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The Commoner
VOL. 20, No. 3
f.
Platform Suggestions
(Intorvlow given by Mr. Bryan to tho Cleve
land Plain Doaler.)
"I have no disposition to suggest in advance
planks on which the Democratic convention
might bo divided, but there are certain planks
Which will be in the platform as a matter of
course. Those I am willing to mention togethor
with the reasons that take them out of the
realm of controversy.
"First there will b.o a plank endorsing the
President's administration not that every
member of tho party endorses everything the ad
ministration has done, not that a majority of the
convention will endorse everything that has
boon .done but it has been a groat administra
tion and tho Democrats of tho nation ought to
endorso it they would not think of entering
tho cam'lgn on a repudiation of tho adminis
tion or upon a platform silent on that subject.
"Second--tho platform will contain a plank in
favor of prohibition as the pormnnont policy of
tho country and our candidate will be pledged
to tho strict enforcement of tho law in letter
and spirit. This statement is based on tho fact
that three-fourths of tho Democratic senators
votod for its submission and two-thirds of the
members of the House voted likewise. EVERY
STATE CONTROLLED BY THE DEMOCRATS
HAS RATIFIED THE NATIONAL PROHIBI
TION AMENDMENT, and all but three of the
states controlled by the Republicans. Thirty
four states now have prohibition by their own
act, nearly all of tho thirty-four having adopted
it. by popular vote. It is inconceivable that the
Democratic party should dofy the conscience of
tho nation on this subject, especially after hav
ing contributed so largely to thevprohibition vic
tory." "What about the opposition of such states, as
Now Jersey?"
"Now Jersey is one of throe states that did
not ratify the prohibition amendment. If you
Will examine the ratio, you will And it is nearly
the old '16 to 1' ratio; 45 to 3 is 15 to 1.
There being only three states recorded in op
position to national prohibition, New Jersey
would naturally expect to furnish our candidato
for President and either Connecticut or Rhode
Island our candidato for vice president IN
CASE OUR CONVENTION GOES WET, but we
woald not bo sure of carrying tho three wet
Bt&tes because conscience may break out oven in
them before election. Those who talk about a
wot plank in our platform do not, of course,
have any interest in a Democratic victory.
Recognizing that thoir -case is hopeless, they
simpjy seok to take rovongo on tho party for its
honorable part in banishing the saloon."
"Before leaving this-subject, what do you
think the Republicans will do in regard to pro
hibition? "Their plank will bo as strong as ours! They
have beon spared the humiliation of having any
avowod candidate espouse the cause of the
liquor traffic. Before tho Convention meets, all
the Republican candidates who have any chance
of winning the nomination will be strongly com
mitted to prohibition."
"What will bo tho third plank?"
"Our platform will strongly declare for
woman's suffrage if at that time the amendment
has not already boon adopted. If, as is probable,
the amendment is in effect, we will congratulate
the country upon woman's entrance into the
arena of politics and point with pride to the
fact that a majority of the Democratic senators
and congressmen voted for tho submission of
the amendment."
"But arnot some Democratic states opposed
to woman's suffrage?"
"Yes, some of them a fow but this is a
government by the majority, When a party
stands, for a proposition and a majority of its'
representatives support the proposition, tho op
position of a minority does not count, especially
when tho minority does not succeed in defeat
ing the propositions."
"The fourth plank?"
'This will be in opposition to enforced mili
tary training. The action of the Democratic
caucus in tho house last Monday made it certain
the party will be opposed to the military meas
ure. A vote of 10G to 17 is quite decisive
more than six to one. A Democratic Convention
would not be likely to rebuke its representatives
in congress. Tho action of our caucus Was of great
importance, first -because, besides announcing
the position of our party it also made certain
the defeat of universal military training in this
congress. Second bocause the Republicans
will hardly dare to endorse universal military
training in their platform after a Republican
congress has voted it down. I am speaking of
PROBABILITIES. I think the opposition to
military training is even stronger among the Re
publican voters than the among the Republicans
in the sonate and house. Third the failure of
tho Republican congress to declare in favor or
universal military training is likely to eliminate
professional soldiers from the list of candidates.
Last Monday therefore was a great day for the
country."
"Next?"
"Tho profiteer will not be overlooked. The
beneficiaries of profiteering are ''o few in num
ber In comparison with its victims that it will
have no open defenders in tho Convention al
though it may be represented by some bush
whackers. The Convention may be expected to
propose effective remedies, national, state and
local, for Profiteering and his older brother, the
Trust. I am not naming these planks in the
order of their importance. Profiteering may be
the paramount issue."
"What next?"
"I think it is safo to say the party will de rtare
against a return to protective tariff, and will en
dorso the income tax. This plank probably will
be accompanied by a declaration ag'ainst a re
duction of the tax on big incomes without a
corresponding reduction in small incomes. That
is, the Democratic party will oprose the de
mands of big business on this subject. Big
business and the men of great wealth tho in
fluence that dominates the Republican leaders
will try to shift the burden of taxation to the
backs of the poor. They are demanding a re
peal of the EXCESS PROFITS TAX, the least
burdonsome of all the taxes.
Labor questions will occupy a large place in
our platform. I have no doubt that the party
will defend the right to organize and to peace
ably persuade; declare in favor of an eight-hour
day and favor tho right of collective bargaining.
I also hope the Democratic party will declare in
favor of the creation of machinery similar to
our peace machinery for the investigation of
all disputes between employer and employee so
that differences may bo settled before they reach
the strike or lock-out stage. Compulsory arbi
tration would bo objectionable but there can be
no valid objection to compulsory investigation.
