Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-13
tFrorn az omaha Nebrnskan.,

q. 1s1e-Charies W. Bryan. Lincoln. Neb.-
My Dear Brother: notice IN one OF ths
Lincoln papers that the liquor interests
are bringing out their candidates for the
legislature IN both parties. That was q
be expected. They have no politics. but
they insist upo nrunning politics wherever
they are permitted to do 90. Their inso-
lence only hastens the day OF their fall
The voters OF Nebraska need only to b.
Informed and then they will repudiate the
whole saloon-picked. brewery branded
crowd. and a months campaign win en-.
able the temperance forces to get the
facts before the public. have reserved
the time from March - until the primarieI
TO aid in this work. I know OF no greater
service that I can render to the people
of Nebraska at this time in return fol
their confidence and support.
I hope anti-saloon democrats viii fills
for every state and legislative office. but
II the ticket IL not. for any reason, com
piete. the fight will be made for those
who do file. The people are entitled Ia
officials who arc not under obligation
TO the liquor dealers. The democratic
party has defled the other special inter.
ests-it must not be enslaved by this, the
most sordid and corrupting OF thom all
Yours truly. w. ]. BRYAN.
Let Us Reason Together.
Come now, fellow democrats, let US
rOasou together. Let us have heart-to-
heart talk on this letter Of Mr.. Bryan's
~ I shall nisstats any fact 1 shall
oheerfully correct It, but I am confident
that you discover that I have kept his.
tory straight"
In the beginning ali that Mr.. Bryan
saya about the liquor interests having nc
poiitics II true. but Il has always beer
true. All he says about those interests
trying TO control the legislature Is true
but they have always tried TO control tht
Legislature. Ali that he says about those
interests trying TO enslave the democrati,
party IL true. but they have always tried
to do that ana often they have succeeded
And In all that time Mr. Bryan has OTTER
received the support Of the liquor inter.
ests as well az the support OF democrat.
who were honestly opposed TO anti-iiquoi
laws and often his political machine ha.
been found helping liduor interest candi
dates
In other words. the attitude OF IN.
Bryan political machine with respect Il
q candidate or the agitation Of the liquor
question has never depended upon the
principle involved. but rather upon tn,
political within OF that machine.
In 1seo when Mr.. Bryan was a candidat,
for congress for the first time he voted
against the prohibition amendment which
was submitted that year. Then and IL
1ss0 when q candidate for reelection hs
received the support, not only OF VETS
who were disinterested opponents OF pro
hibition. but he had the active support
Of the liquor dealers from the brewer t.
the humblest galoonkeeper.
ThiB was likewise true In 1894 when HI
was q candidate for the United States
senate. II was also true in Nebreaks
IN 1893 ana IN 1900 when he was a eandt
date for the presidency.
Now Il may DO said that In those day.
Of the long ago many democrats who ar
now for prohibition were opposed to i
and Il u not fair TO Judge anyone by tina
record. All Of which is entirely true.
A Brewer wins the Prise.
Then this brings Us down to more mod
ern times from the record OF which NOR,
accurate Judgment may be made.
In 1907 Mr.. Bryan returned from hi,
eA~-- NtfC0-A ~ ~ NJ VIZ uADt ~ ga w III
bryan Homo Follz." There were I
many Of them Il was not "a long time be
tween drinka." In fact. the liquor inter
ests were pretty well represented amonI
the Bryan Home Folks"
II was IN 1918 that the Bryan volun
teera'' were organised in Nebraska pre-
paratory to the Bryan prudential boon
in 1908. Campaign funds were COLLECTED
through that organization and there wa
hot contest to determine which volun
teer would secure tho largest amount
The prize was given to Harry Hayward
the genial ana well known Omaha brewer
who shed his coat and devoted all hi
time to the effort to pie UP campaign
funds for the great loader whom he lovss
so dearly.
In iSos Mr. Bryan was again tn
nominee for the presidency. In NebrAsi<
he received the support of many of tn
representatives Of the liquor interests bu
In that year for the first time he wa
opposed by q considerable number o
those people. Many OF them gave thei
support TO Mr.. Taft. In Nebraska. how
ever. they stood pretty well by MI
Bryan.
When the members Of the legislature as
ssmbled for the 1909 session the candi
dates for speaker were Ralph Clark O
Stella '-wet;" Charles Pool OF Tecumsel
wet" and n r. Henry of Holt count
distinctly dry" The Bryan politica
machine threw its support 20 Mr.. Poo
wet candidate. and helped to defea
Mr.. Henry. VINO was not only dry bu
was q singularly efficient and homes
man. Mr.. Pool wes announced as IN
Bryan candidate and TO that influence h
owed largely his election.
II was In ioOa-while the legislature wa
in session-that Mrs. Head of oseeol,
the charming leader Of the Women
Christian Temperance union met M
Bryan in the lobby OF the House OF Rel
resentatives and asked him 20 Sign
petition for prohibition Cor county OF
toni. Mr.. Bryan returned the petitio
to Mrs. Head with the remark. IVA
M NkTInNC Tn Do pkNVpUD