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The Commoner
JUNE, 1921
Only in one instance, the election of .1908, did
Nebraska give Bryan anything like a spontaneous
hand.
Yet through it all, barring perhaps the bitter
ness of some of the earlier days, Nebraska has
recognized Mr. Bryan as a good sport and as a
credit and an asset to his state. He came, a
Democrat, into a state consecrated in blood to
the Republicans. He managed, despite this
handicap, to put his impress upon the state and
to make it a base for his national operations.
Nebraska was a hard nut to crack and he never
did get at .more than half the meat of it, but
in the effort he won his state's respect and lik
ing. For all his many battle here, theve be few
to wish him ill as he. packs his lares and penates
off to a less strenuous clime.1 Nebraska (Lin
coln) State Journal.
ADVANTAGES OF CO-OPERATION
(Chicago Post, May 19.)
William Jennings Bryan this noon told a
thousand members of the advertising council
of the Chicago association of commerce the
value and dangers of co-operation, and he had
a rousing reception throughout
His three fundamental thoughts were summed
up as follows:
You multiply the power of individual units
when you put them together.
But you rriust use the power of co-operation
for the progress of mankind.
Every human being should resolve to tell
what is in his heart, irrespective to sneers and
jeers.
Mr. Bryan was such an attraction to the ad
vertising men that a hundred or more were
were unable to secure seats in the ballroom at
the Hotel, La Salle. Of those who came early
were about a hundred women, and to them the
commoner 'paid a mirthful compliment.
''Years agio when the woman's advertising
club was organized, I knew it would grow," said
Mr. Bryan -The women have the secret of
advertisingi-i-they -tell it in confidence."
t -.Mr.. -Bryan's i smile and silyery. ,voice were -unimpaired,
and- he wore his usual black bow
tie; ,Buta rather skippy black and white 'strip
ed shirt ,, seemed a bit unusual. It probably
was .unintentional but the Association of Com
merce Glee club sang a rollicking song about
Capt. Kidd thjit had a refrain sounding greatly
like "Yo ho 'and rum will flow." Mr. Bryan
smiled skeptically and applauded., , IV , ,
."Co-operation is the greatest machine known
among men," said Mr. Bryan. "Water and
electricity were always with us, but until ma
chines were devised to utilize them they had
no commercial value to us. A club like this with
a membership of 1,500 can do more than 1,500
individuals; yes, 1,500 times as much, and per
haps a million things that an individual might
never think of. By co-operation you multiply
power, and you acquire the responsibility that
comes with power. Co-operation measures your,
responsibilities, and you must use it on every
question you have any right to deal with.
"The danger lies in co-operation being a com
plete movement, not an initiative. Let not the
spirit of co-operation quench that of initiative.
Whenever the light of truth strikes the human
being, he must rise and go to work. I urge that
each of you be sensitive to light -and responsible
to the truth. Count your associates when the
fight is over. If you stop to count before you
begin, you may never begin. Do not let the
chill of many destroy the ardor of the few.
"The germ of life lies in every truth. If a
man sees a truth and raises his voice in sup
port of it, that voice goes echoing along the cor
ridors of time, and, finally, truth steps forth
and becomes one of the accepted things of life."
In introducing Mr. Bryan, the chairman of
the advertising council, W. Frank McClure, re
ferred to him as a "speaker for righteousness,"
and quoted Webster as saying he "would rather
be right than be President."
"I was introduced that way once before,"
responded Mr. Bryan with a broad smile "and
told that assemblage that it was 'much easier.'
But a prominent Republican in the audience
said, 'What can he know about it; he never
was either.' "
It is now contended that because the dry law
makes so many persons law-breakers it should
be repealed. The same logic would call for
the repeal of all laws prohibiting murder,
forgery, robbery by force and half a dozen
others that will readily occur to anyone .Would
it not be a' better plan to,', try enforcing all, of
THE END OF THE CHASE
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From Collier's Weekly.
BRYAN SCORES PROFITEER AND J, A UPS
PROHIBITION
Wheeling, West Va., May 27. Prohibition
is here to stay. This is the word of the man
who, possibly more than any other in the na
tion, made prohibition a reality William Jen
nings Bryan. Sitting in his room in Hotel
Windsor the Great Commoner, who speaks at
the market auditorium this evening under
auspices of the Warwood M. E. church, scored
profiteers and lauded prohibition.
