The Saint Paul globe., 1904-07-22
BRYAN ANNOUNCES
REFORM SCHEME
Says Parker's Election Would
Be Beginning Declares
for State Ownership


LINCOLN, Neb.. July CIV. j.
Bryans plan for the reformation of
the Democracy was given publicity to-
day. In it Mr.. Bryan favers radical
changes. but advocates the election OF
Judge Parker for president as a good
beginning. He declares for state own
ersnlp of railroads, government con-
troll Of telegraphs, adjustment of the
private monopoly, favors an income
tax and election of federal judges by
the people. Mr.. Bryan says in part:
My selection as standard bearer of
the Democratic party in 1886 and again
IN 1900 made me the nominal leader
OF that party, and as such I did NOT
feel at liberty to engraft new doctrines
upon the party creed. contented my
self with the defense of those princi-
pies and policies which were embodied
in the platform.
NOV, that the leadership 1eyolves
upon another and I bear only the re-
sponsibility that each citizen must
pear, namely, the responsibility for
my own opinions, my utterances and
my conduct, I am free to undertake a
work which until now I have avoided
namely, the work of organizing the
radical and progressive element in the
Democratic party.
Money Question in Aheyanee
The money question is for the pres
ent IN abeyance. The production has
While bImetalllsm is as sound in the
ofy as 1t ever was, the necessity for it
is not SO apparent
But while the people cannot be
preught 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 I have hereto
tore refused to take position upou
the question of government ownership
OF railroads, first, because [ had not
until recently studied the subject and.
second. because the question had not
oeen reached. Recent events have con-
VInced me that the time is now ripe
for the presentation of this question.
Consolidation after consolidation has
taken place, until few men now con-
troll the railroad traffic of the country
ana defy both the legislative and ex-
-eeutive power of the nation. I invite
the Democrats. therefore, to consider a
pfan for the government ownership
and operation OF the railroads
fhe plan usually suggested is for
the purchase Of these roads by the fed
efal government. This plan, it seems
TO me, is more Objectionable than a
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. 1t would give to the federal
government largely increased infiu-
ence over the citizen and the citizens
aTafs, and such Capitalization is not
at all necessary.
]! SCI Likes State Ownership
+ THE several states can own and on
crate the railroads within their bor-
ders just as effectively as it can he
done by the federal government, and if
II Is done by the states, the objection
pased upon the fear Of centraIiza ton
Is entirely answered. A board COM
posed OF representative from the yari-
ous states could deal with Interstate
tfafhe just as freight and passenger
boards now deal with the joint traffic
OF the various lines. If the federal
government had the railroads to build
there would be a constant warning he,
tween different sections to secure a
falr share of the new building and de-
Nelopment, but where this is left to the
state the people in each state can de-
eide what railroads they desire to build
or to buy.
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 nau-
n1cipal ownership of municipal fran
chises
We have also reached a time when
the postoffiee department should ern-
brace telegraph system as we'll as a
mall system. The telegraph lines do
not reach as many people as the rail-
roads do, and, while the abuses to pri-
Vate ownership have not been so open
and notorious, yet there is no reason
why this nation should not do what
other nations are doing in this respect.
Private Monopoly Must Go
Fhe 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 particular section and to the
wealthy men of that section, but it
cannot have weight when the party
goes forth, as it must ultimately go, to
appeal to the masses.
The contest above outlined must be
made whether the party wins in No
vember or not. A single election is
but an incident in the life of a party.
For more than century the Demo
cratic party has stood forth as the
representative of certain great IDEAS
jefferson founded it, Jackson defended
it and even Cleveland could not de-
stroy it. If Mr.. Parker is elected. his
administration will rid US of imperial
ism and of the threat Of a race issue
and give US greater freedom in the
taking up of economic questions
MRS MAYRRHK MEETS