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The Commoner
NOVEMBER, 1918
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Nebraska's Lesson
Two years ago the opponents of prohibition
controlled the democratic primary and nomin
ated for governor the candidate selected by the
liquor interests and indorsed just before the
election by the German-American alliance. The
state adopted a prohibition amendment by
29,000 majority, but the wet candidate was
elected, being pulled through by President Wil
son's large vote, but with a majority of only
G.000 when the President had 41,000. Instead
of recognizing the right of the people to banish
the saloon and acquiescing in the decision ren
dered at the polls, the governor continued his
subserviency to the liquor interests and refused
to include in his call for a special session the
consideration of the national prohibition amend
ment, which had then been submitted. A ma
jority of the state senate (also indorsed by the
German-American alliance) following his lead,
refused to consider the amendment, thus deny
ing to Nebraska the honor of being state No. 12
on the Honor Roll.
After this disgraceful misrepresentation of the
moral sentiment of ;the state lie had the impu
dence to present himself to the people for in
dorsement. At the election just held he was defeated by
about 24,000 majority and carried down with him
a democratic candidate for the United States sen
ate, the state ticket, the legislative ticket and
the congressional ticket. He and his advisers
made the name of the democratic party odious,
and the voters of the state administered a re
buke that ought to bury the wet leadership be
yond the hope of resurrection.
The democracy of the nation has cut itself
loose from the saloon in a few states, conspicu
ously in Nebraska, the leaders chained the party
to the corpse of John Barleycorn, willing to be
his champions even in death. "They sowed the
wind and they have reaped the whirlwind";
their day is past.
The democratic voters should, at the next pri
mary, repudiate the leaders who have taken
them through .the "valley of humiliation" and
should make the party once more a force among
the progressives of the nation. For twenty years
Nebraska democracy led the nation in the flght
for economic reforms; it can do so again if it
will. W. J. BRYAN.
WELCOME, REPUBLICS.
The republics of Europe are our nation's re
ward for the blood and money expended in the
great world war. What recompense, measured
by territorial additions or pecuniary indemnity,
could bring the satisfaction that we derive from
the creation of republics out of the wreck of
kingdoms and empires?
It was unfortunate for Mr. Taft that he al
lowed himself to be led into the attack on the
President, and yet it was not strange for it is
the Taft end of the republican party that pro
tests most loudly against the economic reforms
which have come under a democratic administration.
Senator Lodge's gun is not dangerous at the
muzzle, but its kick removed his colleague, Mr.
weeks, from the senate.
A peace will hardly be worth the cost if uni
versal military training is necessary to main
tain it.
With ex-Governor Walsh in the sonate from
Massachusetts Senator Lo'dge's poison finds' an
antidote near at home.
THE ELECTIONS OF 1918.
The election of a republican congress, while
ueplorable at this time, Is not surprising and
snouid not discourage democrats. The Presi
dent s veto will prevent any reversal of economic
policy during the next two years, and by that
"me the republican majority will bo on the de
fensive. Fortunately the enemy was so de
moralized and utterly routed that a republican
J!ro0ry ,could not have given them any encour
agement. The greatesmenace offered is repub
"rn T opposition to the constructive measures
wmen will be necessary after the war, but even
J -I a cJear cut i8sue between the parties may
maue a democratic victory in 1920 more certain.
? couIntry will not long entrust the republican
Party with power. W. J. BRYAN.
How Will it Seem?
How -will it seem when peace cornea
back once more,
After these desperate days of shat
tering pain?
How will it be with all of us again,
When hushed forever is the thunder
of war? .
There still are primrosos by many a
shore,
And still thoro bloom, in many a
lovely lane,
Hawthorn and lilacs; and the rosos's
stain
Is red against full many a garden
door.
Oh, days to be! Oh, honeyed nights
of sleep,
When the white moon shall mount
the quiet sky!
ShalIwo be wholly happy when buds
creep,
Remembering those who dared to
bleed and die?
Can we be glad again? Or shall wo
weep
For those who told this sad, glad
world goodby.
Charles Hanson Towno,
in Harper's.
THE IDEAL REPUBLIC.
The spread of Democracy as shown by' the
springing up of republics throughout Europe at
the magic touch of the United States recalls
Mr. Bryan's remarks on the ideal republic in his
speech of acceptance of 1900, as follows:
"I can conceive of a national destiny sur
passing the glories of the present and the past
a destiny which meets the responsibilities of
today and measures up to the possibilities of the
future. Behold a republic, resting securely upon
the foundation stones quarried by revolutionary
patriots from the mountain of eternal truth a
republic applying in practice and proclaiming
to the world the self-evident proposition that all
men are created equal; that they are endowed
with inalienable rights; that governments are
instituted among men to secure these rights, and
that governments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed. Behold a republic
in which civil and religious liberty stimulate all
to earnest endeavor and in which the law re
strains every hand unlifted for a neighbor's in
jury a republic In which every citizen is a sov
ereign, but in which no one cares to wear a
crown. Behold a republic standing erect while
empires all around are bowed beneath the
weight of their own armaments a republic
whose flag is loved while other flags are only
feared. Behold a republic increasing in popu
lation, in wealth, in strength and in influence,
solving the problems of civilization and hasten
ing the coming of an universal brotherhood a
republic which shakes thrones and dissolves aris
tocracies by its silent example and gives light
and inspiration to those who sit in darkness.
