The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-12-03
Nh. sRyAN ON The RESULT

Bryan says that "the day is past when
the liquor machines and Wall street
interests of the larger cities can sue
cessfully dictate tc the great moral
majority of the nation"
Which is quite true and has been
so long true as to become past poll
tical history.
We all know that the voting strength
of the Democratic party is in the
South. We likewise know that the
South strongly favcrs prohibition. so
it is useless to say that any National
convention of the Democratic party
would for moment give heed to the
dictation of the liquor machines and
Wall street interests of the larger
cities of the nation"
This unfair criticism Of Mr.. Bryan's
can hardly be dignified by even say
ing that il is Pigment of the imagi-
nation for it is statement that will
simply not hold water and is clearly
disproven by the vote of the San Fran
cisco convention.
Governor Edwards of New Jersey
was the "wet" candidate before that
convention and his vote shows that he
had no standing before it worth con-
sidering.
If it had listened to the dictation
of the "liquor machines Of the larger
cities" Governor Edwards would have
been its nominee.
After a protracted and furious strug-
gle the victory fer prohibition has
been everywhere triumphant in city,
town, county, state and nation and has
been written into and has become a
part of the constitution of the United
States and its constitutionality is up
held by the court OF last resort.
Prohibition was not regarded as a
paramount issue" in the Chicago con.
vention nor in the San Francisco con-
vention any more than slavery was or
that Woman Suffrage will be held as
the paramount issue" in any of the
political conventions of the future.
Further along in the article under
discussion Mr.. Bryan says:
"The Democratic party needs a pro-
gram, an ideal, issues and leaders who
represent the needs and ambitions of
the people. The party needs to take
a stand that will entitle it to the con-
fidence Of the public, and its motives
and leaders must be such that the wo.
men will rally to it's support. The
leaders in control of the San Francisco
convention and the work OF that con.
vention did not reflect the opinions
or needs OF the great democratic
membership of the party"
The League, of Nations and the vim
dication of the Democratic admins.
traticn for it's constructive and bene-
ficial legislation and successful con.
duct of the greatest war in history
were the paramount issues" before
the San Francisco convention ana
they were bravely met and clearly
stated in it's platform and should have
commanded the support of every true
and loyal Democrat and especially of
Mr.. Bryan as he had been three times
honored as it's STANDARD bearer.
He should have been the very last
man to have sulked in his tent and
acted the part OF fault-finder.
If Mr.. Bryan sincerely believed that
the Democratic party was bound hand
and foot by the liquor machines CT
the larger cities and wall street in.
terests." that prohibition was still the
paramount issue before the American
people, and that the women of the
country would have rallied to it's sup
port, he should have accepted the
nomination rendered him by the, Ma.
tional Prohibition party.
Standing for the things he stands
Tor, according to his vision it would
have represented all needs and would
have satisfied the aspirations and am
bition OF the great body of the Amer
lean people.
We fear that Mr. Bryan let an op.
portunity slip by him that may never
again be within his grasp.