The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-08
RID PARTY OF
LIQUOR MEN is
BRYAN'S ADVICE
He FavOrs Obscure "Dry''
Candidate to Well Known
"Wet" Nominee.
MAKES PROHIBITION
A STATE ISSUE ONLY

WASHINGTON. April 7.--Secretary OF
State Bryan disposed OF reports that he
IL seeking to make the prohibition Ques
ton vital issue In the next national
campaign instead { having It confined
to the states by saying to-day that 1t
does not seem probable that the liquor
question will find place in the plat
form Of either the Democratic or the
Republican party.
This. assertion was contained In q
statement issued in regard to his recent
letter to L. S. Remington OF Iowa In con-
nectIon with the selection Of a national
Democratic committeeman from that
state. Mr.. Bryan made public tonight
the text OF his letter to Mr.. Kenning-
ton, as well as general statement re-
garding his position on the liquor ques-
ton aud the attitude which he wishes
all Democrats 10 take on IL.
The Secretary renews his urgings that
Democrats everywhere take sides on the
right side of the liquor question. An
obscure man with the right views on
the liquor question Is to be preferred
by Democrats. he asserts, to a well
known man who Is wrong on the liquor
issue The Democratic party, he said
must refuse to ally itself with the liquor
interests in any STATE, even for tenn
porary advantage.
He concludes his letter to Mr.. Ken
nington with the following
III. therefore. anybody asks my opin-
Ion YOU may say that in any contest
between wet and I dry candidate
FOR national committeeman l am for the
dry candidate and that / shall be greatly
disappointed II the Democratic party in
Iowa does not throw the weight OF Its
great influence against the liquor inter-
es,s and all that they stand for or de-
sire"
Radicals May Not Agree.
II was suggested tonight that Mr..
Bryans Views as to the probability OF
prohibition being made an issue in the
national campaign will not meet favor
with the radical prohibition element.
EN-Representatve Hobson and others
have made vigorous struggle In Con-
gress TO make it Il national issue in the
next campaign and It is believed that
this group will not support Mr.. Bryan
la what seems to be his attitude
Mr.. Bryan's statement was in part
as follows:
The prohibition question Is an Issue
In Iowa. and this fact Is so clearly
understood by the liquor forces thar
one Of the leaders OF the wet element
OF the Democratic party In Iowa OBJ
Jected TO very excellent man on the
ground that he belonged to the drys.
II the liquor interests insist upon max
ing the question an issue In the selec.
ton OF a national committeeman those
opposed to the liquor traffic cannot
well Ignore the issue As a matter OF
fact the liquor question now being be-
fore the people OF Iowa II could not
be ignored in the selection OF party
officials no matter which side desired
to ignore II.
Prohibition Is not an issue In all
the States, but wherever II II an issue
l hope to see the Democratic party take
the prohibition side. 1t cannot ally
itself with the liquor interests with
out losing its moral standing, and the
moral standing of a party is the thing
that gives it permanent strength.
"A surrender to vice or immora lily
seldom gives even a temporary advan-
tage to a party, but even II temporary
advantage could be secured by such a
course IL would lie at the expense OF
the permanent welfare OF the party.
Take the Moral side, He Urges.
1T is not only right for party Ia
take the moral side OF a question but
II pays 10 do So
Mr.. Bryan in his letter to Mr.. Ken.
nington said in part;
1T Is proper that the national com.
mtteeiuen should present the attitude
of the party on this lliquorl question
In fact the liquor interests have already
ruled out one good man because he Is
dry. The only way in which the senti'
ment OF the party can be made evident
In advance of n convention or an cleo
lion Is for each person TO vote az hi
thinks II he nets as an individual oil
as his constituents think II he acts al
n representative.
1.-THE brewer. tho distiller and tn,
saloon keeper are in conspiracy agains
all that is pure in society, against al
that is sacred in the family. against al
that is good In industry and desirable
in government ] do not mean to sa,
that every brewer. every dlstiller o.
every saloon Keeper Is conspiring. but III
business In which these men are engage,
Ia tho enemy Of progress and civilization
and they are not in position TO oppos
the influences that dominate IL,
Those who represent tho liquor In
tercts are consciousness in their meth
DDS they dcbauch the Individual
through whom they act and any part.
Ia which they dictate,
"NVhenever a moral question In raised
therefore. there is but one side 10 !
unless the party IL willing to sell It
soul for support which cannot be NOR
than temporary and which cannot b
accented even temporarily without tn
forfeiture OF public respect"
DRYS GAIN 80 TOWNS.