The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-04-16

all that is good in industry and de-
rable in government. | do not mean
to say that. every brewer, every dis
tiller, or evrey saloonkeeper is con-
sciously conspiring, but the business
in which these men are engaged is
the enemy of progress and civiliza-
tion and they are not in position to
oppose the defense that dominate it.
They will represent the liquor inter
ests, are conscienceless in their
methods, they debauch the individuals
through whom they act and any par
ty toswhich they dictate. The Dem
ocratic party can only hope for sue
cess when it gives expression to high
ideals and makes itself the champion
of the noblest principles and the best
policies
whenever moral question is
raised, therefore, there is but one
side Of it, unless the party is willing
to sell its soul for support which
cannot be more than temporary and
which cannot be accepted even tenn
lporarily without the forfeiture of
public respect.
at does not matter much what par
ticular individual is chosen as nation
al committeeman, but it matters a
great deal, whether he stands en- the
moral or immoral side of the line
that separates the forces that are
soon to engage in political battle in
Iowa. 1t would be far better to take
an obscure man who is right on the
liquor question. than well known
man who is wrong on the liquor ques-
tion, for an unknown man ceases to
be unknown when he becomes the ex-
ponent of righteous ca1se; he bor-
rows strength from his cause; where
as individual strength and personal
influence dwindle into nothingness un-
der the blight of an unholy alliance
with an immoral cause
"If therefore, if anybody asks you
my opinion, you may say that In any
contest between wet and dry
candidate for national committeeman
am for the dry candidate and that
| shall be greatly disappointed if the
Democratic party in Iowa does not
throw the weight of its influence
against the liquor interests and all
that they stand for or desire"
Secretary Bryan's statement fol-
lows:
"The letter to Committeeman Ken
nington explains itself 1t was being
urged in behalf Of one candidate that
| favored his election. When this
was brought to my attention, | felt
that if my opinion was desired, it
ought to be given to all, and that the
reasons for that opinion should be
stated so that the Democrats Of Iowa
would know what weight, if any, to
give to it.
"The prohibition question is an is
sue in Iowa and this fact is so clear
ly understood by the liquor forces
that one Of the leaders Of the wet
element of the Democratic party in
Iowa objected to a very excellent man
on the grgound that he belonged to
the drys.
"If the liquor interests insist upon
making the question an Issue in the
selection of a national committeeman,
those opposed to the liquor traffic
cannot we'll ignore the issue. AS a
matter of fact, the liquor question
now being before the people of Iowa
it could not be ignored in the Sc
lection of party officials no matter
which side desire to ignore it.
81 do not know to what extent the
liquor question will be an issue in the
campaign next year. At the present
time it does not seem probable that it
will find place in the platform of
either the Democratic or the Republi-
can party, but there is no reason why
the national committeeman shoIld not
represent the sentiment of the party
on this subject as on other subje is.
Prohibition is not an issue in all
the states, but wherever it is an is
sue, l hope to see the Democratic
party take the prohibition side.
at cannot ally itself with the liquor
interests without losing it's moral
standing and the moral standing of
a party is the thing that gives it
permanent strength. A surrender
to vice or immortality seldom gives
even a temporary advantage to a par
ty, but even if temporary advantage
could be secured by such course it
would be at the expense of the perma-
nenet welfare of the party. 1t is
not only right for party to take the
moral side of question but it pays
to do So" q