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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1917)
t,w7-wVrt.fr -rtHww The Commoner 'APRIL, 191T v -rift Ohio Dry Democracy Resolutions adopted by dry democrats of Ohio, assembled in convention at Columbus, Ohio, March 12, 1917: "Be it resolved, That we, the Democratic Dry Federation of Ohio, in convention assembled on this the evo of tho anniversary of the birthday o Thomas Jefferson, tho author of the Declara tion of Independence and the founder of tho democratic party and popular government, hereby declare anew our faith in the democratic party as a party of the people, and in the crisis now confronting this nation wo pledge our loyal ty to the country, our party and our President, and wo point with pride to the fact that more than three-fourths of the territory of tho United States has abolished the liquor traffic, and that of the twenty-five dry states in the union, eighteen of them are now in the demo cratic column. "That enforcement of prohibitory laws is made a. reality through measures enacted under national democratic rule, and that the first na tional prohibition law was enacted by a demo cratic house and a democratic senate and signed by a democratic President. "That the saloon is a menace to the physical, moral, and economical welfare and well-being of any and every people and nation on earth. "That in times of war the saloon is even a greater menace than in times of peace, and that our nation having been by congress of tho United States iii this present month declared to be in a state of war, the moral and physical fit ness and well-being of our soldiers demand that the saloons be forthwith abolished,. "That congress should forthwith prohibit tho manufacture of malt and spirltubub liquors from grain and every article useful for fqod or food products, in order that our country's supply of foodstuffs for our people and our soldiers and sailors be conserved- to the great est possible extent. : "That the prosperity of our Industrie's, . the safety df our pedple.Vho toll for a livelih,oqd, the happiness and integrity of our homes, the emancipation of our political parties from tho arrogance of the liquor interests and the cor rupting influences of the saloon, tho more effi cient and economical administration of the sev eral functions of local, state and national gov ernment, and all things which tend to tho bet terment of business and social conditions de mand the utter prohibition of the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors for beverage uses. "That all democrats here assembled promise their individual and collective' support to the movement to vote the saloon out of Ohio next November 6th, by the sacred pledges of their services and means to the fullness of their abil ity, to do and give. "Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be forwarded- to tlie President, our governor, our senators and. congressmen and the members of our own general -assembly. "Senator J. Henry Miller, Newark; Mr. John J. Lentz, Columbus; Judge L. G. Long, Dayton; Judge C. B. PeopleB, Pomeroy; Dahl V. Cooper, Youngstown; W. B. Cosgrave, Zanesville; S. A. Mullikin, Marietta; .Charles L. Swain, Cincin nati; Guy A. Teeter, Belleville; S. S. Burts fleld, Toledo; Newton L. Brumell, Lebanon; W. R. Mehaffey, Lima; Judge J. M. Bickel, Green ville; George B. Heise, Wauseon; Ben Watson, Delaware; J. E. Hurst, New Philadelphia." ELOQUENCE IN EULOGY Following is Benjamin H. Hill's tribute to General Robert E. Lee, from page 439-Vol. 1, "Messages and papers of tho Confederacy": "When tho futuro historian shall come to survey the character of Lee, ho will find it ris ing like a hugh mountain above the undulat ing plain of humanity, and he must lift his eyes toward Heaven to catch its summit. He possessed every virtue of other great command, era without their vices. He was a foo without hate, a friend without treachery, a soldier with out cruelty, a victor 'without oppression, a vic tim with6ut murmuring. He was a public officer without vices, a private citizen without wrong, a neighbor without reproach, a Christian with out hypocrioy, and a man without guile. He was Caesar without his ambition, Frederick without .his tyranny, Napoleon without his sel fishness, and Washington without his reward. He was obedient to authority as a servant, and royal in authority as a truo king. Ho was as gentle as a woman in life, modest ana puro as ft virgin in thought, watchful as a Roman vostal in duty, submissive to law as Socrates and grand in battle as Achilles." BEFORE TEXAS LEGISLATURE By resolution of the legislature of Texas, Mr. Bryan was invited to address that body at a date to bo selected by him. His address was given March 17. A copy of tho sonato concur rent resolution No. 18, sent to Mr. Bryan at Miami, Fla., Feb. 24, follows: "Whereas, That the great and truo demo crat, William Jennings Bryan, who for tho past quarter of a century has been fighting the bat tles of democracy in the interest of tho plain people of this country; and, "Whereas, This great democrat has thrlco led the democratic party in its fight to rescue tho people from tho tyranny of republican misrule and has come out of eacli campaign stronger in the confidence of the masses; and, "Whereas, He was the greatest factor in placing in the White house one of the greatest Presidents since the days of Lincoln; and, "Whereas, during tho re-election of Presi dent Wilson it was through his campaigns in the west that this section of the country was largely influenced in its electoral vote; and, "Whereas, this unimpeachable democrat stands at the forefront in trying to preserve peace with all the world, and is recognized to day as a leading factor in shaping the govern mental policies of our states and nation; Bo It "Resolved, That this distinguished American citizen be Invited to address a joint session of thd 36th legislature. "FLOYD, McNEALUS, "BUCHANAN OF BELL,, "ALLLRptCE, STRICKLAND, ... .. "BUCHANAN OF SCURRY,. , s-u ,. JOHNSON, OF HALL." '.,.