The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-08-10
BRYAN,S NEBRASKA DEFEAT.

BRYAN'S NEBRASKA DEFEAT.
Naturally, the failure of Bryan to
control the Nebraska democratic con.
vention for county option will be
looked upon as the big news" of .
week Of important political develop
ments. 1t WAS the FIRST time since
Bryan became u conspicuous figure in
public life that the democrats of his
own state refused I" accept his leader.
ship. The final r..I"'liation Of Bryan
on local issue by the Nebraska
democracy will he interpreted every
where NJ heavily d'-."uuiing Bryan's
influence as n national democratic
leader. That he invited defeat by
placing a moral i.su.. above regular
party issues will be interpreted rs
indicsting his probable disposition
toward political independence in the
future. There would have been little
surprise had Bryan bOlted. In his
speech, made in the face Of certain
defeat. he indicated his intention Ito
remain in politics for many years to
come" and ito aid in the work Of the
democratic party" 1t will be rather
interesting to observe what his course
in the Nebraska campaign will be.
There are Bryan candidates for gov
ernor, both of whom are foredOOmed
to failure in the primary on the rela.
tive showings Of strength in the CON-
vention.
Although the Grand Island conven.
ton refused to follow Bryan in his
county option program. it left middle
ground upon which he can stand
rather uncomfortably. The conven-
ton also refused to indorse Dahlman's
platform of opposition to county option.
The democratic party was placed on
record As refusing to recognize county
option as a party issue and declaring
that it should be settled by direct vote
Of the people. The convention then
indorsed the initiative and referendum,
which will afford a ready channel for
securing county option if the people
want it. As the republican conven-
ton likewise declared in favor of
direct legislation it is a reasonable
presumption that the channel will soon
be open, and that the cauee of county
option, if it is really = popular one, has
lost little in a practical way by the
defeat Bryan brought on himself.
The situation in general, and Bry-
ans situation in particular, is compli-
Gated by the fact that the republican
state convention declared directly for
county option at the same time the
democratic convention, despite the
urgings Of Bryan, vas straddling the
issue. Any further county option talk
at this time by Bryan will be con-
strued as helping the republican cam
paign. His past utterances can be
used As republican campaign doci.
ments.
1t is doubtful if Bryan can emerge
from the incident in the aspect Of
either a good democrat or q devoted
moral reformer. If he had the inter.
est Of his party at heart he might
easily have accepted the compromise
proposed by Governor Shallenberger.
by which the county option issue could
be merged with the initiative and
referendum, and tried out on merit
after direct legislation had been made
possible. If the moral reform was
uppermost in his mind the same COM
promise should have been acceptable.
If the initiative and referendum is
secured next winter the county option
issue can be placed before the voters
not later than the ensuing fall. Bryan
himself resents the intimatiOn, but it
is as clear as anything can be that
political revenge was at the bottom of
his recent activity. He also holds the
Omaha brewers directly responsible
for the defeat Of his pet initiative and
referendum project at the hands Of the
late democratic legislature. Bryans
belated appearance in the role Of a
temperance reformer appears to have
been due directly to desire to 'even
up" with the Omaha brewers and the
brewers in the country at large. His
refusal to let party interest stand in
the way Of personal plans discounts
his standing As - good party man"
And the obvious dominance of the
other motive causes him to fall far