Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-07-29
NEW PLAN OF REFORM
MR.. BRYAN OUTLINES PLANS
FOR FUTURE CONTESTS.

Bryan in his newspaper, is as follows:
my selection as standard bearer oi
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 doc
trines upon the party creed. l con-
tented myself with the defense Of
those principles and policies which
were embodied in the platform.
"Now that the leadership devOlves
upon another and I bear only the re-
sponsibility that each citizen must
bear, namely, responsibility for my
own opinion, my utterances ard by
conduct, am free to undertake work
which until now l have avoided
namely, the work of organizing the
radical and progressive element in the
Democratic party.
"The money question is for the
present in abeyance. The increased
production of cold has lessened the
strain upon the dollar and while bi.
metallism is as sound in theory as j,
ever was, the necessity 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 other
questions with which the Democratic
party must deal. l have heretofore
refused to take position upon the
question of government ownership oi
railroads, first, because i had not until
recently studied the subject, and sec.
ondly because the subject had not
reached primary Importance. Re.
Gently events have convinced me tha,
the time is now ripe for the presents'
ton OF the question. Consolidation
after consolidation has taken place
until q few men now control the rail.
road traffic of the country and defy
both the legislative and executive
power of the nation.
Il invite the Democrats, therefore
to consider plan for the government
ownership and operation Of the rail.
roads. The plan usually suggested is
for the purchase OF these roads by the
federal government. This plan, il
seems to me, is more Objectionable
than q plan which involves the owner
ship of these roads by the several
States. To put the railroads into the
hands Of the federal government would
mean an enormous Capitalization oil
power. 1t would give to the federal
government largely increased influ
ence over the citizen and the citizens
affairs and such . Capitalization is moi
at all necessary. The States can now
operate railroads within their borders
just as effectively as it can be done by
the federal government, and if it il
done by the States the objection based
upon the fear of centralization is en-.
tirely answered. A board composed
of representatives from the various
States could deal with interstate traf
fic of the various lines. II the federal
government had the railroads to build
there would be constant warning be-
tween different sections to secure q
fair share of the new building and de-
velopment, but where this is left tc
the State the people can decide wheth'
er they desire to build or buy.
"While the Democratic party in the
nation is adverting to the government,
ownership Of railroads, the Democratic
party in the cities should, upon the
same theory, espouse the cause Of mu.
nicipal ownership Of municipal fran
chises.
"We have also reached time when
the postoffice should embrace q tele.
graphic system as we'll as q mail sys
tenn. While the telegraph lines dc
not reach a. many people as the rail-
roads do, and while the abuses OF pri
vate ownership have not been 90 open
and notorious, there is no reason why
this nation should not do what Other
nations are doing in this respect.
"The private monopoly must be de
stroyed. The Democratic platform al
Kansas City declared the private mo
nopoly to be indefensible and intoler
able.
1.-THE Democratic party has in two
campaigns stood for the income tax
The plank was omitted this year be-
cause the men in control of the part,
thought it would jeopardize success in
the Eastern States. This objection
may have weight when the appeal il
made to q particular section and t.
the wealthy men Of that section, bu,
it cannot have weight when the party
goes forth, as it must ultimately do
to appeal to the masses.
"The contest above outlined mus,
be made whether the party wins in
November or not. A single election ID
but an incident in the life of q party
For more than a century the Demo