Behold a republic gradually but surely becom
ing a supreme moral factor In the world's pro
gress and the accepted arbiter of the world's dis
putes a republic whose history, like the path
of the just, 'Is as the shining light that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day "
The farmer is the hero of the battle with John
Barleycorn. He deserves the largest share of
the credit, for he began the assault when the
enemy was proud and insolent, and ho has never
rested for a moment. Prohibition started In the
country districts, then swept the agricultural
states and now makes the nation dry.
Here's to the democratic South that led the
fight against the saloon, and to the West which
entered the contest early, and to the conscience
of the entire country that made the triumph
complete.
Now let the dry legislatures instruct their sen
ators to vote for the submission of suffrage.
What do you say, Nebraska?
Farewell, Alcohol -Howdy, Water.
The Fight is On
The election of a republican house of repre
sentatives at'Washlngton reoponn tho economic
flght which has boon practically suspended since
our nation entored tho war. Rovcnuc bills orig
inate in tho house and the republican theory of
taxation will bo followed in tho preparation of
these bills tho theory which, exemplified by the
Aldrich bill, divided tho republican party in
twain and made possible tho democratic victory
of 1912.
The issuo is as old as history. Demosthenes,
in his oration on the Crown, citoa among tho
worthy things he had done a chango in tho laws
"compelling tho rich to perform their duty" and
"stopping the oppression of tho poor." Ho says
that "tho rich were gotting off with small pay
ments" while "cltizons of moderate or small for
tunes wore losing their substance." He does fur
ther and declares that tho tax dodgors tried to
bribe him (that was tho ancient method boforo
they learned how to control legislation by moans
of largo campaign contributions).
The flght is on; let every democrat gird him
self for the contest. Tho struggle will begin
when war taxes are to be reduced to a peaco
basis tho republican leaders, unless they have
radically reformed, will favor reductions that
will throw an increasing burden upon tho masses
and lighten the load on tho few with large in
comes tho masters of big business. By 1920
tho people will understand tho republican pro
gram and be ready to veto it. It is going to bo
a sure enough war got ready, domocratn.
W. J. BRYAN.
UNITED WAR WORK FUND
The close of the war should not lessen our in
terest in all tho activities connected with tho
well being of our soldier boys who are yet in
camp. It will be many months before demobili
zation can take place, and the needs of the or
ganizations carrying on this work will be greater
than ever for several months to come.
It is nocessary that we shall nourish the
spiritual ncods of these soldiers. No soldier
will return from this war just as ho was when
ho entored it; he will be stronger or weaker for
his experience stronger if ho resists tempta
tion; weaker if he yields. Theroforo, wo must
be interested in throwing about those soldiora
an environment that will bo helpful and whole
some. A number of organizations are helping
in this work. Tho Young Men's Christian Asso
ciation, the Knights of Columbus, tho Jewish
Brotherhood, tho Lutheran Brotherhood, tho
Young Women's Christian Association, it
Women's Christian Temperance Union, and tho
Salvation Army. These are some of tho moro
important of the organizations that are helping
the government to maintain in the army tho
moral standards of tho homo. These organiza
tions have a claim upon our hearts and upon our
pocket books. Wo muBt bo interested in tho
morals of these men not only when they return
home but we must be interested in their morals
while they are soldiers.
It is not too late to make your contribution
to the United War Work fund. The work of
these organizations has tho hearty indorsement
of the allied governments, and Is greatly appre
ciated by every soldier in camp. You can not
better show your gratitude to the soldier boys
who have helped to win the war than by making
a generous contribution to this cause.
On another page will bo found an interview
given out by Senator Martin pledging the dem
ocratic sonate to a reduction of expenses. It
will be a difficult task and should be commenced
as soon as peace is assured.
Will the wet democratic organization in Ne
braska accept responsibility for tho overwhelm
ing defeat in Nebraska or will it lay the blamo
on the democratic administration.
THE GREATEST THANKSGIVING DAY
November 11 will be remembered as the
world's greatest thanksgiving day. Prayers of
gratitude were offered up in churches, in ca
thedrals, in synagogues and in mosques. In
Berlin tho French "Marseillaise" supplanted
the German "Watch on tho Rhine". The shouts
were "Foch, tho Liberator," instead of "Hoch
der Kaiser." Having given vent to them, the
people are now ready to second the President's
efforts to make permanent through loving serv
ice the victory won by force. W. J. BRYAN.
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