The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1904-07-26
BRYAN AND REFORM
GIVES HIS IDEAS ALONG THE
LINE REORGANIZATION.
Believes That States as individuals
Should Own and Control
Railways.

Lincoln, Neb., July 25.--ln the col
umns of his paper William Jennings
Bryan gives his beliefs as to the course
for democracy which will bring it again
on firm basis and offers an embodi-
ment Of several ideas taken from past
platforms and politics, which he believes
would strengthen the party policy. A
portion Of his editorial is as follows:
''My selection as standard bearer OF
the democratic party in 1896 and again
in 1900 made me the nominal leader OF
that party, and as such did not feel
at liberty to engraft new doctrines upon
the party creed. / contented myself
with the defense of those principles
and policies which were embodied 10 the
platform.
snow that the leadership devolyes
upon another, and bear only the re-
sponsibility that each citizen must bear,
namely, responsibility for my own opin-
ion, my utterances and my conduct, l
am free to undertake work which un-
til now have avoided, namely, the
work Of organizing the radical and pro-
gressive element in the democratic
party.
"The monye question is for the present
in abeyance. The increased production
Of gold has lessened the strain upon the
dollar, and while bimetalism is as sound
in the ordinary as it ever was, the me-
cessity for it is not so apparent.
"But while the people cannot be
brought at this time to consider the
various phases of the money question,
they can be brought to consider certain
other questions with which the demo-
cratic party must deal. have hereto
fore refused to take position upon the
government ownership of railroads, first
because had not until recently studied
the subject, and second, because the
question had not reached primary i'm
portance.
"Recent events have convinced me
that the time is now ripe for the pre-
sentation Of the question. Consolidation
after consolidation has taken place, un-
til a few men now control the railroad
traffic of the country and defy both the
legislative and executive power of the
nation. invite the democrats, there
fore, to consider plan for the govern
ment ownership and operation of the
railroads.
"The plan usually suggested is for the
purchase Of these roads by the federal
government. This plan, it seems to me,
is more Objectionable than plan which
involves the ownership and operation
Of these roads by the several states. To
put the railroads in the hands Of the
federal government would mean an
enormous Capitalization of power. II
would give to the federal government a
large increased influence over the citiz-
en- and the citizens affairs, and such a
SOhthuAAoubtOh 10 hOt az oiA hCSNohohJ
The states can own and operate roads
within their borders just as effectively
as it can be done by the federal govern
ment, but where this is left to the sever
al states, the people can decide whether
they desire to build or buy.
"The private monopoly must be de-
stroyed. The democratic platform
adopted at Kansas City declared the
private monopoly to be indefersible and
intolerable.
"The democratic party has in two
campaigns stood for an income tax. The
plank was omitted this year because the
men in control of the party thought il
would ieopardize success in the eastern
states. This objection may have weight
when the appeal is made to particular
section, but it cannot have weight when
the party goes forth, as ii must ultimate.
ly do, to appeal to the masses.