Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-17
Thursday, December IL, 1914.
Bryan Warns Democracy.

6ryan Warns Democracy.
That ". j. B. is honest and has the
courage of his convictions, none will
question. He has long been a tenn
perance advocate and. now that he has
embraced prohibition, he should be an
even greater power for good in his
own party. That Mr.. Bryan is de-
1cidedly not in sympathy with such as
the Maine Democratic leaders who
make constant bid for booze traffic
support and funds. is made plain in his
paper, the Commoner, this week. Read
his own words:
Every new issue causes a new
alignment; in proportion as it is an
Important issue 1t brings about
changes in party affiliations. If the
Democrat party takes the side of
the brewers, the distiIlers and the sa.
loon keepers it will lose many of it's
best members and it will draw to it.
ssif the worst element of the Repub-
lIioan party-and the Democratic par
lty cannot afford to invite an element
that puts desire for drink before prin-
'cipies Of government and the Nations
welfare
THE more we havo of that element
sthe more difficult it will be to draw
Ito US those whose presence gives
strength to a party and whose voice
land example increase its numbers.
The Democratic party cannot be
KILLED even by association with so
communicating an influence as the liq-
suor interests, but why should the party
ALLOW itself to be debauched and dis
tgraced? 1t would take a decade or
more to remove the odium that the
representatives of the triple curse
the saloon. the gambling hall and the
brothel-wil bring upon the party If
they are allowed to dictate it's. pol
icy.
1.-THE result of the liquor fight in
the last campaign is full of warning.
slf the Democratic party fails to heed
these warnings to il it does 90 at its
lown peril
In Maine the Democratic party. by
bold and open bid for that element,
drew to it the worst element of the
Republican party" and scored a great
victory In 1910. But the better ele-
ment Of the Democratic party revolted
at the overwhelming evidence of
brazen collision with the liquor inter-
ests, and swept the Republican party
back into power.
That swap" was splendid thing
for progressive Republication but
bad thing for the Democratic party of
the State. That is precisely what Mr..
Bryan means-that by ailying itself
with evil interests the Democratic
party is exchanging its better element
for the very worst elements of other
parties.
Secretary Bryan has seen the re-
suit of such demonstrations as given
by Maine Democracy. He fully un-
derstands what the rum trust position
of Democracy meant to it in the last
campaign. He makes his meaning
plain. He frankly says that the
Democratic party cannot be killed by
association with such degrading influ-
ences but 1t can be debauched and
disgraced. 1t is obvious that great
party could be maintained on the sup
port of that mighty factor that thrives
lon ignorance. debauchery and crime,
the great following of personal lib
erty," and the criminally bent. But
such men as Bryan and Wilson and all
the other thousands Of good men OF
Democracy would have to leave such
a party.
Is not that Mr.. Bryans meaning
that If the selfish and INSCRIPTIONS
political plotters of the party disgrace
it good men will be obliged to turn
away from it; that the Republican
party will get the best element (the
moral, Christian, progressive elemenD
and in turn Democracy will draw all
that is bad from the G. o. p?
Democrats as we'll as Republicans
will do well to read and heed Mr..
Bryan's wise words.