The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-01-14
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THREE COMING ISSUES.
William Jennings Bryan.


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The voters of the country are turn
ing with earnestness to three great is
sues which promise to be ready for de-
cision within the next few years
Peace, Prohibition and Woman's Suf-
frage.
First. The peace movement is
growing in the United States; it was
strong before this war began, and its
Importance has been emphasized by
the bloody combat across the Atlantic.
1t is true that some of our people have
been infected with the virus of mill
tarism; it is true that the worship of
the war god has in some sections be-
come more demonstrative, if not more
widespread, but among the plain peo-
pie the love of peace has deepened
and an increasing number have resofv-
ed to dedicate themselves to the move
ment.
There are three lines of activity
open to those who work for peace:
First, the keeping Of this country out
of the present war; second, the tender
ing of the nations good offices to the
beligerent nations, with view of res
toring peace between those now at
war; and, third, the saving of this
country from policy of preparedness
which would lower the nations ideals.
carry it down to the brute level of the
pending conflict in Europe, convert
this nation into an armed camp, slim
ulate a military spirit throughout our
land and give to our nation the swag-
ger of the nations that put their faith
in the sword
This cause will enlist the sympathy
and cooperation of vast majority
of our people in all-sections and
sents an immediate issue of great i'm
portance.
Second: Prohibition is on the way
-19 states have already adopted 1t,
ten of them within the last eighteen
months. The next few years will see
enough states added to the list to give
prohibition a considerable majority of
the 4s states. This issue is not likely
to play a prominent part in the presi-
Dental campaign of 1916 The coun-
try is not yet ready for it, and it
would jeopardize our economic re-
forms and the work of peace to inject
it into national politics at this time.
But it is coming, and as soon as the
campaign of 1916 is over both sides
will begin to line up their forces foT
the prospective battle at the polls. 1t
might be more accurate to say that
the prohibition forces will, within a
year, begin their preparations for the
fight; the liquor forces have had their
preparations made for many years. In
fact, they have been in the fight for
nearly a decade, and they have sacri-
feed party, principles of government
national policies, and everything else
for the protection of the traffic in Ii
quor. It has been a one-sided contest
so far because the temperance forces
have been giving large part of their
attention to economic questions, but
the time is coming when this great is
sue, which is moral as well as econ
omic and social, must occupy the CEN
ter of the stage-there to remain until
decisive action is taken.
The south is leading the fight for
prohibition. Of the states which
have already adopted prohibition,
eight-Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia,
Mississippi and Arkansas-are south
ern states and Arizona and Oklahoma
are semi-southern.
Florida, Texas and Kentucky are
likely to be added to the number soon,
with Maryland and Louisiana and
New Mexico later.
The west is cooperating with the
south and is furnishing an increasing
number of prohibition states. The
movement is travelling northward and
eastward as is shown by the agitation
in Iowa, Michigan Ohio and Vermont.
There is but one solution of the Ii
euor question and that is the nation
wide determination of the traffic in al
cohol. 1t has already been condemn
ed as an enemy to health and to the
home, and it is now indicted for high
treason because it paralyzes the patri-
otism of citizens in the time of war.
The third issue of the near future
is woman's suffrage-in some of the
states it preceded prohibition. 1t came
out of the west and is travelling to-
ward the east and south. Industrial
conditions have accelerated it's growth
in the north, but it is not necessarily
sectional for it rests upon principles
which know neither latitude nor l.,
tude. While prohibition is making
more rapid progress than woman's
suffrage in the democratic states, wo-
mans suffrage is showing more rapid
gains than prohibition in the republi-
can states, but they ought to be COM
panions The two reforms are largely
supported by the same voters. TAX
ing the country over, a majority of
those who favor woman's suffrage IA
vor prohibition also, and an increasing
number Of those who favor prohibition
also favor woman's suffrage. And, it
may be added, nearly all the support
ers of both prohibition and woman's
suffrage are to be found among the
advocates of peace.
Here are three great reforms which
rest largely upon the same foundation
and which are similar in aim. they all
look to moral progress. The peace !
contemplates the substitu-
tion of the plowshare for the sword; it !
seeks to substitute the work of pro-
duction for the work of destruction. !
Prohibition seeks to rid society of the ,