The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-12-18

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2l.-Wllllam
j. Bryan's attempt to force prohibition
to the front as a Democratic issue Will
kill him with his own party. That is,
almost without exception, the opinion
of such Democrats of national promin-
ence as are now in Washington. In
cidentally, it is the opinion of shrewd
political observers in the Republican
party.
The first difficulty met by Bryan in
the attempt to folst this new issue on
his party is that it furnishes fresh
and confirmatory evidence of the
charge too often made by Republican
spellbinders in the campaign of year
ago that Bryan was no longer a sincere
crusader fighting for what he believed
to be the right, but merely a political
quack seeking to win votes by what
ever nostrum he thought he could
make palatable.
Everybody who knows anything
/ about the campaign of last year knows
I that Bryan's nomination was accept
ed by large majority of Southern De-
mocrats simply because of the belief
| that it was necessary to kill him off
! before there could be any successful
Tejuvenation of the Democratic party
and that his third defeat would accom-
plish that desired result. The indica-
! lions that have been cropping up from
time to time since Mr.. Tafts election
that, despite his third failure to land
the Presidency, Bryan is not yet will
| ing to recognize the fact that he isn't
wanted in the White House have filed
the Southerners with renewed disgust.
Now to have Bryan make a brand new
! gyration and, abandoning all his nu-
merous certain-to-save-th e-country
policies, attempt to make a national
issue out of the question, which for
I purely local reasons has been adopted
in few of the Southern States caps
the climax.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE ISSUE.
Prohibition as a State issue is one
thing, but as a national issue it is quite
a different matter. 1t has worked as
a State issue in the South simply be-
cause down there the issue was between
two factions of Democrats, and no mat
ter which won the Republicans had no
show of carrying the election. But in
the North, where there are two real
parties, instead of one party and a
patronage camp, very different Jsitua-
ton would result. In the first place
as has been noted frequently today
I i'll the Northern States 1t is the Demo.
craft" party which is tied up with the
liquor interests.
In the red-hot campaign waged las
year in Ohio and Indiana the brewers
ana whisky men were with the Demo
Gratis against the Republicans on the
local option issue, and in both states
the liquor interests came out ahead
The prediction is freely made here to
day that even in Nebraska Bryans ad
vocacy of prohibition will serve onl!
TO spnt his own party wide open ant
deliver it over to the Republicans.
There is only one suggest on OF a
alternative, and that is that Bry an
finding his new save-all ia lure, VII
right about face on prohibition a
suddenly as he did on Government ow
nership of railroads after his Madison
I Square Garden speech Of D.Iree year
: ago.
: Not many Democrats of national re
: nown have come back to Washingt.,
{ as yet, but among those who are her
> the liveliest interest in Bryans neN
3 line of attack on the Presidency wa
displayed today, although not many c
them were willing to discuss It'll for quo
tation.
Senator Bailey said he did not wan
to jump on Bryan for saying thin