Evening star., 1916-12-07

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| to the National Capital an amount OF
| work which would overwhelm the ma
tfona1 authorities, and, therefore. de-
crease the efficiency Of federal SUPER
influence into the election of every
| congressman and every senator as
well as intensity the railroads interest
In presidential campaigns.
Must Meet Menace Of Militarism."
I'VE cannot afford to shut our eyes
to the menace of militarism as 1t is
now presented in concrete form. A
large increase in the number Of army
and navy officers drawing salaries for
life. and trained in a profession which
teaches reliance upon the steel blade
rather than upon the sword of truth,
tends to substitute false standards of
honor for the more peaceful standards
that prevail among !. the producers of
wealth. We cannot afford to exchange
our moral prestige for the privilege
of terrorizing people with a display of
physical force.
The first need which I ask you to
consider is the esta blishment of a ma
tional bulletin, which will acquaint all
the voters with the questions under
consideration at an election.
| There is one suggestion in this con-
nectton which appeals to me. l have
not yet secured permission to give the
name of the author of it, namely, that
privileges conferred upon the newspa-
pers the government should exact a
certain percentage of the space de-
voted to reading matter and use this
space for the publication of such in
formation as the government desires
to spread before the public"
| Would Abolish Electoral College.
! Suggesting the abolition OF the cleo
toral college, Mr.. Bryan said:
! Il think it owuld be better to have
the votes cast by congressional dis
tricts than by states, except as the
| state votes for electors at large. A
popular vote by districts would have
some advantages over plan which
| cast all the votes in a common heap
and make the election of the President
depend upon a majority or plurality. as
| in the case of a congressman. The
| latter plan would not only lessen the
influence of the states. but 1t would
involve risk of corruption in sections
overwhelmingly republican or over
whelmingly democratic.
Another reform for which it seems
to me we are now ready is a change in
the Constitution making it more easily
amendable. 1t is now necessary to have
two-thirds of both houses and three
| amendment.
~ venture to suggest that the rule of
the people would be made more secure
by a constitutional amendment per-
hitting a change in our organic law
when a majority of both houses in two
successive congresses submit an amend
ment and that amendment is ratified
by. a majority of the states, provided
the amendment also receives a ma
pority of all the votes cast. on that
prODOSitiOn in all the states
The experience through which Eu-
rope is passing suggests the adoption
of a constitutional amendment provid-
ing for a referendum in any declara-
| tion of war, except when the country is
actually invaded. This will not only.
| be a safeguard to us, but it will be an
example to the nations OF Europe,
where the right to declare war is
vested in the executives instead Of with
| the legislative body, as here. =
Predicts Suffrage Amendment.
| The next reform to which 1 invite
your attention has won a remarkable
victory in very short time. Equal
suffrage was the one question upon
| which all parties were agreed in the
| last campaign, their differences re-
| iating only to the method of securing
| the reform. While the democratic and
themselves to national amendment.
we might well recognize the fact
| that a national amendment will come
when the reform is adopted in a suffi-
cient number of states to make its
adoption by the nation probable.
Il have saved for the last the reform
which will involve the fiercest contest,
and which VIII, when accomplished
bring the largest benefit, namely, abo
lition of the saloon. did not expect until
within four years to live to see the time
when it would be an acute national
question. But owing to causes which
no one could foresee, the issue has been
precipitated upon US, and must be met.
The Injurious effect of alcohol upon
the system has been known for ages.
but three impulses have recently added
to the momentum with which the cause
moves forward: First, scientific in
vestigation has overthrown all the ar
guments ever made in favor of the use
of liquor. and 1T stands forth now as
great economic wrong to individuals
and communities. Second the awakened
conscience of the nation comprehends
more clearly than ever before the
moral responsibility assumed by those
who furnish the votes which call the
saloon into existence. Third. the ex-
perience of the nations at war has
thrown a ghastly light upon the use of
intoxicating liquors. Patriotism, that
sentiment, invisible, intangible. but
eternal which has throughout the ages
leo countess UllillONS " OHeI tHeI
lives upon their country's altar, is no
match for the appetite for alcohol. The
belligerent nations have been COM
PEELED to turn aside from the foe upon
the field to fight foe at home scarcely
less threatening.
"Not Obligated to Liquor Men,"
Science. religion and war have thus
Joined forces against King Alcohol.
Twenty-three states have already pro-
hibited the open saloon-two-thirds OF
them having adopted this policy within
the last four years. More than half of
the people of the country now live in
dry territory, and the reform sweeps
on from the west and south to the
northeast with increasing velocity and
momentum.
THE democratic party, having won
without the aid of the wet cities, and
having received the support OF nearly
all the prohibition states and the states
where women vote, is released from
any obligation to the liauor traffic 1t