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

stance where the party has IN the enall-
est degree won the credit for temperance
legislation. That was when Victor VIII
son. a democrat. fsthered and A. c. Shall
enberger a democrat, approved the
o'clock closing law. In that solitary in
stance the Bryan political machine did
not help the measure. II did, however.
in its covert way, help the brewers pun
ish Governor Shallenberger for APPROX
ing the bill.
It has been the same with candidates
for appontive positions. Whenever II
srited the purpose OF the Bryan ma
chine TO nominate OF defeat a candidate
it raised the point that he was a drink
ing man for office! But whenever IL
suited the purpose of that machine to
support "a drinking man" the support
was forthcoming without explanation.
At Exeter a capable man of fine repu-
tation was a candidate for the postoffice.
Il suited the purpose Of the Bryan ma
chine to pick another man. They dis
covered that the first candidate occasion
ally took a drink. although no one claimed
that he was in any degree a 6runkard.
But on this score he was defeated. Then
in several instances the Bryan machine
turned around and helped bring about
the appointment of men who were drink
Ing men" in fact.
they Beat n ProhibitionIst.
There is a fine object lesson up at Hay
Springs. J.. w. Johansen. editor Of the
paper there was a fine democrat and an
ardent prohibitionist. He had taken ths
lead in driving the saloons out OF his
community. Because OF his good party
eervice he had the support of democrats
and democratic committeeman generally.
Republican saloon men. who had been
driven out OF business by Mr.. Johansen.
brought out a rival candidate. clean
young man and entirely deserving, to be
sure. On the plea that this candidate
was the son OF an old friend OF Mr..
Bryan The machine put its Influence
against Mr. Johansen. who was one of
the most deserving of men, and brought
about his defeat. The real reason was
that Senator Hitchcock had endorsed Mr..
Johansen on account of Mr.. Johansen
having the support OF the democratic
committeeman OF his county.
1t may always be depended upon that
the reason given by the Bryan machine
is never the real reason.
When Chris Gruenther was a candidate
for collector of revenue. Mr.. Bryan's
candidate was James c. Dahlman and
hibition. Mr.. Bryan was for Tom Flynn
for marshal because Jim" wanted Tom
to ce marshal-and Tom could hardly
qualify for the office OF superintendent
of the Anti-Saloon league. The Bryan
machine has announced It's willingness
to support for United States senator ].
II. Morehead, I. ]. Dunn or Dan Stephens
not one Of them dry at last accounts.
A Fake Temperance Machine.
The point is that the Bryan political
machine IL not to be depended upon in a
fight against the liquor interests, except
at time when It suits their political
within to fight those interests and in-so-
far as to do so accords with their political
plans. AS Mr.. Bryan said not long ago
at Miami. MY business is politics."
What has all this to do with Mr..
Bryan's present attitude and present.
day political conditions? It has this to
do with IT: The way TO make the fight
for the prohibition amendment is through
the initiative and referendum There ara
democrats who are not at all interested
in the liquor business. but who are OPP
posed to prohibition. who are just as
honest In their views as Mr.. Bryan is
in his They are much more consistently
In favor OF Woodrow Wilson than MIR.
Bryan is and they are willing to cooper
ate with the dry" democrats In the
interest Of Woodrow Wilson and upon
the ninety-nine questions upon which
they agree. while settling the one-hun-
dredth questionable liquor question
upon which they disagee through the
medium OF the initiative and referendum.
1t has this to do with itl Our coun-
try Is confronted with a crisis and the
reelection OF Woodrow Wilson is neces-
sary for the countrys good. However,
democrats may differ on the liquor guess
ton and. however. had they may work
| for the success or defeat of the prohis
btion amendment the paramount Ques-
ton In the democratic primary will bet
shall the hands OF Woodrow Wilson
be upheld by the party and the people
he has served so well?'
The Bryan political machine does not
care for Mr.. Wilson's reelection. but
Nebraska democrats do care. They ap-
preclate the great load he has carried
and the service he has rendered. They
viii lnot be dismayed by the threats of
the machinists nor the fear that that
machine will resort TO trickery and secret
circulars. They will not be discouraged
by the report that the great leader will
leave his home in Florida and employ
his eloquencs over the prairies OF Me-
braslxa. They will resent with all their
might the effort 70 so demoralize the
party in Nebraska that Nebraska's cleo
torial vote shall not be given to Wood
row Wilson.
OF course. the liquor question will str
the state but upon that question dry
democrats and dry republicans will be
working Shoulder TO shoulder for tho
adoption 81 the prohibition amendment
Their efforts toward that end Will be
more effective than the needless and IN
necessary primary efforts made by q
political machine toward the destruction
Of a parry to whose sacrifices and de-
votion that political machine and ita
mighty leader owe all that they are N
politics and all that they have in wealth