elect a President without "throwing
sop" to Wall street, and without the
assistance of "Tammany" and "Tag
gart." Douglass Robinson.
McCook, Neb. Nov. 10. Bryan's
work In our county (Red Willow)
helped mightily. Juniata opera
house, which seats 1,500 and which
contained no less than 2,000 that day,
reported 150 Hughes buttons picked
up after Bryan's speech. Democrats
carried county. Dry vote, 1456; wet
vote, 669. Majority 787 for amend
ment. J. S. Beem, Chairman Red
Willow County Dry Federation.
Boonsboro, Md., Nov. 14. I am
writing you a few words, as an Amer
ican citizen and a democrat, to thank
you for your continued zeal for our
country; for traveling from state to
state f -r the last twenty years telling
the people what to do. At last you
have partly received your reward by
having Wilson nominated four years
ago; and this time, if it had not been
for your influence, it would have been
different. C. C. Ford. '
Holdrege, Neb. May I express the
loyal appreciation of one Nebraska
woman for the splendid effort you
have put forth in behalf of a "Dry
Nebraska." Mrs. A. P. Cadwallader.
Elmira, N. Y., Nov. H. While
everyone is celebrating, the great vic
tory for democracy in the re-election
of President Wilson, there are many
of us in the east who believe that
much of the credit for the victory,
should go to you. It was whe.ro you
spoke in behalf of the President that
we gQt our best results and I am sure
that your efforts turned the tide.
And so I want to congratulate you
on your splendid work and assure
you that you have friends by the le
gion here in New York who appre
ciate what you have done for the
common people in-helping tp re-elect
the P-resfdent. Frank E. Gannett.
Staunton, Va., Nov. 10- You are
to be heartily congratulated on the
wonderful work done by you in the
campaign just ended. In the east
newspapers heretofore hostile are
giving you the credit of turning the
west in favor of Wilson. I am sure
you deserve it. R. S. Turk.
Portland, Ore., Nov. 11. In the
hour of our rejoicing Wm. J. Bryan
is not forgotten. The peace-loving
states, the anti-booze states, the woman-voting
states (Illinois excepted
In part) know the labors of Colonel
Bryan for peace and the purity of
the home. Albert Tozier.
f
MR. BRYAN'S. CAMPAIGNING
It is really sad to contemplate the
things Mr. Bryan lost in the late elec
tion, to hear his enemies tell it Mr.
Bryan spoke for Wilson in Ohio and
the west and Ohio and the west went
for Wilson. It should be noticed
that Mr. Bryan did not speak in New
York or New Jersey, strongly for
Hughes. In Nebraska, Mr. Bryan
gave one week for Wilson and the
dry amendment and Wilson and the
dry amendment went in with a
whoop, Wilson with such a huge ma
jority that it carried in several of
Mr. Bryan's choicest democratic en
emies with it. Another victory for
Mr. Bryan is the election of Edgar
Howard, his personal friend and
iwni nimnorter through thick and
thin, as lieutenant-governor. As
usual, Mr. Bryan will get aiong, awa?
ahead in the procession of uplifting
mankind and bettering the human
race. Fairbury (Neb.) Journal.
"THE MOST UNKINDEST OUT OF AIjI
-Wfeu fir .,., fcXjj TmJ& jftC'
THE 1020 MODEL
-Washington Star.
BRYAN AND 1020
The Bryan shadow looms porten
tously on the horizon of 1020.
Political observers of all trends of
mind note in the elections of Tues
day a slgniflcawJb which may have
escaped the casual eye. The Bryan
influence was perhaps one of the
most powerful factors in bringing
about results which have wrested po
litical domination of the country from
the east and transferred it to the
west.
And along with the other results
the advances of prohibition can not
be overlooked. Three or four west
ern states which have voted for Wil
son haxe also voted to destroy the
liquor power. And in doing so they
have followed a course whose most
conspicuous advocate is the great Ne
braskan who thrice led the demo
cratic hosts in unsuccessful contests.
Mr. Bryan has repeatedly stated that
he never again expects to be a candi
date for office. He prefers the freedom
of private life. But he has also
stated that he expects to devote his
remaining years to the service of the
people in all ways open to him and
without reserve. As the foremost
champion of prohibition he may find
himself in 1920 in a position where
he can not escape the call of those
who believe with him that the power
of liquor in politics must be overthrown.
He has made it plain that he con
siders the great issue of the future
to be that dealing with liquor. He
was opposed to bringing this issue
Into national politics in 1916. But
he also made it plain that he regards
its appearance in the national field
eventually as inevitable if not indeed
desirable. Many thoughtful men of
all parties are now persuaded that
by 1920 the question will have to be
fought out on the larger scale.
Can any one doubt that Mr. Bryan
would be the logical leader should
this Issue in fact force itself to the
front four years hence? No other
man has a personal following equal
to that which he has drawn about
mm. No other man linn higher qual
ities of leadership than he has re
vealed And no other man could
muko so wide and so effective an ap
peal in behalf of this great moral is
sue as the Commoner. His strength
In his own state has again been so
strikingly demonstrated in the great
majority for President Wilson and
for the prohibition amendment that
even his severest critics will be com
pelled to. dig him up from the tomb
to which they had gratituously con
signed him. v
With rare exceptions the south is
already dry territory. The west,
where Mr. Bryan is perhaps sraoro
popular than over, is rapidly grow
ing dry. Only in the east is there
still a serious liquor sentiment to bo
reckoned with. And Tuesday's elec
tions conclusively prove that the
scepter has passed from the hands or
the east. It can no longer rule the
country. The west'is In the saddle.
Can any one overlook the signifi
cance of this? Can any one seri
ously doubt that prohibition senti
ment will more and more turn to
ward the greatest living champion of
the movement directed against the
legalized rum traffic? Mr. Bryan Is
still a comparatively young man. He
is still in full vigor. He was per
haps never In finer spirits or freer
irom those personal anxieties wlch
might limit his powers. During all
the years of his public life he has
been drawing about him men and
women who love him and who hold
him In deepest esteem. And were he
to take the field in behalf of the
cause of prohibition his leadership
would undoubtedly work a profound
change in the world of Americas
politics.
Ttys Is why we say that the Bryan
shadow looms portentuously on tha
horizon of 1920. Johnstown (Pa.)
Democrat.
m
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