The Springfield herald., 1904-07-29
BRYAN'S SCHEME
TO REFORM DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Would Elect Judge Parker First.-Af-
terward Wants Government Con-
troll of All Monopolies.

troll of All MonopoIies.
Lincoln, Neb.. July CIV. ]. Bry-
ans plan for the reformation of the
Democracy was published to-day, In it
Mr.. Bryan favors radical changes and
departure from conservative lines.
but advocates the election OF Judge
Parker for President as a good begin
ming.
He declares for state ownership of
railroads. government control OF tele-
graphs, abolishment OF private monop-
oily, the income tax and the election
of federal judges by the people.
Mr.. Bryan says in part:
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 | sid
not feel at liberty to engraft new doc
trines upon the party creed. l content
ed myself with the defense of those
principles and policies which were en-
bodied In the platform.
Now that the leadership devolves
upon another, bear only the respons-
ibllity that each citizen must bear.
namely. responsibility for my own
opinion, my utterances and my con-
duct. l am free to undertake work
which until now | have avoided, name
ly, the work of organizing the radical
and progressive element in the Demo-
cratic party.
"The money question is for the pres
ent in allegiance. The increased pro-
duction of gold has lessened the strain
upon the dollar and while bimetallism
Is as sound in the ordinary as it ever
was, the necessity for 1t is not SO ap-
parent.
have heretofore refused to take a
position upon the question of govern
ment ownership of railroads. first. be-
cause had not until recently studied
the subject; and second. because the
question had not been reached.
Recent events have convinced me
that the time is now ripe for the pre-
sentation of the question. Consolida-
ton after consolidation has taken
place, until few men now control the
railroad traffic of the country and defy
both the legislative and executive
power of the nation. l invite the
Democrats. therefore, to consider the
plan for the government ownership
sd operation of railroads.
"The plan usually suggested Is for
the purchase of these roads by the fed
eral government. This plan, 1t
seems to me, is more Objectionable
than plan which involves the owner
ship and operation Of these roads by
the several states. To put the rail-
roads in the hands of the federal gov
ernment would mean an enormous CEN
tralization Of power.
while the Democratic party in the
nation is advocating the government
ownership of railroads. the Democratic
party in the cities should upon the
same theory esnOuse the cause of mll-
nicipal ownership OF municipal fran
cnIses.
I'VE have also reached time when
the Postofiice Department should en-
brace a telegraphic system as well as
mail system. While the telegraph
lines do not reach as many people as
the railroads do. and while the abuses
of private ownership have not been so
open and notorious. yet there is no rea-
son why this nation should not do
what other nations are doing in this
respect.
The private monopoly must be de-
stroyed. The Democratic platform
adopted at Kansas City declared the
private monopoly to be indefensible
and intolerable.
The Democratic party has in two
campaigns stood for an income tax.
The plank was omitted this year be-
cause the men in control of the party
thought it would jeopardize success in
the eastern states. This objection
may have weight when the appeal is
made to a particular section and to
the wealthy men of that section, but
1t cannot have weight when the party
goes forth. as it must ultimately do, to
appeal to the masses"