The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-06-24
THURSDAY, JUNE "a, 1890
DIRECTING FROM DISTANCE

Press dispatches indicate that
very pretty little scrap is on in Sar
Francisco, between the dry anc
wet" elements of the representatives
of the nations democracy, who are
now assembled at the earthquake
city.
The drys claim none but a dry,
very dry man, man VINO Is SO
everlastingly bone-dry that will never
again dream of wetting his whistle,
will satisfy their demands and wants.
1t matters not that man may be
good man, a clean man, a man
who believes in law and law
enforcement and man who VIII
stand firmly upon the issues set forth
in his party's platform. if he has
ever intimated, by word. or thought
that the Volstead Act, as embodied
in the present national prohibition
amendment to the Constitution, is
bit too severe and drastic In its pro-
visions, then. according to the argu-
ments of the drys, he becomes SELF
eliminated and fit only for the discard
The conservative element at san
Francisco. styled the ''wets" by the
opposition, demand plank sin the
platform which will have "modifica'
tons to the Eighteenth Amendment
even as the other conservatives asks
for reservations" " the league OF
nations.
And the two elements, like Kill
kenny cats, are scrapping 1t out
along "damn.the-party" lines.
Never in the history Of the demo
cratic party has it had more beauti'
full prospect of success offered it,
Never before in the political history
of the United States have the repubi-
cans opened the gates wider, inviting
democrat success. But il now looks
as though a few men on each side
wet and dry-the one side dominated
by the brewery interests, the other
side dominated by professional prohi-
bitionists-are determined that they
will rule the democratic party and
ride the democratic donkey through
the campaign. even IL the beating
they join the liquor men and the
fanatical element of the drys in CIV
ing him next week, will render him
unable to carry the load this fall.
With the brilliant prospects for
victory in the offing, with the chances
better than ever known for a demo-
cratic success. is it not high time
that real leaders step in and take
hand and tell the factionalists, the
feudists to get out and stay out?
Looked at dispassionately, analyzed
without prejudice may it not be pos
sible in fact may it not be highly
probable that William Bryan, the man
who so many times has ridden upon
the waves of publicity while. as its
helsman ne guided the ship of the
democracy upon the breakers Of de-
feat, may 1t not be possible that Bryan
again seeks to be the man of the
hour. the nominee Of the national
democracy, campaigning the nation
with the manuscript of an anti.league
OF nations speech in one hand, and
a bottle Of grape juice in the other?
There can be no question but that
Bryan will be a dominating power 0t
the democratic convention. We will
all be forced to admit that he is q
remarkable man in that he has man.
aged in the face Of repeated national
defeats, to keep himself in the public
Eye. But while We must acknowledge
this, and while we must concede that
ne will be a dominating factor at San
Francisco, the national democracy, the
members of the national democracy
who believe that the party Is bigger
than any individual in it, must see
to 1t that he is not the dominating
power, that he is not given full rein
anu W iut a'Nbibihb
TO the dictates Of his own sweet
will.
In other words the delegates who
are willing to work for democracy's
success, following a. harmonious con-
yention. should see to ii that the
fight now stewing between the vets
and the drys is settled off the floor
of the convention.
The people OF the United States
wanted prohibition. The people Of
the United States got prohibition. The
republican party lodged the prohibi-
ton question in their platform. The
democrats should embody such plank
In the platform Of their party.
And the delegates at San Francisco
should nominate man for the presi'
dency, who can and will be elected,