Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-04-14
Another Exchange of Compliments
In the Bryan Hitchcock Debate

the ground that Mr. Jones was direcs
tor OF the harvester trust But the
hypocrisy Of this claim becomes appar.
ent when II IA remembered that Mr.
Jones. II confirmed would have been
only one member Ia seven. whereas Mr
Hitchcock wanted 10 turn the entire gov
ernmont over 70 Wall streets candidate
for the presidency, and now wants 70
have Nebraska represented on the M.
tlonal committee ~ Arthur Mullen, who
has been n he not now, attorney for
the harvester trust In Nebraska,
mr. Hitchcock also tried To secure the
adoption ~ o resolution n the last demo.
cratic state convention which would have
endorsed his record In language which
would have constituted o rebtike 70 the
president where the president differed
from Mr. Hitchcock
"Third-Ngw M 70 the liquor question.
~ II true that Mr.. Hitchcock ana Mr..
Bryan voted together against tbs amend.
msnt IN 1890, and II IL also tr1s that In
1903 Mr. Bryan stated, In answer TO In
quiries, that he had 20 voted In 100. The
question did not come up In any form
requiring action between 1890 and 1905
IN 1908 Mr.. Bryan was notified that the
liquor interests Ind raised W,OOOO00 and
would use II against our party n We
did not put a plank IN our platform ~
yoreble 10 tho liquor interests, Mr.. Bryan
refused 70 have stieh plank inserted In
ths Nebraska platform. which was being
prepared as basis for the national plat.
form. and he found after the election that
tho liquor interests had in several states
formed n combination between wet DEM
oerats and wet republicans whereby that
vote WINS thrown TO the democrats In the
state and 10 the republicans In the nation.
TN 100 Mr.. Bryan found that the liquor
interests controlled a sufficient number
~ democrats N Tho state senate 70 pre-
vent tho submission on the initiative and
referendum 10 found n the spring Of
1910 that an outside iiquor organization
was trying TO employ Nebraska demo
GRAFT ~ a salary ~ $1,000 for ten months
70 flick out the democratic candidates for
tho state SENATE lie isHrned this from
tho person 10 whom the offer was made,
This attempt, n successful. would make
| IL impossible for the democratic party 70
carry out ITO pledge IN support Of tbs
initiative ana referendum, which was 0p.
posed by the liquor Interests on the
/ ground that It's adoption might lead 70
tho submission Of county option, Mr.
/ Bryan Informed the democratic leaders
Of what ho had learned, and announced
/ his purpose 10 oppose the liquor interests
and 10 favor county option. Mr.. Hitch
cook, when Informed Of the plan Of tho
| Iiqn0r interests 10 control the democrats
1 IN The state senate, rnanifaAted no further
/ interest Ia the matter than 10 inquire
whether they had not been doing the
same thing before, and Mr. hswbranch'
I Mr. fIitcnoocks editor went 70 far ~
10 warn Mr.. Bryan Of the desperate
character OF tho men whom he was op-
posing, telling him that they would even
resort 10 physical violence
From tho time that Mr.. Bryan began
10 resist the political activities Of the
liquor interests in Nebraska. Mr.. Hitch
cock has been their chief Spokesman IN
the fight they have made against him.
IN the campaign OF 1914 Mr.. Bryan
found that the liquor question was over
shadowing national iasuss In several
states. and after that election he an
nounced his support Of prohibition IN
every state where II was an issiis, infln-
cnced 10 do 30 IN part by ths belief that
the time had come when the fight should
be made against the saloon rs an insti-
tuition and partly by the dssirs 10 sup
port those IN the democratic party VINO
in prohibition states, wore opposing The
effort OF the liquor interests ~ commit
tho democratic party TO the support Of
an ontlAwsd business
HE had advised against the attempt 10
| submit national amendment before
this ycnrs campaign. but announced that
he would favor the national amendment
| whenever Il was submitted, tIa thought
IL better 20 make the fght this year on
the economic reforms already secured.
Ito also advised against the submission
Of the prohibition amendment IN this
state this year, but announced that he
would support Il n II wan submitted,
II has been submitted and he Ia sup
porting ~ Vie believes that II viii carry
| by large majority and IL anxious that
we shall nominate officials In sympathy
with the amendment and thus protect
our state from the era 81 iawieusnesa
I
which will follow II the IIduor interests
are able 70 control either branch Of the
Legislature and thus prevent tho enact
ment N legislation necessary 10 put the
amendment into effect. or are able n
secure the nomination and election Of
state officials who viii refuse or fail "a
enforce the law
whether MI, Bryan goes as a dele.
gate 70 the national convention or not
ia question for tho votern Of the state
10 decide. Mr. Hitchcock falls 70 dla,
tinguiah between the liquor interests,
made up Of those peouniarly interested
IN tho traffic and their political nrrv'
antn-.Mr Hitchcock fails to distinguish
between these and that larger number
who. without any pscunlary interests h
tho lnnor business oppose prohibition
Mr.. Hitchcock thought faar years aEt
that ho could lead the latter class Into
]