Despite his years he is active and quick of
movement, looks fit for a fray of whatever sort
might come along, and has the firm smooth face
of a man of middle age. The only 'sign of
age is the graying and thinning of the once lux
uriant growth of black hair.
"Today" said Mr. Bryan, by way of reference
to his favorite subject when a News reporter
called on him today, is the second anniversary
'of prohibition in Ohio. During this time the
sentiment has steadily grown stronger for pro
hibition and its enforcement, and as a result
the enforcement has tightened up. It is inter
esting to trace the progress of sentiment in
Ohio. In 1914 the state went wet by 84,000.
In 1915 the' wet majority had dropped to 54,
000; in 1917 to 2,00,0 and finally in 1918, Ohio
went dry by 25,000. In 1919 it was increased
to 40,000 after the soldiers came home. In
1920 enforcement was endorsed by 200,000.
"As to enforcement of the law, from a na
tional, standpoint, the Volstead act was not
made any more harsh than seemed necessary.
Experience has shown that there are some holps
in it;, which need to be stopped up, and they
will be. Prohibition is here to stay, and there
is not the slightest prospect of a reversal of tho
sentiment of the people of the nation.
"I was in Charleston a few days ago, and
talked with a number of the leading men of that
city, leaders of both parties. They expressed
the opinion that West Virginia would double
her majority for prohibition if she were to vote
on it today. If prohibition could be secured
when only men voted, as was done in West
Virginia and Ohio, what chance is there of re
placing it, now. that women vote."
It was pointed out to Mr. Bryan that viola
tions of the law are numerous in this section
of the state, and that difficulty is encountered in
enforcing the law.
"That is true," he replied, "but time was
when they brought liquor in by dray loads, and
exhibited an sold it in the best buildings in
the city. Now they bring it in by hand bags,
and sneak through the alleys of the city.
"When I went to Michigan in 1919, to op
pose the Wine and beer amendment, they told
me that 2,000 automobiles had been stolen in
the ciiy pf Detroit during that year. Yet, no
one proposed repeal of the law against steal
ing automoblJos.
"The papers leport violations of law Just as
they report divorces, and for the same reason;
namely, that they are exceptions. They do not
report the instances where the law is obeyed
for the same reason tlat they do not enumer
ate the number of happy homes; namely, be
cause they are the rule."
"What do you think of argument that pro
hibition makes a man want to drink?" he was
asked.
"No more sensible," he replied, "than that the
law against stealing makes a man want to steal,
or that law against any form of vice makes a
man want to be vicious. When any act is
branded as criminal it lessens the tendency to
do the act."
"What of the business outlook?" he was
asked.
"The worst feature in the business world,"
he replied, "is the lack of customers who can
buy. Goods are manufacured, not for storage,
'but for sale, and people cannot buy these with
out money. Farm prices are practically down
to where they were ten years ago, but the far
mer's crops will not buy much more than half
what they did ten years ago. The fanners con
stitute one-third of our populat'on. Who is go
ing to buy the goods that the farmer would
buy if his purchasing power were increased or
the price of other commodities decreased? This
is a question which the profiteer ought to
answer to his own satisfaction before he decides
to continue the exploitation of the people while
he tries to shift the burden of taxation from fila
own to some other person's shoulders."
A DISGUSTED PROSECUTOR
Vexed and disappointed when guilty members
of New York's building combines were let off
with nominal fines, Samuel Untermyer, who sup
plied the evidence which convicted them, de
clared that he intended to give it up. He takes
sharp issue with the court which calls extortion
a misdemeanor and treats it accordingly, Evi
dence was submitted to prove that when work
men were paid $1 an hour the , contractors
charged three times that amount to the builder.
Untermyer's investigations disclosed a tangled
skein of corruption and extortion which he in
sists involves the fire insurance companies of the
country. He also charges that the tile and
mantel business is nationally controlled to the
prejudice of home builders. He believes trade
combines are going to test the power of gov
ernment to subdue their evil consequence. His
declaration before the Lockwood committee
which has been considering the evidence he
brought forward needs no comment. Wheeling,
W. Va., Register.
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