Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-08-03
BRYAN LECTURES
TO PACKED HOUSE
Throngs:.Turns Out to Hear
Great.Peace.. Advocate Dis
cuss VitallQuestions
AMERICAS GREAT OPPORTUNITY
Is to Establish Peace i'm EurOpe
Says the Great
COmmOner

Inc greatest opportunity America
ever had is within her reach She can
establish peace if she will. Will
America let this opportunity slip from
her grasp to be taken by another ma
tion? America is the logical nation
to put forward such movement. We
are relatives TO every country engag-
ed in the great European war They
are oul own blood. My constant
prayer rs that America will be the
nation to perpetuate peace"
Hon. William Jennings Bryan ad-
dressed packed tent here Wednesday
night at the chautauqua. Mr.. Bryan
took for his subject -Four Pictures |
Have Seen" The subject dealt al
together with questions of a non
partisan nature and il was noticeable
that Mr. Bryan wished to evade any
thing that touched on the present po-
itical situation. The nature of his
subject clearly showed that Mr.. Bryan
was cut on mission and it was not
q political one. Oonly one did he
mention politics during his lecture
and then 1t was merely a passing re-
mark.
Mr.. Bryan was given great recep-
tion ny this city and Gratiot county
On this occasion. his second visit to
Alma. A representative committee of
citizens composed of Democrats and
Republicans motored to Belding in
the afternoon and returned with Mr..
Bryan to the city. Arrangements had
been made by the committee in charge
that automobiles should go to meet
the Commoner and escort him into
the city. A brass band met the escort
at the city limits and led the disting-
uished ex-secretary Of state down
Superior street and up state street,
amidst the throng that lined the
streets. Mr. Bryan was late in com
ing onto the platform, but when he
stepped before the audience he was
given great ovation.
As is his habit Mr.. Bryan, after be-
ing introduced by Mr.. ID. L. Johnson,
jumped into his speech and for two
hours an a half talked on woman suf-
fragc, prohibition, war and peace. He
said in part:
MAN trusts woman as his wife.
She affects his happiness and he is
willing to think her his equal on prac-
,ically every question then the pre-
sumption is that ne thinks the ballot
more important than his wife. If the
father trusts the mother with the body,
mind and soul of the child, couldn't he
trust her with the ballot? Man turns
he responsibility of the children over
to the mother. She teaches and brings
them up. If the husband can trust
the wife as a business partner could
MT he trust her with the ballot? The
majority of school teachers are
women. They teach our boys and
girls every day about government.
If women know enough to teach men
all they know then they know enough
to vote. Isn't it a little inconsistent
for men TO boast about woman that
teaches men and when she speaks of
the ballot say, "Hear her rave" You
give the ballot to men who destroy
the home and allow mothers to sit by
with hands tied when they want to save
their home from the influence of these
men. Statistics show that women are
out of Jail and in the church. If she
has intelligence enough to keep out of
jail and morality enough to go to
church hasn't she sense enough to
vote?
THE world is coming to under
stand the economic value of the sa-
loon and the moral responsibility of
those VINO go into partnership with
it. Men are coming to realize more
and more that they can't afford to as
sociate with those in the liquor busi-
ness. 1t won't be long before this will
be a national question. 1t is grown
out of the city, county and state. The
issue is coming. As soon as one party
acts To other will.
To-day everybody knows and real
izes the influence of the saloon. Why
is it then that knowing its influence
they will go right along year after
year giving licenses? The saloon is
taking our young men and like a
stamping machine, stamps and stamps
and stamps and then throws them out
on the community to become paupers
and criminals. The real anarchist is
the man who stands behind the coun-
ter, doling out liquor and defying the
law.
I'VE hate war and we hate il more
than ever before since the awful con-
iiict broke oUtin Europe. The trouble
with the European governments is that
their religious philosophy is too much
of hate and force. The people love
peace, but they have nothing to say.
Europe has brought this war on her
self. They boast of how they love
peace end then they turn around and
boast of their implements of warfare.
The American people have a great
opportunity to perform. If we go
into this war we will slip down and
leave the opportunity to establish
peace to some one else"
Mr.. Bryan was entertained at the
home of Hon. and Mrs. William A.
Bahlke during his stay in the city.