The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-03-07
WET" DEMOCRATS
insult, BRYAN SAYS
Liquor Platform Adopted In
New York Convention Is Bit
terry Attacked. "a
lcontinued from First pass.)

Ftcontinued from First Pags) ?.
II ives abolished. In no State In the
Uaion cana black man now be held
In Involuntary seryitude.
I - cosstitStisa Changes Numerous.
The Constitution provided for the
election OF Senator's by State legisls-
lures. but In 1913 an amendment was
adopted which changed the method OF
electing Senators and provided for
election by popular vote instead or
by State legislatures. = -"
The Constitution has also been 30
changed as to authorize the collec-
ton OF an income tax and we are
collecting a graded income tax, run
ming sometimes as high as 90 per
cent on the income. All OF these
anne ndments were adopted according
| to the terms of the Constitution, by
three-fourths of the States. and this
Is the only amendment that the DEM
| ocraticn State convention OF New York
sees At TO "unalterably" oppose.
| And this opposition Is in spite OF
the fact that this amendment has
| been ratified by forty-five States. New
York included among the number.
All but three OF the forty-eight states
have ratifed the Prohibition Amend
ment. the only States failing being
Rhode Island, Connecticut. and New
| Jersey.
IL must not be forgotten that the
question of ratification was an issue
before the voters of New York In
1918. The Republican Candidate for
governor had recommended ratifica-
tion and was a candidate for re-elec-
| ton, SO the people had full notice.
l Tho candidate for
ernor did not run upon platform de-
claring the party unalterably opposed
| to the amendment but upon a plat
form advocating the submission OF
the amendment to a popular vote. He
was elected by a small majority and
that due to an unprecedented Demo-
| cratic vote in the city OF New YORK
against an Unprecedented Republi-
can vote in the State outside of the
city. Why this stronger statement OF
opposition after the amendment has
been ratified by forty-five States than
before ratification was completed and
when the position OF the State OF
New York was still undecided.
The second sentence quoted from
the platform would be amusing II it
! did not deal with a serious subject.
/ Those who wrote the platform feel
that the prohibition amendment was
| Imposed by an active minority
| against the wishes Of the great ma
jority of the American people" Men
who feel that a palpable falsehood is
true are not safe advisers.
Not Imposed by Minority.
One does not need to be well in
! formed to know that, prohibition was
not imposed by IAN active minority
against the wishes of the great ma
jority Of the American people" On
the contrary. lit was imposed by the
conscience Of \ considerable majority
of the American people. Expressed
otter long elaboration, and the trit
umph. was won over very active
minority under the leadership of men
| without conscience and with money
sufficient to employ the ablest law
yers-like ex-Secretary Root, for in
stance-and to corrupt politics, as
shown In many places. and impudent
enough to attempt to terrorize those
whom they could not buy.
Thirty-four States had gone dry
| previously by state action-nearly all
of them by popular vote. Those that
went dry by statute have since elect
ed legislatures pledged to continue
the policy OF prohibition. In the
states that have not gone dry by their
ity favorable to prohibition. as is
shown by the popular vote cast.
SprouI Hnd "Dry'' Platform.
Take Missouri and California, fol-
instance, where they voted directly or
the question of prohibition, and
Pennsylvania and New York, where
the Republican candidates for gov
ernor were known to be for prohi
bition. Governor Sproul of Pennsyl'
vania made his fight for the nomina
ton on a platform declaring in favor
of ratification and he was elected b,
about a quarter OF a million majorit.
on a wet platform.
What shall we say OF Democratic
leaders who allow their feelings Il
overcome their respect for the fact,
OF history? No open influence can &C
count for this strange feeling" wha
secret influence is back of It?
Why is it that they notNnly dis
regard the facts but make the liuu)
traffic an object OF worship? Tho,
do not deny that the amendment wa
ratified in exact accord with th'
terms Of the Constitution; they DE-
not contend that the members OF thu
legislatures in forty-five States die
not know what they were doing Of
did not mean to do what they did
but they seem to deny the right o.
legislature to do on this subjec'
what the Federal Constitution an
the constitutions of the States au
thorizc
ltufr ~ fot lcuic.