Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-31
NEBRASKA PRESS COMMENT.

Beatrice Express: Hope blossoms eternal
in the democratic breast. w. j. Bryan
says the party has an excellent opportunity
to elect a'presdent in 19l2-if they only act
wisely and do tho right thing. The qualif,-
cation destroys the hope for the party,
under the leadership Of Mr.. Bryan, has in
the past seemed incapable of doing the
right thing at the right time.
Central City Republican: Unless Bryan
takes care he is going to be badly dis
credited He.is butting into the state fight
pretty strongly, and II the democrats turn
him down right here at home his position
as leader will not be worth much even
in Nebraska. 1t looks like Bryan was get
ting rather reckless OF his prestige hook
ing up in a local fight with Shallenberger
Hitchcock and Dahlman. 1t looks like n
come-down for man who was for fourteen
years the undlsputed democratic national
leader.
Lexington Pioneer: Bryan declared in his
Omaha speech that he proposed to have
plank in the democratic platform In favor
! Of the enforcement of the law that we have
to- prevent brewers from owning saloons
under other names. Why such a plank in
the platform? Why not a complaint against
! some vlolator of tho law to secure it's en-
| forcement? Platform declarations do not
| help in the matter of law observance or
enforcement They may serve a political
purpose by making a temporary impression
on the minds OF unthinking people who do
not see through the trick of the dema-
gogue.
Humphrey Democrat: In his speech at
Nebraska City Monday night Mr. Bryan
said: 1T is not certain yet whether a spe-
cial session of the legislature will be called,
but If 1t is not called, 1t is because the
! liquor interests are opposed TO the initiative
and referendum" According to this, we
| take 1t that Mr.. Bryan believes that all
the good democrats In the state who are
| opposed to special session are influenced
entirely by the liquor interests, and this
| being so, Mr., Bryan does these democrats
| an injustice that will be hard to amend,
| and, further, 1t Is a pretty hard thing to
say of democrats who have been standing
faithfully by him for many years.
\Aurora Republican: AS a side-stepper,
Colonel Bryan is certainly entitled to the
championship belt, He is a great now
you see it, now you don't" artist During
the deliberations of the democratic legis-
latufe winter before last. the colonel was
invited to address the house and senate
In joint session regarding the legislative
program and what the people needed most
Many county optionists were present and
listened long and patiently for an ex-
preston from the peerless leader favorable
to their cause; but he spoke not a word
of comfort or encouragement. Just before
he went to South America last fall he saw
a new light and penned an editorial, in
which he came out strongly for county
option, and left it with his brother
Charley, to spring upon the long suffer
ing democratic party through the Com
moner when the author was far away and
out of hearing Of the storm OF protests
from the bourbans. When he returned
home and found he had started something
which might bring about unfavorabe con-
dtions If let alone, Bryan conceived the
idea Of calling an extra session OF the egs.
lature for the purpose of passing an initia.
tive and referendum law in order to at
tempt the removal of the liquor question
from the state campaign this fall. In this