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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1917)
Ww The Commoner VOL. 17, NO. 2 U v .- -- - C T I fe tftl l& R- it, , ' hdf i ;. Approve Stand for a Dry Nation Following nro extracts from a fow of tho many letters received in responso to Mr. Bryxin's appeal for assistance in the work of driving tho liquor interests from the democratic party and tho nation: Roy S. Lowe, Mo. I wish to say that Tho Commoner and Mr. W. J. Bryan can most cer tainly dopond on mo to do anything I am able to do to aid in the campaign you are starting for national prohibition. I am enclosing a list of names of men in this city who should aid in this work. Theso aro not all democrats but are all favorable to prohibition and claim to bo more or less indopondont in politics, while a good number of them aro straight democrats. If there is anything else by way of organization, etc., that I can do horo, I will bo glad to undertako samo. I think tho plan as announced is a most splendid ono and should receive tho hearty sup port of tho rank and file of the democratic party all over tho United States and result in tho adoption of tho prohibition plank in tho party platform in 192,0, which will insure tho election of a democratic president at that time, and I want to say here that my first choice for that place Is W. J. Bryan. II. L. Neville, Md. I am heartily in accord with your plan for the coming campaign , four years hence. I think tho time is ripe for it. I also want to add that I have always stood far Mr. Bryan in everything ho has advocated since ho has been in public life, in fact mon of h!s high and lofty ideas in government are rare in tho world's history. My wish is that he may successfully carry thrpugh his proposed plans and that this nation may honor him by making him president in 1920. . Conrad Bluhm, Wash. In a recent tour of tho east I have frequently asserted that William JuimlngH Brycm is tho Greatest slnglo moral force in the United States. Hence I am pro foundly glad to hear his announcement on tho subject of his four-year program against the national liquor traffic. In this program Mr. Bryan will walk a little nearorJGod that oven heretofore, for the liquor business is America's greatest libel against tho beneficence of tho Al mighty. I congratulate tho country in this pros pective fortune, and shall pray the democratic party may catch up with its greatest benefactor. Oi Biolland, Minn. I am very much in favor of Mr. Bryan's ideas, and the' new dry idea is , simply another that goes with me. I wish to stato that wo aro organizing a democratic or ganization in Minneapolis for social, educational and political purposes. A temporary organiza tion is already formed with a committee to adopt by laws and constitution. I had circulated your letter a few days previous, so that many of the members started at once to argue for a dry or ganization. We expect a large 'membership, not only from Minneapolis but from outside, through the state. Will send subscriptions to The CommonQr shortly. O. H. Gould, N. Y. I am most heartily in favor of the plan, and believe tho time is ripe and that tho plan will succeed. I will send you a list of names soon and; will work as nevefr be fore to make tho plan a success. Carl C. Curtis, N. Y. I assure you that Mr. Bryan's plan has my heartiest approval. Of all . men in public life I admire Mr. Bryan the most, and I rejoice that ho has undertaken this con test. The temperance cause has long needed such a leader, and I believe that victory is cer tain, Bk W. Hughes, Ky. I am heartily in accord With Mr. Bryan's views onprohibition, and will be glad to co-operate and render any aid in my power to that end. ' R. A. Lord, Okla. There '6an be no question about Mr. Bryan being right in his declaration of war on the saloon interests; his whole plan I think is wise. -- W. M. Johnston, Monl. As a reader of Tho Commoner, you are advised that am willing to do all I can to help drive the liquor interests out of the nation, Jblin A. Pearson, Minnl--You may be assured that fdr one I am heartily hi "sympathy with Mr. fore, I have been privileged to see most of ti, (aoiiAO ndvnnfl tori -Kir vnu wn.i , . IHG oui u.,v..u. VJ jvjKl. iuuuu intn lntif iRRiiea advocated hv vmi Trimi , adopted by the vote a'nd sentiment of the iW pie. I am with you in tlie move for natiin ,i.tCui,; ai .. U1 national Bryan's plan for the next four years and shall bo glad to assist in his fight to free certain ele ments of tho democratic party from the contam inating influence of the American! saloon. J. N. O'Neal, Ark. I notice tho following in tho December issue of The Commoner: "Want eilTho name of every democrat and inde pendent who will asist Mr. Bryan in driving the liquor interests out of tho party and out of the nation." I am just a common mountain farmer, but am ready to join heartily in the cause above stated. I have always loved dearly the prin ciples for which Mr. Bryan has stood. Taking my littlo mountain precinct as a unit I am per suaded that there are hundreds of thousands ready to help with all their might. While Ar kansas has voted prohibition and turned down an amendment to restore the whiskey interest, wo yet have much whiskey shipped in from Tennessee and some other states, and today Christmas Eve many little children have not so much as an orange, but their fathers somehow have managed to order a quart or more of whiskey. I am more than glad to .pledge Mr. Bryan my time and influence in this great movement. J. M. Fulton, M. D Iowa. I heartily indorse your plan, and will do all I can to make it a success. I supported Mr. Bryan, in, all his work and will continue in the future, for I am sure his efforts will be of the same high ideals as thoy always have been. Our efforts have not been in vain for it seems to me much of our success has been from the untiring devotion of Mr. Bryan. W. P. Warren, Ohio. Four years ago Mr. Bryan went into the temple at Baltimore and took up the cattle drivers whip, turning over the broker's tables, then driving desecrators ana money changers, from the temple, thereby, snatching from the jaws of' Wall street its