-.- WILLIAM J. BRYAN TENDERS SERVICES TO UNITED STATES A Tallahassee, Fla., dispatch to tho Atlanta Constitution, dated April 6, says: William Jen nings Bryan, three times candidate for presi dent, and former secretary of state, today sent this message to President Wilson: "Believing it to be the duty of each citizen to bear his part of the burden of war and his "share of its perils, I hereby tender my services to the government. Please enroll me as a pri vate whenever I am needed, and assign me to any work that I can do. Until called to the colors, I shall, through the Red Cross, con tribute to the comfort of soldiers in the lios pital and, through the Young Men's Christian Association, aid in guarding the morals of the men in camp." Mr. Bryan, with the rank of colonel, com manded a regiment of Nebraska volunteers dur ing the Spanish-American war. When Mr. Bryan, during his campaign in Nebraska in 1916, declared that as one member of tho organization he was not in favor of the democracy of Nebraska going down to a drunk ard's grave, he was abused and criticised by the liquor press. They said that he was mis representing the democratic party when he In timated that its destinies and interest, as led in Nebraska, were bound up with those of. tho brewers and distillers. Mr. Bryan needs only to point to the action of the Nebraska state sen atorlrieh has just passed a bill, after rejecting abone dry bill passed by the house, that 'has two objects. One is to permit the liquor manu facturers to continue in business in the state and the other, is to furnish them a market. This is expected to be amended in conference, but the senate bill is the expression of the de sire of the dominant democracy in tho legisla tive body where it has maintained its strong hold for ten years. The doctors are eternally advising men .to drink more water.. It. seems quite certain tJ. . thfr-advice will have to be, taken by more per sons this year than ever before. Dry Nation During War Looms (By Georgo R. Holmes, staff correspondent of tho International Nows Service.) Washington, April 12. Anti-liquor force today standing on tho threshold of their great est victory. Tho final drive of tho antl-llquor forces ! .ncarlng completion. For, under the lush of war and economic necessity, tho administration 1 seriously considering suppression of tho manu facture of alcoholic liquorsfor tho duration of the war, at least. Prohibition and temperance advocates are ex erting every pressure known to tho art of con viction to bring this about. Onro tho manu facture of liquor Is stopped, onco tho vast ma chinery of tho distilleries is halted, they believe that It will novcr bo resumed. Tho moral side of tho question Is not being considered by government officials. That, they believe, is a moot question much to bo said "for and against." But, facing a 40 per cent reduction In tho notion's wheat supply, stringent remedial measures aro absolutely es sential. To this end thoro has been placed beforo President Wilson and his cabinot figures show ing that by stopping manufacture of liquor there will be an annual saving of millions of buflhoJo ot wheat alone. Corn, barley and ryc also figure equally as importantly in tho production of alcoholic stim ulants. It Is known that tho matter has bee discussed by the cabinet. Some sort of drastlq action against tho li quor traffic is assured. Of that there can be no doubt. Only tho form the action will takii will bo debated. j, Liquor forces in .Washington havo mar shalled their forces. . They have pointed out to tho government that if manufacture of their product fs slopped it,wll mean tho loss of mil lions and millions ot doUaru annually to tho na tional treasury. They have urged that, with the government floating tho most gigantic loan in the history of world finance $7,000,000, 000 every dollar in revenue la going to bo needed. A form of sop has been thrown to tho liquor people by tho argument that the government would not suppress the "sale" of liquor, but only tho "manufacture," in order to conserve tho nation's grain. Two propostions are beforo the administra tion stop the manufacture of liquor or raise taxes on Its production to such a prohibitive de gree that It will offset, or, nearly so, the loss of the grain that goes into it. Prohlbtion advocates favor the former, but they feel that in either event they have won a victory In the cause for which Neal Dow and John B. Gough devoted their lives. WHAT IS MR. BRYAN GOING TO DO?' What Is Mr. Brya'n going to do about It now? Ware County Progress. This no doubt refers to Mr. Bryan's well known peace sentiments. Well, Mr. Bryan has already done more to attest and emphasize his Inherent patriotism and loyalty to country than most of his critics have done. He has tendejred his services to the President and asked to" bo enrolled as a private, subject to be called to the colors at any time. That's what he did In a telegram sent from Tallahassee, Fla,, whero ho chanced to bo yesterday, on tho very day that congress acted on the President's recommenda tion that a state fit war with Germany be de clared. And it was much tho same way with Mr. Bryan when war was declared with Spain in 189'8. Mr. Bryan, a man nineteen years younger than he Is today, volunteered for the war and went into service at the head of a regi ment of volunteers from his native utate of Ne braska. Although Mr. Bryan has been classed as a pacifist' and has consistently "advocated peace, his record as a patriotic American "is ' ,' mt clear, and no man has a right to slur bis loyal tj to country. Albany (Ga.) Herald. 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