The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-23
NEBRASKA PARTIES DIVIDED
PROHIBITION CAUSES A SERIOUS
POLITICAL BREACH.
Bryan Stands Almost AlOne-"Tbe
Peerless One" FavOrs County OPP
ton And Had Read Out of Party
Nine State Senator's.

Omaha, Neb., July 15.-ProhibitiOn
has split the two old parties wide
open in this State. and while there
is no prospect that third party will
stand the ghost of a show in electing
single candidate for office, yet there
is no telling what planks the anti
| saloon sentiment may place in the
platforms of the Democratic and Re-
publican parties at the State conven-
tions which will be held on July &c.
The Prohibition party leaders have
issued instructions to Prohibitionists
all over the State not to place can
didates in the field. but to attempt to
secure the nomination by both the
Democratic and Republican parties
of candidates with prohibition lean
ings.
William ]. Bryan is making the
fight Of his life for the county option
brand Of prohibition, but in the coun-
ty conventions yesterday he was de-
cisively beaten.
Republicans as we'll as Democrats,
as party, are afraid of the prohi-
bition question in this State. In the
main, the Republican leaders have
managed to keep clear of the subject
and have not found it necessary TO
declare themselves either for or
against the proposition.
A number Of Republican county
conventions have instructed delegates
to the State convention to vote
against placing a prohibition plank in
the State platform. And an almost
equal number of county conventions
have instructed delegates to put a
county option plank into the plat
form at all costs.
Not a single Republican leader Of
any prominence, however, has declar-
ed for or against the measure.
In Democratic ranks the opposite
condition is found. No candidate con-
ventions have yet been held, and the
fight is altogether among the lead
ers. The county option side of the
question is espoused by William J.
far as the old-line leaders are con-
cerned. Mr.. Bryan is engaged in a
desperate effort to "save the party
from ITSELF" and he is reading out OF
the party ranks many of the leaders
who oppose him.
Whether these men will remain
outside, at Mr.. Bryan's behest, is
question. Since opening his cam
paign Bryan has publicly notified nine
Democratic State senators that they
are not true Democrats, and he has
called upon the rank and file of the
party in their districts to repudiate
them. The offense committed bv
these men is that they are opposed to
Bryan and in favor of whiskey.
Among those leaders who are op-
Governor Shallenberger, Mayor Duhl-
| man, of Omaha, Congressman Hitch
cock, ex-Mayor Love, of Lincoln, and
bill" Maupin, State Labor Commits
sioner. Maupin was formerly editor
Of Bryan's Commoner.
Governor Shallenberger is seeking
| reelection on an o'clock closing
programme for saloons. Dahlman is
candidate for Governor on an out
| and-out whiskey platform, while
Hitchcock, who is editor and owner
! of the Omaha World-Herald and a
| candidate for the United States SEN
ate, is opposed to county option.
Whether the Democratic voters will
follow Bryan into prohibition or will
stand pat for personal liberty" will
! not be known until election night.
And even among the Prohibi-
| tionists there is conflict. Six Of the
| II members Of the State Anti-Saloon
/ League executive committee have re-
! signed because Of differences with the
, other members and there has been
, organized by these six deserving
! members the Nebraska state County
! Option League. This league will fight
! the Anti-SalOon League in every way
/ possible, and in turn will receive no
/ support from the anti-salOon people.
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