The Washington herald., 1910-10-24
4 to The Washington Herald

Special to The Washington Herald.
Indianapolis. Ind. Oct 23.-The coming
OF Mr. Bryan into Indiana and his series
OF speeches have not failed 10 bring some
embarrassment and certain amount OF
worry 20 the managers OF the Democratic
campaign. There are certain districts IN
the State where Bryan is tremendously
strong with The voters. or the personal
friendship existing between him and John
W. Kern, his running mate in 1905. there
can be no doubt-it is warm and sincere
on both sides. Mr.. Bryan could hardly
refrain from volunteering 20 speak for
Mr.. Kern. nor could the latter have
hesitated a monsnt 10 ask for such as
sistance. Yet I do not think l misjudge
the situation when I say that the State
committee would have been quite con-
tent had the matter never come up
for consideration. But OF course. they
could not reject proffered services from
the present party leader without awak-
ening bitter hostility in those districts
where the Bryan sentiment is stin domi-
nant,. and Gov. Marshalrs powerful in
fuence was exerted TO avert the danger
OF direct snub 10 the Nebraskan.
Marshall Defends Bryan.
Out IL Nebraska three or four weeks
ago ] heard men in public life sneering
al Mr.. Bryan for going to speak In favor
or the Indiana Democrats who oppose
county option. and at the same time
boiling the party ticket In his own State
because the convention failed 10 put
county option in the platform. The crit
icism seemed a just one. I asked Gov.
Marshall to-day what he thought of Il.
I'd Ike to be quoted on that" said
he. Mr.. Bryan is sacrificing no princi-
pie for which he fought in Nebraska by
coming here TO speak for our State tick
ct and our candidate for United States
senator We have a county option law
to-day unenforced and unenforcible. Ii
was rushed through a special session of
the legislature by a Republican governor
and held constitutional by a closely d.
vided supreme court But the Republican
party has one judge still sitting on the
supreme court bench who declared the
county option law unconstitutional one
or its candidates for reelection held the
same view, The second candidate is eva
sive. II elected. and If he stood with the
other two. the law would be knocked out
IN the court.
stand on Liquor.
in their platform this year the Re
publicans absolutely ignore the LIQUOR
question and the county option question.
So far as their Official declaration Of prin-
ciples is concerned. nothing in il need
deter them from repeating the present
county option law and returning 10 the
old 800 year license system with no
local option whatsoever In speaking for
the Democratic ticket. Mr.. Bryan will be
speaking for the one party which has put
forth definite programme for the regu-
latlon or the liquor traffic. We declare
for city and township option. Two years
ago We were for ward option. but that
proved TO be a mistake The units as
now fixed by the Democratic platform
are reasonable and practicable"
Later at the Democratic State head
quarters I learned that Mr. Bryan had
virtually agreed not 10 touch upon the
liquor question at all IN his tour of the
state. but TO talk OF tariff and the high
cost of living. There seems to be a
tacit understanding among political lead
ers here TO leave the liquor question 70
the handling OF Gov. Marshall
Ne"spAper boHabarus roosevelt.
What the voters may do as a result OF
the spellbinding oratory OF Roosevelt
and Bryan is merely guesswork. But
the most influential Republican news
paper In Indiana has been bombarding
Roosevelt with red-hot shot. II OF
course, is the indianapolis News. the
manager Of which. Delavan Smith, is
stnl defendant in a criminal libel suit
brought by the United States government
by order Of Roosevelt when President.
As the memories Of newspaper readers
are short. II may be worth while to re-
cali that the libel" was a charge
printed simultaneously by the News and
the New York World that Roosevelt's