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Commoner
VOL. 20, NO. 5
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with returning monarchy and, on .tho other
ulJ6 with tho chaos of bolshovism? Jdpfarho
kndw of tho unrest in our own country and
tho reason for It? Does ho know that the
' profitoor, with an nppetito stimulated by
gluttony, is blooding our nation whito? Does
ho lcnow to what extent tho tax-oators aro fat-
. toning at tho oxponso of tho taxpayors? Does
ho know that Big Business is attempting to
transfor, tho burdens of tho government from
tho shouldora of tho rich to the baolcs of tho
poor? Does ho know that tho beneficiaries of
private monopoly aro massing for a combined at
tack upon tho right of tho people to. use .their
own govornmont for their own protection?
Doos ho know -that tho antagonisms botwoen
capital and labor aro growing and that the
failure of tho old parties to grapple success
fully with -this monace to industrial poac6 is
scrolling tho ranks of socialism? Doos he know
that tho governor of his own state is leading
a revolt against an amendment to the Consti
tution ratified by forty-five statos of tho union,
anong them, every Democratic state? Does
hi know that his own stato and a number of
o her statos are deliberately trying, to nullify
the Prohibition enforcement placed upon the
statue (books by the vote of mora than two
thirds ,of . the. members of both houses? Ho
can not bo indifferent to this attempt to over
throw the nation's groatost moral reform if ho
woro physically able to confer with his follow
ollcials at Washington and learn the views of
h)s fellows patriots throughout tho country. Ho
Wjould not ask tho members tho Democratic
pjirty to drag tho troaty into politics, and make
the reservations a partisan issue. Tho treaty
should be ratlfiod immediately With the res
ervations already agreed upon, leaving the na
tion to secure aftorward in the league such
changes as may be deemed necessary. The
democratic party cannot die; it must help solve
tno problems of today. Democratic friends of
the League of Nations should join Republican
friends of the league, and, by doing so, take tne
issuo out of tho campaign and speak peace to
War distractod Europe. W. J. BRYAN.
FORWARD, MARCH
Mr. Bryan will be one of Nebraska's, dele
tes at lnrco to the Democratic National con-
vjotnion. He will be pleased to cooperate with
other progressive Democrats in the writing of a
platform that will honestly meet tho needs of
tbday and appeal to the intelligence and con
science of tho nation. If any Wall street re
actionaries or representatives of the liquor traffic
appear and attempt to disturb the harmony of
the party, he will be glad to meet them in tho
Committee on Resolutions and on the floor of the
cbnvontion. Tho Democratic party can not be
ntade the tool of predatory woalth; it can not
becomev tho champion of an outlawed traffic.
Forward, march!
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POOR HOOVER
''Nothing succeeds like success." . Hoover's
defeat in, California not only eliminates1 him as
a -candidate but it drives the New York World
away from him. Just think! . Surely we know
not what a day may bring f orth-r-especially if it
is. primary day. -i .
;., . THE REPUBLICAN FIGHT
,,hos Republican fight is going-jiit right',
Thore will be less than one-halt' bfvbhe per'
cent of iharmony 'in the convention, ahdmdt
. enough enthusiasm in the campaign itoinake, it.
intoxicating. ... ;....: .. :.' ,..:';
ABOLISH THE UNIT RULE
Tho New York delegation to the San Francisco
convention seems to bo afraid that some of its
members may try to break away from Wall
street and the brewers.-- It 'is trying to tie the
delegates by tho'feuit rule. A convention may'
adopt tho unit riie, but a convention can not
unless it is specifically empowered to do so. And
oven a convention should nothave power to do
so. It gives the political bosses in tho big states
& dangorous power. Now thalt.tbe world . is at
last safe for democracy, tho Democratic party,
ought to be willing to permit a.majojrity to, n.omi?
pate, but the change from wQrt&fodeLutQ a rqar
jorlty should be accomplished by . the abolition
of the unit rule, '
Cox, the Wet Leader
The fact that tho Democrats of two dry states,
Ohio and Kentucky, have instructed for Gov
ernor Cox makes it proper to consider his posi
tion on the liquor question. It is becoming
every day more and more apparent that he is
the man about whose standard the wot forces
will gather. Governor Edwards is a joke. A
drunkard, in tho last stages of delirium tremens,
would havo sense enough to know that Ed
wards has no chance of nomination. Senator
Hitchcock did not havo any chance even before
tho Nebraska primary, henco he had nothing to
loso. Governor Cox is their man and he has
fairly won the dishonor that he seeks. Ho
traded his birthright for a mess of pottage and
ho could sue the wets and compel the delivery
of tho pottage if such a contract was enforce
able at law,
He was elected governor in 1918 by a small
majority about half his gain in Hamilton
county. That gain was a reward from tho wets
for the Influence he exerted on the convention
to keep a dry plank out of tho state platform.
The drys carried the state by 25,000 and wroto
a prohibition amendment into the constitution.
This was the constitution that ho took oath to
support when ho became governor, but he vio
lated the spirit, if not the letter, when he re
fused to use his influence to secure an enforce
ment law. A two-third vote would have'put the
law into force immediately, but he would not
lift a finger, and his state had constitutional
prohibition bit no statute to enforce it.
Then came the campaign of 1919. The liquor
interests made an attack on all that had been
gained. They tried to repeal the prohibition
amendment, nullify the enforcement law, with
draw Ohio from the list of ratifying states, and
write 2.75 per cent into tho state constitution
in violation of the national enforcement law."