"I take it for granted the party will renew its
declaration that a private monopoly is indefens
ible and intolerable although it is impossible at
this time to say how far the Convention will go
in applying the principle to the telegraph, tele
phono and railroad problem."
"What oIro?"
"It is certain the Convention will deal with
many other subjects, like good roads, the mid
dleman and propositions regarding" the farmer,
but I do not care to enter upon any effort to out
line a platform. I have only touched upon sub
joctsvin regard to which I think it is corkin the
party will act, questions upon which the State
Conventions should and will speak emphatically
before the National Convention meets."
WORLD ENDORSES NULLIFICATION
The New York World says editorially
r "KJS? emphatic pronouncement against
Prohibition by national amendment causes
surprise or misgivings in any quarter it is
to bo remembered that this is an original
article of Democratic faith. No novelty at-
. taches to the declaration at this time except
as straightforwardness in such matters has
been too much discouraged by cowardice
and treachery." ,ttiW
When the World endorses nullification of the
.Federal Prohibition amendment by state statute
tTl ?S B in tllG name oC th "auor traffic
and not in the name of the Democratic party
COMING TO THE PROttV Ar.Atv
Mr. Bryan, the hardy perennial, is comirnr to
the front once again, and the humorists are pre
paring for another inning. But tanViw J
Bible that his long deferred day Ib about
?aWn ? N?man bas been mor SoL y interested
in the political history of the last twit!
years than he, his ability Is real hi SlT0
unquestioned, 'and wZVg
is its vory incarnation. That go lnm Ii S
of preparation should be whoS tltL ??rid
believable, and the dIstingu7shedycommonerSshaU
not lack sympathetic watchers durinc ?h V.i
months. We need a mmVlr&S
in America and the United States Soth?i, eB
and he is it-Wester Watehma? $Lufi0n'
Inexcusable Ignorana
The Times-Union of Jacksonville, Florida
says 4
" 'The vast majority of people are in I
sympatny wun promotion declares the St
Petersburg Independent; and as tho ma-
jority of the people of the .country have
- never expressed an opinion on the suhw
we wonder how it came to be so well in-
If the Times-Union were the only wet nanar
guilty of such inexcusable ignorance its utter
ance migm do anowea to pass unnoticed, for
the people of Florida are too- well informpri tn
be influenced by such a gross misrepresentation!
jut as suon editorials go the rounds of the
anti-prohibition press it deserves a moment's
attention. The prohibition question has been
before the country for many years: 34 stat
have gone dry by state action, nearly all of
them by popular vote. In the very few states
where prohibition was introduced by statute
subsequent legislatures have been elected
PLEDGED TO CONTINUE PROHIBITION
Forty-five states voted to ratify, and nearly all
the legislatures that ratified WERE ELECTED
ON THAT ISSUE or were the LEGISLATURES
OF PROHIBITION STATES.
Ratification was an issue In Illinois in 1918:1
and prohibition won-. Ratification was an issue!
in New York in 1918, and prohibition won.1
Ratification was an issue in Ohio in 1918, and
prohibition won. The state prohibition amend-!
ment has been voted on FIVE TIMES in Ohio.!
It was defeated by 84,000 in 1914. by 54,000 inl
1915 and by less than 2,000 in 1917. It was
carried by 25,000, in 1918, and by about 40,000
in 191 9k The congress that submitted prohibi
tion (elected in 1916) was elected by the people,!
Tnree-tourtns of tiie senators and two-thirda
of the congressmen voted to submit the na-
tional amendment, and the voters knew ho
these senators and members stood on this ques-
tlon when they voted for them. ;
Yet in spite of repeated endorsements of pro-
hibition "by the voters at tho poll's, papers like
the Times-Union, continue to echo the false
hoods sent out by the ex-brewers. Chief amoni
these falsehoods is the statement that "the raa-1
jority of the people of the country have never
expressed an opinion on the subiect.
P W. J. BRYAN.
THE GOLD STANDARD
- - S. R Wagel, publisher of the Bullion and For
eign Exchange regarded as one of the leading
authorities on this subject has this to say or
the gold standard:
"Events in the past year have confirmed
the conviction that tlie gold standard can
no longer be maintained, and a large num
ber of intelligent economists areat.tempting
to find a way out of the present difficulties.
Professor Cassell has been the first to pro-
" pose an international commission to discuss
the relation between the world's currencies
and finance. As long as free circulation of
gold is impossible under present conditions,
while note issues remain at the abnormally
high levels, and the gold supply of the world
is reducing, the standard must have some
other basis than gold. W'fh the present sit
uation in silver, bimetallism is also com
ing to the fore. There Is little doubt that
some solution must be' attempted at an
early date, and it is not improbable that
there may be fundamental changes in the
relations between gold, silver and currency."
What has become nf the cocksure flnanciai
authorities who, in 196. 'prated about the un
c.nangeanie value of jrold and tne suiucieiv -,
the trold standnrrl. ih'A ntfilHmr not test, the
fllimnirnr wrinnrl fao'n 4- nlnct ' tVlV arO AJ
silent no'w, or have turned about' and are tryinj
tn save the world from the'very standard wmu
they used to idolize.
WflHnm .TfinntnP-cs Tlrvnn fa fliA liveliest "(IMC
one" ever known, because he never will "stjtfjj
dead.." It is hard to kill a "man with a mm
Fon." nnd stm harder to bury him.. We do noM
torcet that Bryan was dead, as well as aanmct
at fha -man Inn- nt tloltlmnra nrmVflntiOn 1"
1912; but before that convention concluded itq
moors, the same Bryan had made wooarow i.
son the nominee for President! It Is just as
to, remember this fact. San Francisco Star.
u. 'vttfetfen'A'. iMg
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