New Britain herald., 1915-05-04
RUM AND DEMOCRACY.

The Literary Digest says that vii sion of the democratic donkey har- messed to the water-Wagon in the next presidential campaign, with MT: Bry- an on the drivers seat, seems to be causing some of our journalistic ob- servers anxiety. The chief cause of this disturbing dream is a recent let ter from the secretary of state to l.. w. Kennington,s democratic nation al committeeman of Iowa, expressing the hope that the democrats of that state would take a stand for prohi- bition. Tn statement given to the press with this letter, MT. Bryan goes further and says he hopes to see the democratic party take the prohibit ton side in every state in which the issue is raised; but at the same time he says, he does not know to what extent the liquor question will be an issue in the campaign next year, and adds, that the present time it does not seem probable that it will find a place in the platform of either the democratic or the republican party" But. many observe, his fight within the party must finally reach the floor of the national convention, and the Washington Post, for one. believes he ] will force the democratic party to a ] national declaration upon this issue. l The result of the fight is a question i of interest and importance. RepubIi- , can observers freely predict it will cleave his party wide open. The Bos- ! ton Transcript remarks that as a 1 party-splitter Secretary Bryan shows no signs of forfeiting his right to be called the peerless leader, while the Pittsburg Gazette-T Times prints severa a paragraphs of ridicule and raillery or si Mir. Bryans shifts from issue to is-
 sue during his career. The Houston NJ Chronicle, however, takes the idea
 more seriously, and, after sKtechins X the remarkable rise of the prohibit. ton idea in America, concludes tha, j sooner or later it is bound to entel
 
 sue, but. 1t adds guardedly jus
 when is still doubtful. People vii smile atathe idea of tying up the dem l ocratic party with prohibition, think.
 the New York Evening Post. and tn, 1 Brooklyn Citizen hold that fooiisi
 marriages break up more homes thai
 the saloon. but it proposes no part! |. plank on them. MT. Bryan's sincerit! and courage are. conceded by tn, .4 saxannah News, V butt it question
 whether he is 1not lessening til,
 chances Of his party of winning il Mthe next national campaign by hi j advocating brohibition, forSit will hell
 it in some Of the states, bu. not il the majority Of them.
 i, w If a break comes between the Pres ident and Mir. Bryan, it is likely t be occasioned by the prohibition pro sclivities of the latter, thinks tn
 Jchnstown (Pa.) Democrat And tn Washington correspondent of the Ney !, York Evening Post fears MT. Bryal i, eventually may find himself in high
 ly embarrassing political p6sition. Re
 calling a declaration by MT. Brya
 that Wherever a direct issue va
 raised in any state between the .swets 7 and the "drys" he proposed to talk D a hand in the fray, this eorresponden - reports predictions that this proces ], will increase the number of .'drys e on the democratic national conmitte e until they have control. Then proh s bitton will go into the platform an l become national issue