Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1905-05-10
Bryan-Berger
State Socialism

That the study and discussion of
Socialism is coming to the front
there can be no doubt; a few
years ago the capitalist treated the
new science and its advocates with
contempt, but such is not the case
any longer. The following editorial
from the New York World, the
the leading democratic paper of the
great metropolis, sounds the truth
of the situation and shows clearly
the anxious seat now occupied by
the left wing of capitalism. In
critising Bryan for his move toward
Socialism, one can plainly see be-
tween the lines the shadow cast be-
fore the coming events:
There can be no doubt of the
determination of William Jennings
Bryan to distory the Democratic
party and erect party of state
Socialism on the ruins of the his
toric structure built by Jefferson.
This much was established at the
Iroquois club dinner in Chicago
and by the subsequent statement
made by Mr.. Bryan's political
friends.
In the Bryan scheme of things
the democratic party must favor
municipal ownership of telephone,
lighting, and the street railway sys-
tens; state ownership of all local
railroads within each state, includ-
ing presumably interurban electric
lines, and national ownership OF
trunk lines and telegraphs. With
this must logically come national
ownership of the long distance tele-
phone lines; of all railroads which
are not wholly within single state
of American steamship lines on all
navigable rivers, on the great lakes,
and on the high seas; of all the
mines. of all the oil refineries, and
of all other public utilities the use
of which is not confined to the ter
ritorial limits of the city or a single
state.
Mr.. Bryan is promoting the
most colossal scheme of centraliza-
ton ever devised to smother the
vital principles of the true republic.
A constitutional monarchy, similar
to that of Great Britain, would moi
involve such subverson of demo
cratic institutions. And this propa
ganda of triple state Socialism il
jauntily instituted in the name o
Thomas Jefferson, the greatest of al
opponents of Capitalization and pa
ternalsm. The British troops nevel
wrought such devastation as tn,
Bryanites are trying to bring upon
his political principles.
Justification sometimes can b,
found for municipal ownership ot
certain public utilities. Cities gen
orally have taken out of the hands o.
private corporations the business OF
supplying water. Many cities have
engaged in public lighting as ;
choice of evils. Where an offensiv,
and defensive alliance between
Tammany politicians and the out
law gas trust oppresses the people
there is much indeed to be said il
favor of the city's tearing up the
expired frachises and distributing
gas as il distributes water.
But as an established fundamental
policy municipal ownership of al
local utilities eventually would meal
state control Cities are mere crea
lures of the state and are subject t.
such rules and regulations as tn,
state may choose to make. Stat
control of these utilities plus stat
ownership of stream and electri'
railways and interurban telephone
lines would mean the creation of ;
political machine that propabl.
never could be overthrown.
The railroads of the Unite,
States employ more than 1900, oo
persons. In all nearly 1900. oo