The Commoner
JANUARY 1920
Mr. Bryan Denies
Party Split
a Chicago dispatch, dated January .10, says:
ufflHam J- Bryan, denying that there is any
Gilt" In the democratic party, came to Chicago
nfiv and offered a concrete program for the
democrats-to pursue in securing immediate rati
Sration of the treaty of peace. Speaking before
ha Iroquois club for two hours, Mr. Bryan pre
sented his program as the sequence of the sug
gestion that he made in his Washington Jack
son day speech. The steps he proposes follow:
1 Direct invitation presumably from the
orcsident or from responsible democratic sena
torsto the republican senators to sit in at a
conference, open to the press, where concessions
could bo considered from both sides and a. sys
tem of reservations' agreed to whereby the sen
ate could secure a substantially unanimous vote
jn the senate.
2. Failing in securing a compromise, the
democrats to. servo notice that the republicans
must proceed with their program of reserva
tions; that the democrats would withdraw suf
ficient number of votes from the senate so that
the existing republican majority now committed
to ratification would be converted into the con
stitutional two-thirds majority required for
ratification. Peace thereby would be established
and ratification thereby would not become the
paramount issue of the 1920. campaign nor
would peace bo delayed for -fourteen months.
DIFFER ONLY IN METHOD
"The president and 'I differ only in method
jnd not in purpose," Mr. Bryan said. "I am
an American citizen and I yield to no other
American in my interest in- my country's wel
fare. I am a democrat and -I yield to no other
democrat not even, to the president of the
United States in my interest in my party's
welfare. I do not rely on honors conferred up
on me by my party to bind my conduct. But
when I got through, the republicans and those
who are anxious- to believe. that there is a demo
cratic split will find nothing in my actions or
speech hostile to my party's welfare.
"The president's letter, read at Washington,
contains words open to construction that in
dicate to mo that compromise is possible. The
president did well at Paris. He did more there
than we could expect any man to do. He has
not been free to consent to changes. I stood
behind him in demanding ratfiication without
reservations until wo tailed. Now tho majority
must rule.
'"The constitution gives the senate tire right
to ratify upon its own terms. We' arc in-the
minority and' we must now acquiesce.
STILL IN THE BEATEN TRACK
"Who has the authority to say that the presi
dent will or will not accept a, reasonable com
promise. Suggest a way out. I have not left
the beaten track; I only apply old rules to new
conditions. We must compromise, if possible,
to 'put this question out of politics, and if wc
cannot agree, the minority must recognize tho
"Bht of the majority to rule. After free and
open discussion where concessions may be asked
and given, if no compromise can bo reached, wo
touch acquiesce, for the present, with the re
publican majority.
"We will say to them. that,they, the republi
cans, must accept: full responsibility for the
treaty with its republican reservations, and wo
Jjni withdraw enough democratic votes from
jue roll call on tho resolution of ratification so
inat the republican majority automatically he
lm tlle constltUtional two-thirds Then we
m have peace and the league of nations and
JJ can So to work.' We can, AFTER ratifica
tion, submit to the people any changes the party
uua made within the league and it will be up
tL i? Deopl t0 uass thelr Judgment upon tho
Jesuit .whatever tho issue at tho polls. It is
Sia Vle slmPle old American llan of majority
onl e Prlnclple of real democracy,' for which
ur arme3 fought in Europe."
ISSUE ON ARTICLE TEN CLOUDED
of Jni X5ryan 8aid tlla there is no real difference
bernm , as t0 article 10; that the issue has
and ? .clouded y words and much argument,
decbr X meu- must asree that the right to
"Th War cannot b taken from congress.
DroinwV3 no reason. why advocacy of a.com-
thaieMhould be interpreted as opposition to
record? ,nt Mr- 'Wilson Is an official and his
commendations travel by their own -weight.
105 Subscribers In Two Days
Mr. P. W. Shoa, an Orleans, Nobr., mer
chant, opened up a subscription Hat for
1 he Commoner at his place of business
In two days' timo ho enrolled 105 yearly
subscriptions, and has promise Of many
.more. '
Tho Commoner relies for its growth up
on the activity of its friends. Its influenco
depends upon thenumbor of subscribers.
Each enthusiastic subscriber can, if he will,
start a list like Mr. Shea and secure sev
eral subscribers in his neighborhood. If
you like Tho Commoner tell your friends
and give them an opportunity to become
subscribers. Will you do your part to in
crease Th? Commoner's circulation and in
fluence in the New Year of 1020?
Tho constitution1 gives the president tho right
to make recommendations to congress. It gives
congress the right to disregard these recom
mendations, just as it empowers congress to pass
laws and the president to veto them."
Mr. Bryan said eighty-six -senators fav;or rati
fication of tho treaty, but differ as toreservo
tions. He advocated a compromise so as to keeV
tho treaty from becoming a campaign issue,
adding: "If tho republicans insist upon reser
vations that the democrats cannot accept, then
the democrats will be in a good position to tako
it as an issue before the people."
Mr. Bryan almost certainly will not be entered
as a candidate in tho Illinois primaries as a
contender for tho preferential voto, and ho may
not be an active candidato in any direct primary
state. He is expected to be a delegatc-at-largo
from Nebraska.
