The Cordova daily times., 1920-07-01
EDWARDS TO RUN
 ON WET PLATFORM

ON WET PLATFORM
 In placing Governor Edward I. Ed wards, of New Jersey, in nomination today, Charles F. K O'Brien, of Jersey City, urged that there be "a return and adherence to the first principles of government" and that the people be given a direct voice in deciding the prohibition question.
 we are fully cognizant," said MT. O'Brien, that the eighteenth amend ment to the constitution is the law of the land and strict obedience to the mandate of our highest court is the demand Of the Democratic party; but the voice of the people has not yet been heard on this tremendously vital issue. We feel that American people have been defrauded of treasured right that was always their proudest possession and we propose to undo the wrong by the installation of a con- gross and president who will protect and not destroy popular government, as was witnessed in an infamous meas ure passed by Republican congress. We believe that this issue has been only temporarily adjudicated and not completely and permanently decided, and no great question ever yet was settled until it was settled right.
 We believe that this question of prohibition, when it is put to the actual test and it's hypocrisy is un- folded in all it's hideous features, will just as rapidly find hearty repudia- tion through the same measures that thoughtlessly and wantonly moved it's inception Therein lies not only the great opportunity of the Democratic party, but the paramount supreme duty of this convention is to decide whether self-determination in our own governmental affairs is to be denied or our inherent natural rights are to find their greatest enjoyment in the exercise of personal liberty.
 Much has been said about the is sue of personal liberty but neither savant nor doctrinaire, philosopher nor statesmen, no matter how learn ed or extensive his treatise might | be, could express it's import more clearly or succinctly than in the home ly, yet eloquent phrase of the right of every man to mind his own business and to permit his neighbor to do the same.
 we seek no quarrel with the dis tinquished gentlemen who may op- pose us on this question, we do not doubt the sincerity of those who are committed to the cause of prohibit ton, but we do most potently deny l that our government now is or ever will be transformed from one of ma- jority to minority rule. If prohibi- ton is a good thing for the American people, we maintain that the right of personal liberty and it's preservation are of far greater consequence and more in accordance with the idea of justice and national honor If prohi- biTion is possessed of all the virtues attributed to it, why not let the peo- pie decide for themselves wherein their own best interests lie and there by give evidence of their proportion ate capacity of intelligence for self government.
 "Nor need the proponents of this new panacea for human ills fear the judgment or conscience of the Amer icGn people. The American people are the supreme arbiters of their political destinies and salvation, and the man or group of men who would tGke away the scepter of power from the citizenship of our country is menace to Democratic principles and American institutions.
 ''No one will gainsay that the world i war is responsible for the greatest l upheaval in our national life that we have ever known, but attempted leg islation as to morals has served only to intensity the general conditions of distrust and confusion Even now there is a firmly established convic- tion that too much government not l only tends to defeat the object for which it was intended but arOuses that rebellious spirit and contempt for law and order which is sadly visible l in other countries today"
 He closed with resume of the question of prohibition
 IMMIINITY Ic GRANTED