dom-. inant power? and thus saving the democratic party and people from bondage by the nomina tion of Wilson again in 1916. We see Mr. "Bry an going west, meeting with the greatest ova tions of all campaigners. Theresult was Wood row Wilson's re-election. Mr. Bryan has im- pressed me very much in his move for prohibi tion; also his idea of fraternizing the world or bringing about peace in all the world that we may act like brothers. In conclusion. I will say he is progressive, and his works will be better understood and appreciated in twenty years hence. , Sam F. Glecker, 111. I am glad we have a man like Mr. Bryan on our side to help us flglit against the liquor business, and he can count on me and my prayers to make this land of ours dry, and I appreciate the "victory you helped to bring about in the last campaign. C. F. Townsend, N. Y. In the December Commoner I noticed a request on the margin for the name of every democrat or independent who would assist you in driving the liquor in terests out of the party. I wish to submit my name for this purpose. I have followed you through your whole career and have lived to see you gloriously vindicated on every theory you have put forth, but I had just about given up the following of a party that would not take a stand for prohibition, I have always been a democrat, but can not longer, unless they take your advice on this question. I would rather vote the prohibition ticket and lose my vote. However, I am at your service if there is any thing I can do to helput our party right on this question. J. H. Fisher, OhioLbereby inform you that, I will with the utmost sincerity pledge to you my support m mainng democracy dry, which I know will be 'a reality in 1920 under the leader ship of tho next president, Honorable William J. Bryan, Floyd L. Daggett, Wash.- I note from The Commoner that you wish to hear from those- who win be with you in your campaign launche io Drmg me aeniocratic party in line with the- live issues of the day. I havo fwumvri vmn. apolitical fortunes as a humble worker in the ranks since the days of 1896 and even before .that when you were in congress I was attracted to your ideas and believed in them then. There-' ; 7'', X nrnlilHJf Inn Alan fni amml ..r? . appear to mo that if tho latter can be enacted into law before the next national campaign comes on, it will: remove ono great element from that campaign discussion, and give greater em phasis to the prohibition movement. Wm. C. Peck, 111. I do not know of any wav more effectively and efficiently rendered than to send to The Commoner the names of a few dem ocrats and independents as you request on page 15 of the last issue to help drive tho li quor interests out of the party and nation" There are enough temperance men in both the democratic and republican parties to take pos session of the government and give us natinmi prohibition by 1920. L. C. Burr, Neb. I am in receipt of your let ter desiring to know if Mr. Bryan can count on mo in the great work of reform that he has been doing in this country for the past fifteen or more years, and it is a pleasure for me to say that he can count on my vote, my work and my money, as I look upon him as being one of tho greatest men on earth. The'war in Europe has not as yet developed a great man to compare with Mr. Bryan in his work for the good of hu manity and country. He not only elected Pres ident Wilson once, but I believe twice. He has changed the constitution of the United States several times to the great good of the masses of this country. He almost alone has broken up the saloons of Nebraska and will soon break them up in the nation, and every good person in this country should join him in his work. John C. Hamm, Cal. Answering the query implied in The Commoner's invitation to use its columns for an expression of democratic senti ment on the question of prohibition, I am glad to respond and say that I think the program to defintely commit the democratic party to prohi bition meets with almost unanimous favor in my immediate community. As soon as the re sults in Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota Mon tana and Utah became known, the practical men of the party who had, some of them, been luke warm in their support of our prohibitory amendments voluntarily declared 'to me that "it is just the thing for the democratic party to do to adopt prohibition." This sentiment may have been as much based on opportunism as in real regard for the issue involved; but it was none the less hearty and was the honest judg ment of those men as to what is best as a pure party measure. I can not conceive of a blinder folly being committed by the national and state democuacy than to throw away this golden op portunity to place itself squarely in the front of the column Onward March, and thus secure the tenure of the party for a generation. The Commoner will have my heartiest co-operation in every way that I may be able to give it ex pression. - Alonozo B. Werts, 111 I am anxious to have you know that I am heartily- in favor of the plans outlined for a dry nation. I hope it will be carried out and that the democratic party will be with Mr. Bryan, and further that Mr. Bryan -will be the president who will be at the helm in 1920. H. Ellis Lininger, Neb. You may count on me as an accomplice to help Mr. 'Bryan and all others in driving the liquor interests out of the parand nation. Robert R. Fohl, Ind. -r I will stand by Mr. Bryan in his new campaign against "booze." He made me his friend many years ago, and in my opinion, where quality counts, he stands head and- shoulders above any man in our great coun try today. Will do rwhat I can to help tins cause in my locality. Dr. J-. H, St. Clair, Pa, The plan announced by Hon. W. J. Bryan has my hearty approval, and as per your request I am mailing you sonio vmmoa Tf TMin flntnTrinnnr fiOUld Ollly get IHIO the hands of every .voter within tire next four years tlrea-we would have a true "landslide, o world slide. , Wallace McLendon, Ark.- I am in accon with your views toward the liquor Wstl0'1 has been going and going- and now it is oniy question of time until it is gone. All lionw (Continued on Page 15.)