Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-07-29
FOR REFORMATION
or DEMOCRACY
Bryan Gives Out Plans in Which
He Favors Radical
Changes.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP
States Should Own Railroads and Gov,
eminent Control the Telegraph
Says the Money Question 10
a Dead Thing.

Lincoln, Neb., July CIV. j. Bryan's
plan for the reformation of democracy
was given publicity today. In it Mr..
Bryan favors radical changes and a
departure from conservative lines, but
advocates the election Of Judge Parker
for president as a good beginning. He
declares for state ownership of rail-
roads, government control of tele-
graphs, adjustment of the private
monopoly, fayors the income tax and
election of federal judges by the peo-
ple.
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 l did not feel
at liberty to engraft new doctrines
upon the party creed. j contented my
self with the defense of those princi-
Piles and policies which were embodied
In the platform. Now hat the leader
ship devolyes upon another and ] bear
only the responsibility that each citi-
zen must bear, namely, responsibility
for my opinions, my utterances and
my conduct, / am free TO undertake q
work which until now 1 have avoided.
namely, the work of organizing the rad
ical and progressive element i'm the
democratic party.
Bimetalism Not Needed.
The money question is for the pres
ent in allegiance. The increased produc-
ton of gold has lessened the strain
upon the dollar M while blmetalisnf
is as sound as it 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 certain
other questions with which the demo-
cratic party must deal. / heretofore
refused to take a position upon the
question of the government ownership.
of railroads, first, because / had NOT
until recently studied the subject, y
second, because the question has not
been reached. Recent events have COM
WINGED me that the time is now ripe
for the presentation of this question.
Consolidation after consolidation has
taken place until a few men now con-.
troll the railroad traffic OF the country
and defy both the legislative n eX-
ecutiye power of the nation. I invite
the democrats, therefore, to consider q
plan for the government ownership n
operation of the railroads.
The plan usually suggested is for
the purchase of these roads by the fed
eral government. This plan,Ntt seems
to me, is more Objectionable than n
a plan which involves the ownership
and operation of these roads BY the
several states. To put the railroads i'm
the hands Of the federal government
would mean an centraliza-
ton of power. It would give to the
federal government a largely increased
influence over the citizen and the citi-
zen's affairs, and such a Capitalization
is not at all necessary. The several
states can own n operate the rail-
roads within their borders just as eff
feetively as 1t can be done by the fed
nnA aVK, n~t ng.T1 to "a 4AL1 49,
the states the objection based upon the
fear of Capitalization is entirely an
Swered. A board composed of repre-
lsentatives from the various states
could deal with interstate traffic just
as freight and passenger boards now
deal with the joint traffic of the yari-
GUS lines. If the federal government
had the railroads to build there would
be a constant warning among differ
ient sections to secure a fair share OF
the new building and development, but
where this is left TO the state the peo-
pie In each state can decide what rail-
roads they desire to build or to buy.
Municipal Ownership. q
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, espouse the cause OF
municipal ownersht9@ae ::3- T,af
nrhnchises.
I'VE rave also reached a time when
the postoffice department should en-
brace a telegraph system as well AS Il
mail system. While the telegraph liuzs
do not reach as many people as the rail-
roads do, n while the abuses of pri-
jyate ownership have not been SO open
and notorious. yet there is no reason
why this nation should not do What
other nathions are doing in this re-
,spect.
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.
cause the men In control of the marty
Thought it would ~jeopardize success IN
the eastern states. This objection max
have weight when the appeal is made
to a particular section and to tire
wealthy men OF that section, but 1t cam
mot have weight when the party goes
forth, as it must ultimately, 10 appeal
to the masses.
The contest above outlined must be.
made whether the party wins In Mo-
yember or not. A single election Isl but
an incident In the life OF a party. Fnt.
more than a century the democratic
party has stood forth as the repre-
tentative OF certain great IDEAS. Jef-
ferson founded 1t, Jackson defeadel Ii
and even Cleveland could not Destroy.
IT. II Mr.. Parker is elected his admin
fstration will rid us of imperialism and
or the threat OF a race issue and give
Us greater freedom IN the taking ~ OF