The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-08-04

LII. bIJdny MUuIIIsu Tupu'Sm.
Editor Independent. Mr.. Bryan has
declared for public ownership and pup
lie operation of the railways, these 10
be separately owned by the forty-nve
states. and the trusts to own and re-
tain the coal and iron and leave eacn
of the states dependent on these Two
trusts. for the wherewith to make
railroad, and for the fuel to operate IL.
A statement IF the proposition
shows how little thought he has given
to the subject.
We had a large party, when our
constitution was made, that insisted
we should remain uncer the OLD az,
Aticles OF confederation, as a confeder-
acy. rather than have ample powers
in central government, and after the
constitution was adopted, this ele-
ment. through Jefferson and Monroe,
drew the Kentucky and Virginia reso-
buttons of 1893 and 1899, insisting that
on all questions of disputed power be-
tween the state and the federal gov
erpment, each state could decide for
itself and it was the duty of the citi-
zens to follow the decision of his
state government, rather than the
federal government, and this spirit for
state control was the basis and pre-
text of secession, which ought to have
been buried at Appomattox.
We are one nation, The people
rule. not the federal government. The
proper regulation of all internal and
foreign commerve is lodged with con-
gress The people elect congress. Ii
AIR. Bryan's state OWNERSHIP and con-
troll of internal commerce is to prevail
our federal constitution should be
changed.
1t is less practical FOR the forty-five
states to own and operate our rail-
ways. than it would be to take from
the federal government the control OF
our pOstoffice system and lodge that
in the forty-fve states, and attempt
to manage it, in the manner suggested
by Mr. Bryan, because some OF the
states are mountainous, tnlniy pOpu-
lated and have but little wealth, and
could not Of and within themselves.
construct and tunnel the necessary
railways to give the proper connection
to reach the different sections OF the
United States.
The grain, elevator system, local
and terminal should be a part OF the
railways. These at all ocean and lake
ports are as much matter OF common
concern to the people outside OF the
state they are located in, as they are
to the states where rney are. and SO
each mile of railway is to all inter
u
The power taken from the several
states by the change from the articles
of confederation to the federal con-
stltution, and lodged in the fe0eTal
government has never been the cause
of any harm whatever to the people
and no harm is feared from this soul &c
by giving still more power to the fed
eral government, in giving 1t full con-
troll of all general public necessities
Many of the people in the south who
fought to sustain their confederacy
are more in favor of popuilsm than the
people in the north. The senate in
vestigating committee, that reported
on the state election in Alabama OF
1892 or 1894, reported that the pOpu-
lists of that state carried on the pop
1lar vote by thirty thousand majority
and were counted out, and the ropu.
I lists OF Texas used to claim that they
one. year carried Texas on the popu.
lar vote, If they could have had fail
count Now whsn people who fought
on the southern side can vote as
strong as this for popullsm it is time
&c quit objecting to railways beins
owned and operated by the fedora
government, and slsist that they
should be owned and operat ed by lht
several states, especially by man
reared Ill the hortii
W. III. STANDISII.