Although fully aware of, ,tf not a party to. the
scheme, he kept Bitent 'during the entire con
teat. Never a wdrd in. support of his state's
honor, the constitution of the state, and the
homes of state! Either his heart was with those
who would turn the state back into the hands
of the brewers, or they had bound his tongue
and hands with obligations that he did not feel
at liberty to break.
And now, after disgracing his state he as-'
pireB to a position in which he could disgrace
a nation. For years the men engaged in tho
liquor business have been the real anarchists of
the country far more dangerous than the pro
fessional anarchists. Governor Cox has become
their candidate. His nomination would make
tho Democratic party the leader of the lawless
element o'f the country, d his election if such
a thing were possible would turn the White
Hpuse over to those who defy the government
and nold law in contempt. There is no likli
hood of his nomination and no chance of his
(election, it nominated; but why should any
Democrat be willing to support a man whose
nomination would insult the conscience of the
nation? for the triumph -of prohibition Is a
triumph of the nation's conscience. Why should
any Demdcrat be willing to make the party the
champion of a Wicked traffic, outlawed by 34
states by their own act and condemned by the
45 states (INCLUDING EVERY DEMOCRATIC
STATE) that joined in ratifying the national
amendment. Governor Cox is not among the
availables this year. W. J. BRYAN. '
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THE MICHIGAN PRIMARY
Th,e secretary of state of Michigan reports the
following votes cast oh penipcratic ballots':
Hoover ..,..,. ...,.,... .'. '. ,. . . ,,24,046
McAdoo ...,., 18,665,
Bryan ....,;; .47,954
Edwards .... . . ., ,16,642
Palmer ...? .... . . 11,187
Mr. McAdoo and Mr. Bryan endeavored to
to have their names withdrawn.
COX'S MARCH TOWARD THE GRAVE
f The number of votes cast for Governor Jamei
M. Cox of Ohio at tho primary elections in that
state, including tho 1920 primary, follows:
August, 1914 (For Governor X38 021
August, 1916 (For Governor) ..135 583
August, 1918 (For Governor ! 133435
May, 1920 (Presidential Preference). . . 75o24
The number of votes cast on the submission
of statewide prohibition to the voters of 6hio
for the years 1914, 1915, 1917, 3 918 and 1919
follows: '
' ILLINOIS DEMOCRATS DRY
"The Democrats of Illinois lined up with the
dry forces of tho nation when the committee
oh resolutions of the Democratic state conven
tion at Springfield, May 10, defeated a "wet"
plank byji vote of 21 to 4. Qopd for Illinois.
"The drys walk by faith; tho wets go by scent.
Yes No
1914 504,177 588,329
1915. 484,969 540,377
1917 ...-...,522590 523,727
1918 ...... .463,654 437,895
1919 496,786 454,933
Majority
Wet, 84,152
Wet, 55,408
Wet, t,137
Dry, 25,759
Dry, 41,853
On the proposition for defining intoxicating
liquor to mean not to exceed 2.75 per cent al
coholic content, submitted to the voters of Ohio
in 1919, the vote was 504,688 against and 474,
907 for a dry majority of 29,781, or against
2.75 per ceht beer as initiated by the Home Rule
Association.
Shall Governor Cox be allowed to lead his
party in his march toward the grave?
BE VIGHjANT
Every national prohibition and temperance
organization, and every church organization,
should have a committee oh guard at both Chica
go and San Francisco to counteract the influ
ence of tho wet organizations. The brewers will
have their representatives at both conventions;
the delegates will be taken iip on the. mountain
and offered everything in sight. The friends
of the home must be oh guard to warn against
any surrender.
MR. OUMMJJNGS' STATE
Connecticut is Mr. Cummings' state; it isone
of the three states that did not ratify. Its Demo
cratic convention has recently declared for wine
and beer. Does that express Mr. Cummings'
views? Or is he -without influence in the party
in his state? In either case he should not bo
temporary chairman of the. San Francisco con
vention. That gathering will not be a barten
ders' reunion; it will be a convention of forward
looking Democrats. Step aside, Mr. Cummings.
BRAVO, COOMDGE
Governor Coolidge has vetoed the 2.75 per
cent beer bill. ' Gcod for. Coolidge. It was a
brave apt Now see how he falls as a states
man in the estimatipn of the. wet papers,
many candidates would have done it?
How
SILVER THREADS POPULAR
The rise in the value ot the white metal has
made "silver threads among the gold" popular
.in the east. The financiers can now listen to
it without seeming to tolerate cheap money.
REPUBLICANS AT WAR
No wonder the Republican leaders favor uni
versal compulsory military training; they neeu
it to train tho dek gates for the coming fig&wu
the Republican National convention. Lay o
McDuff!"; "At him, Tige!"
THEY WANT SAUOONS
The advocates of wine and beer Profes.3
oppose the return of the saloon they say tnw
want wine and beer without the saloon.
now pan people buy wine and beer unless m
-are made? And how can the drinkers get "f
wine and beer from the makers without re w
ers? Wine and beer must be bought if tney
used; and they must.be sold if they are bousm
There can be no considerable drink ng ;'
the saloon. But even if there could be arm
ing without saloonsan impossibility " 1BTb0
TOXICATING LIQUOR that does the hojm.
saloon is bad because of the tatoxl;atInS "i1 of
sold there. If the wets can get conw eh
the government, every official who votes "
and beer will vote for saloons. Tne '
ment law must stand as it now is. V, even
$pg of its provisions should be permitted or
thoughof. W.J.BRYAN.
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