BRYAN AND WILSON AGREE IN AIMS
From the Chicago News, Jan. 10.1
Chicago democratic circles wore r.tirred today
by the unexpected appearance oJ William Jen
nings Bryan fresh from his vorbal encounter
with President Wilson at the Jackson day dinner
of tho democrats at Washington. Hurried work
on the part of officials of the Iroquois club ob
tained a promise from Mr. Bryan to attend tho
noon luncheon of that organization.
Mr. Bryan told tho local democrats that ho
is not engaged in a campaign of personalities
with the president and has no planned campaign.
The nation was his forum when he made his
talk in Washington and he says that through
tho newspapers he has reached tho entire read
ing public, his proposition for compromise on
the treaty and league of nations is being dis
cussed and opinion developed.
Mr Bryan announced at Washington that ho
is not a candidate for president. He does in
tend, however, to make a number of political
speeches and probably will be one of the most
active campaigners in the country up to the
time of the democratic national convention. He
sneaks before the constitutional convention of
Nebraska next Monday, will attend a Political
dinner at Omaha, Nebr., Monday night, wil bo
nt another political gathering In Des Moines
next Tuelday night, goes to Washington to at
tend a' celebration of the adoption of constitu
tional prohibition January 16, will attend a pan
AmVrican congress in New York city and return
fo wSngton a few days before going to
Florid Send the remainder of the winter
wUhMrs Bryan. He expects to make a few
nniiHcal talks through the south.
P At tho University club, where Mr. Bryan spent
mn of the day, he received a number of poll
most or tne ay- , h had n0 conferences
opposition tc i the omr1Qe esient merely on tho
says he differs from t he pr immediate
question of 0. J thc establishment
tioa," said Mr. Bryan. "It is simply a difference
of opinion over a method not over a purpose.
Tho prosldcnt and I agree in purpose. Th
voto in tho sonato showed that eighty-one out
of ninety-six senators want ratification of th
treaty and establishment of tho leaguo of na
tions. Thoy differ, however, as to reservation.
My plan Is intonded to hasten action and to
carry out what I think is an almost unanimous
dcslro on tho part of tho American people.
"While tho plan may scorn new aa appliod
to tho proaent situation it la not at all now in
principle It is supported by unbroken preced
ent. It in nothing more than acquiescence If
necessary In tho right of tho majority to docldo
for tho time being, with an appeal afterward
if the decision is not satisfactory. When tho
republicans arc in power and writo a nw tariff
law tho democrats acqulosc In tho law and
take an appeal to tho peoplo with a view to a.
change by nowcomers.
"My plan Ik not only simple, but basod upon
an Indisputable principle of popular govorn
ment. Filibustering Is not popular in this coun
try. It was stopped in tho house thirty year
ago, was curtailed in tho senate recently and '
will soon bo stopped there by a rulo allowing
the majority to close debates. My ponltlon
simply establishes principles to a riow condition
Wc cannot afford to filibuster against a major
ity. Tho constitution requires a two-thirds voto
to ratify a treaty, but that constitution was
written long ago a id I am sure that tho pro
vision would not xemaln if tho constitution
were re-written.
HARDER TO STOP THAN START
"According to the constitution, a majority can
declare war. Why should a twjp-thirds voto be ,
required to conclude peace? With what cott
sistency can the democratic party take advant
age of that two-thirds rule and malco it mora
difficult to stop this war than to begin It? ,
"I do not propose a permanent surrender of
any position that tho democrats think necessary
for the country's welfare. I simply advocate a
compromise if a compromise can be secured, and
I think it can bo secured becauuo I think thc
republicans will seo that tho lmportanco oljx
settlement that will prevent tho troaty from be
coming a campaign issue.
"But if the republicans insist on reservation)!
which the democrats are unwilling to accopt,
tho democrats can throw tho responsibility upon
the majority and by their votes permit tho re
cording of a two-thirds vote and then make
their appeal to the country for tho restoration
of any part of the covenant that they think
necessary. This plan will enable tho democrats
to appeal to tho country without having tho
responsibility for fourteen months' delay In
ratifying the treaty and taking tho risk of things
that may happen while tho world waits for
Amorica'a counsel in tho leaguo of nation."
CAMPAIGN YEAR
Readers of The Commoner who believe '
in tho principles advocated by Mr. Bryan "
and his paper, and who want to enact'
those principles Into law, now have an op- '
portunity to assist. The Commoner will
make a strenuous effort to secure a pro- :
gressive platform and a progressive can
didate at tho democratic national conven-
tion next summer to lead the fight against '
the demands of tho special interest ofrt
the country. Your help is needed to edu
cate, organize and direct tho efforts of the
masses to curb the greed of tho profiteer,
to perpetuate tho People's Rule, and to
preserve Jefrersonlan democratic principles.
Will you help to extend The Commoner's
sphore of influenco by extending its cir
culation among the free democrats and
free republicans in your community? A
special campaign rato of 75 cents from
now until after the presidential election
next year is made for that purpose. ,
Suggestions as to platform and candi
dates from Commoner readers are aiso de
sired. There are so many vital issues to
be settled during tho coming four years
that every citizen should bo alerL Cam
paign subscriptions will be accepted in
clubs or singly at 75 cents. Kindly let
us know at once what part you will tako
in tho all-Important contest now at hand.
CHARLES W. BRYAN, Publisher.
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