Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-22

rived at the hall at $50 y. m, unaccom-
panied, proceeded Immediately to the plat
form. which was unoccupied, handed ont
from the footlights to the audience about
three dozen chairs, carrying them himself
as far as the footlghts, retaining one
echair for his hat and coat, and another
chair alongside the table at which he
spoke. He began speaking Immediately,
concluding about 1880, reading a portion Of
the time from manuscript
Mr.. Bryan: Some OF YOU take these
chairs, please, so they can be occupied
h Note: Mr.. Bryan then hands out about
Vlhree dozen chairs, carrying them to the
footights, where they were received from
him by people in the audience. the audience
cheering while this was being done, Mr..
Bryan wearing broad smile as though he
enjoyed II.
Mr.. Bryan: Mr. Chairman. Turning to
the empty chair at his side and addressing
II In deferential and courteous manncr)
prolonged laughter and cheering) Ladies
and gentlemen: This is my meeting
daughter and sppause) ! mean ara not
here at anybody's invitation. / paid for the
FsaH. 1 introduced myself--wth such intro
! duction as may be necessary to the new
corners in this community. Laughter)
Note: Mr.. Bryan here proceeded to read
! bn eultOTlal from Inc bee ana 10 JUSTIFY
himself for hiring a hall over a saloon and
belonging to a brcwer-this part of his
speech having already been printed in full
/ in The Bee.
- Mr.. Bryan: have no disposition to die
/ Tate and have no means of enforcing a
command IL desired to issue one. But l
am a member OF the democratic party; l
am a citizen of the state Of Nebraska, and
besides being in duty bound to inset the
responsibilities OF a democrat and the
responsibilities of citizen am also bound
10 meet those higher responsibilities that
rest upon us as moral beings.
/ think you will agree with me that ]
/ have as much interest in the democratic
party as any other member of the party,
and II any of you think that my course
Jeopardizes democratic success, I think you
will not deny that have as much interest
in democratic success as any other mem
, Der of the party. Even those who are
candidates for office are not personally
interested in it's success moro than I am
for in the national work I am trying to
do / would be embarrassed by the defeat
ot'the party in this state, especially il the
Responsibility of the defeat could be fairly
placed upon me- l think you will agree
Ayith me also that as a citizen Of the state
have deep interest in the welfare OF
the state as any other citizen. 1 am a.
closely Identified with its standing, its vel
fare and its progress as any other member
OF the party. am a taxpayer in the STATE
of Nebraska and cannot be Indifferent t
anything that affects the state. AS an in
divldual Il is my responsibility as we'll a.
that of others, and l have no more RICH
TO dodge question that is ready for settle
ment than you have
When l returned to the state after al
absence of some months found condition
here that had not expected to find, and
may add a condition which | believe tn
great majority of the democrats of thi
state are entirely ignorant Of:
had announced my position on the sub
ject of county option and had said befor
leaving 1t was an issue that could not b.
= avoided unless the initiative and the refer
= endum was submitted by special session
and the submission of the Initiative anC
referendum only avoids the Issue because
IT presents a larger issue and one which
includes county option together with othe
issues
Under dhe initiative and the referendum
any question upon which the people desir
> TO act can be submitted at tn
polls. II we have the initiatv
and the referendum submitted we ca,
work this fall for the adoption of tn
amendment and when It is adopted we ca
take up any question upon which the peo
pie desire to act
That Is the reason / am willing to post
pone. as far as l am concerned, any dis
cussion OF the question of county option
IL we can have the question of the initativ
and referendum submitted | am willing. a
] say, because L regard the question of tn
Initiative and the referendum as the larges
Single question that can come before thi
4 state. and because it includes all othe
\ questions. I prefer TO take the big questio
first and get the right OF the people to &C
on these questions and II we can do tina
this fall It is accomplishment enough 70
one year.
When I reached Nebraska found that
special session had not been called becaus
the canvass made did not assure the sue
cess of the amendment
I found that the liquor interests whic
controlled enough members of the senat
to prevent the submission Of the initiativ
and the referendum, were insisting tha
the county option question should not /
mad@ a state issue.
They wanted TO have the state organize
tion of both the leading partie
against county option and their argumer
was that the matter should be left TO I'll
districts. But l found that these SAN
, \ lqEor interests We're at work select!n
kcandidates for the state senate with
view to controlling that body. touu
that representatives OF the national liqu,
organization had been i'm the state and tn,
they had tried to arrange for the solectio
of senatorial candidates
l state that generally and I have u
proof OF it. I have talked with two me
who were called upon by representative,
of the national liquor organization. ar
that national liquor organization was tr!
ing to secure. and am not sure but It h,
secured, representative in this state
select the state senators TO be voted upO
found, also, that representatives OF Il
Hoeal liquor interests were acting with u
NATIONAL organization and that the plg
deliberately entered upon and industrious
pursued was to secure enough state SEN
tors to prevent the carrying out OF Il
wishes OF the people
have this also upon evidence that cam
be disputed: / assert here and shall r
peat 1t again and again. that the brewe
of this city have been trying TO select Sc
ators In districts outside of Omaha. and
the brewers NJ unit, in a eyatan,ant don