The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-10-07
DEMOCRATS ADRIFT.

Democratic papers are at last
aal. kening to the fact that that party
docs not want rate regulation, not
withstanding all it and its brilliant
leader. the William Jennings Bryan.
haze said favorable 10 it. Among
those papers that have begun the
fight against il and the earnest en-
denyor of President Roosevelt to
sec that every man gets squart
deal and that the people are proper
ly protected Is the Parkersburg Sem
tinel. which sets the ball rolling III
tho following fashion:
ErThe Presidents railroad rate bill
Is such a preposterous proposition
that it is sure to pass the lower
branch of Congress, whatever may
be IFS fate in the Senate. The very
fact that it is an impossible measure
will bring it strength Members
who are opposed to it will vote TOT
its passage with full knowledge
4bot necessarily it will be ineffective.
and utterly incapable of attaining
4I,c purpose which the President as
enris he Is seeking to accomplish.
Tlcn another element that will vote
for If is made MP on the uninIlueh ;.
+ial members those possessed o.
ehrcwdness and cunning instead OF
the broad intelligence that heil'S "
etatesman's place. who know lLi y.
poxe of patronage in retaining thfl'
1osition and they. bidding for eXeccu-
fiv, assistance in place getting 1ocr
+b.ir followers. will vote for u
Tilrvise there are few who n"
do1bt sincerely believe it merltof-
;ons nrn5o=itien and they will vote
for it. a.
"hTe average Congressman IS az
oo.nnctent 10 define fair rate Tor
bcnliDu mig iron. or silk dry goods
or Grated furniture as he IS to eN-
1,c;,nd scripture And equally com
oc.ent. hut no more so. TO pass uPoIi
III merits Of law conterrlng SUE
authority upon another me IN
+e,stntc Commerce Commission IS an
Sntolliornt body of old grannys. ou'
4Lsv don't know a coupling pin from
an mir brake. SO far as the practlcal
onerotion of railroad Is concerned
: Nior are the federal court Judges any
. 'beftcr Informed in the detail OF rali-
rad manarement. There would ne
inst as much reason in passing d =
In wauthorizing the appointment on
abroad brakemcn to seats ON ,tne
federal bench as to authorize Judges
to pass upon the details of rranspor-
tation,
ssOur government is becoming too
parental: it is extending its func-
lions into private and domestic al
fairs with which it has no concern,
aud assuming a-drectorshiP built
mon Wild puesswork and Ignorance
N the subject ii seeks to take con-
troll Of. tt has become fad in
4bis country to undertake the adj
1ninistration of too many domestic
Affairs through the application OF
law. II IS law here, there, every
where; for this. that and the other
purpose: to compel one thing, to re-
81 rain another: to protect one indus
try, to destroy some other to Bring
il the Cloths and Vandals OF
Europe's slums. to keep out the Chi
nose. And now the latest is to per
nit lot of business illiterates uii-
d5rtake through legislation to pro-
vide how business shall be carried
on. There is too much law. too
much congress and too much cavort-
irg Of Boubastes Furioso in our ma
tiona1 affairs"
No one that understands Bryan
AND the principles he advocates can