Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-04-12
Mr.. BRYAN AND The PROHIBITION
QUESTION.

tErum the Galveston News
Mr.. Hryan has been mihbling at the
prohibition issue for 4 long time. but
never has he made the cork hohhlc 80
vinlrntl, ~ h. does in his letter a. MIR.
Remington. This letter. il appears. was
written at a time when there was 4 con
tra among the democrats ~ Iowa 90 I'LL
VI vacanr, IN the national democratic
committee. Mr.. Remington WAS an a>pi-
rant tor the place. and he was being up
posed because he was an advocate ~
urnhihitiun. hut whether for the nation
or for the state only l. not made to ap-
pear II seems that friends Of Mr.. Ken
Iningtun'S opponent had alleged that he
cnjoycd Mr.. BRYAN favor. and the letter
WAS written To- dcnv that allegation.
II must IT, admitted that the occasion
which Was given 10 Mr. Bryan 20 express
his views was ample. and lac can hardly
be- CHARGED with having intrudcd Enter
tanning the sentiments he aYoWS. IL was
not only his right hut his duty "a express
them. lie can not Ice taxed with having
gone out ~ his way o. loss an apple ~
diScurd into the councils oi his party IA
Iowa.
Mr.. BRYAN discusses this subject with
even more than his W0ntcd dugmatiSm.
lle i unable. or al least h. refuses. to
distinguish ~ between those who are an.
ii pruhihitioni>tS out Of a conviction that
prohibition H. un>ound a. \ political prin
ciplc and mwiSe aS 4 policy, and those
who are anti prohihitioniStS because Of
profits they make out of the liquor traf
H.. lie heaps them both into 4 single
category OF men who are controlled by
.tt tp.4 .+4tt4.i.r utilization Ia Ihp IulaF I'M
tcrcStS.' There are 4 great many anti
prohihitioniStS who do not deserve Ia le
east into that category. hut if prohibi
.tiun j. 10 hc made 4 political issue they
ram hc treated only ia that way.
And Mr.. BRYAN makes it quite evident
that not only u thc question Of state pro
.hibition 4 political issue with him. but
thai he At least il ready Ia make il = ma
.tiunal issue. lie calls il - moral qucS
ton" and therefore" 4 question having
but one side t. il. unless the party il
willing To sell its soul for a support
which can not he more than temporary.
aud which can not he accepted even tenn
porarily without the forfeiture Of public
respect" Hence Mr.. BRYAN declares this
moral question IT, IT, a pertinent political
issue. and that ID IN the dut, nf the par
" ~ fNtiN state ll WHICH ms Issue IL
raised Ia cSpnuSc the prohibition. or NOR
Al side ~ IL. What IL much more signi-
firant. Mr.. BRYAN makes il clear that he
al least i ready To make the question of
prohibition a national issue. lie SAYS he
does not know 10 what extent this qucS-
tiun viii become an issue ia the national
campaign mex wear he is not inclined 10
think that the question will find Il place
IN either of the parties. But he thinks
Il proper aud cNr"dient. nevertheless.
that states in choosing their representa-
lives iur the national committee should
elect men whose opinions reflect their
viii with this issue. The effect must be-.
A that advice j. followed. Ia make pro
hibition not merely an issue. hut the iS-
sue. Tor experience has made it abund-
antly clear that prohibition ~paramonntS
itself an every contest into which il en-
IrrS. While Mr.. Bryan has not wrought
himself up 60 the point of declaring this
10 IT, 4 pertinent issue ia national poll
tics. IL i palpahle that any who may
seek 10 do that NAV count on his syinpa-
thy and active support. Here j. a covert
invitation for others 10 DO what Mr.. Bry-
an. for reasons Of expe,ience. feels con
strained not to attempt.
Coming events east their shadows be-