Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-27
BRYAN OFFERS HELP
FAvoRs PRESIDENTS RATE LEG
IsLATIoN PLAN.
Suggests an Appeal to the People on
the SUBJ
ject.

A Lincoln. Neb., dispatch last night says
William ]. Bryan, before departing from
San Francisco tomorrow, upon his world
tour, addressed in his paper. the Common
er, an open letter TO President Roosevelt.
He commends the chief executive for his
expressed determination as to railroad rate
regulation, and assures him of the support
of the people regardless of party affiliation.
Mr.. Bryan says:
ITO President Roosevelt: Permit a part
ing word. You have the contest of your
life before you, and I desire to render
you all the assistance in my power. You
have asked Congress to enact law so en-
largfng the powers of the interstate COM
merce commission as to permit 1t to fix
and enforce a reasonable freight rate, and
the railroad lobby was strong enough to
stop In the senate the bill passed by the
House. The railroad magnates expect to
block the passage of the bill again. The
National City Bank of New York has adj
vised its patrons that no rate legislation
is probable; the railroads have been at
work all summer circulating literature
against railroad regulation, and the Senate
contains a number of members so inti-
mately connected with railroad interests
peoples side. The railroads will try to
persuade you; If they fall in this they will
try to scare you; If they fail in this also,
they will try to defeat your recommended
L
party leaders against you; you may even
be embarrassed by having many dem
ocrats cooperating with you, but you must
reconcile yourself to both
I'm this fight your strength lies in the
fact that you have large majority of the
voters of all parties with you.
Appeal ts People.
pass over the railroad representatives
and appeal to the people. Compel the OPP
ponents of railroad legislation to meet the
issue in the open. There is logical or
even plausible argument against the legis-
lation which you recommend. Extortion
in rates, unfairness, discrimination against
persons, discrimination against places,
midnight tariffs and rebates galore
lack of regulation. They are intolerable,
and must be stopped. Will you use the
great influence of your office to secure the
regulation now or Will you leave the honor
to a successor?
''They will tell you that effective rate
legislation will disturb the harmony of
your party. You can answer that refusal
to respond to the just demand of the pub
lie means not harmony, but political death.
1.-THE democrats, If they had no higher
purposes than to secure control of the off1ces,
might wish you to lead the railroad ele-
ment of your party, but they are citizens
first and democrats afterward. They are
more interested in securing needed reforms
than they are in securing credit for them.
method of electing senators before that
body is brought into sympathy with the
masses you will find enthusiastic support
in the. advocacy of this reform. Four times
the House of Representatives has, by an
almost unanimous vote, declared in favor
of the election of senators by direct vote
twice when the House was democratic and
twice when 1t was republican.
Reduction and Arbitration.
IF in your fight you deem 1t wise to at
tack the trusts you will find that they have
few friends-none worth cultivating. If you
are willing to help reduce the tariff where
1t shelters trust you will find the demo-
Gratis ready to aid you, and with them an
increasing number of republicans If, en-
couraged by success of your efforts in the
anthracite strike, you decide to urge the
establishment of a permanent board for the
arbitration of differences between labor and
capital you will find growing force be-
hind you.
Stand by your guns You have devel-
oped reform element in the republican
initiation of seeing the leadership pass to
some one else.
Your words have excited great expecta-
lions which must be met for you will be
measured by your own words The Com
moner commended your message of last
december, and will lend you any influence
II may nave, SO long as you advocate re-
ioIifs. 20 forward, you owe it to your
self, you owe 1t to your party and, more
than all, you owe 1t to your country
wv. j. BRYAN"