The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-30
SOUTH FEARS %BRYANST0NGUE
1T WON'T STAND FOR GOVERN
MENT OWNERSHIP or RAILROADS

MEST OWNERSHIP or RAELROAUS
And the Big Men Of tie Southern Demec-
raey VIII warn Him Against Siaidng
Such o Declaration I'm To4night's Speech
IL He Does They Say n Means War.
II was rather cool and pleasant yesterday.
but II you talked with the Southern Demo
cratic politicians who are here 10 participate
In the Bryan demonstration you would have
thought that the temperature was intoler-
able. They mopped their browe, they were
agitated when they spoke OF Bryan, they
were disturbed by every report they heard
and all were fearful as TO what Bryan 10 TO
say in his speech at Madison Square Garden
tonight.
These Southern Democratic politicians
had been thrown into q fever over the re-
port that Bryan in his speech tonight Is to
declare for Government ownership OF rail-
roads. The Southerners did not know
whether to believe the report Of not, but
they were all anxious to get hold OF Bryan
and enter their emphatic protest against
any such declaration IN his part.
Some Of the important Southern Demo-
Gratis in town were United States Senators
Culberson and Bailey OF Texas, John W.
Daniel and Thomas s. Martin Of Virginia,
ex-United States Senator James X. Jones
OF Arkansas, chairman Of the Democratic
national committee in 1890 and 1900; Gov.
Warfeld and Victor Baughman Of Mary
land, Representative Griggs Of Georgia,
ex-Gov. Benton McMillin OF Tennessee,
a bunch OF Florida Democrats and the
following members Of the Democratic
national committee from Southern States:
Henry d. Clayton Of Alabama, r. M. john
ston Of Texas, Urey Woodson Of Kentucky
and j. Taylor Ellyson Of Virginia.
There were many more Southern Demo-
Gratis in town, but the aforementioned
ones were particularly anxious over the
to declare for government ownership OF
railroads. ~
Not a single one Of the Southern Demo-
Gratis mentioned desired to say anything
for print, but numbers of them expressed
their anxiety over the report that Bryan
is to declare for Government ownership Of
railroads. A number OF these Southern
Democrats declared: That IL Bryan made
any such declaration In his speech tonight
the Southern States could not support
him for the nomination in 1908 and II over
their protest Bryan was nominated for
President two years hence, the Southern
Democrats could not and would not sup
port him at the polls.
These Southerners went on to assert
that the Southern railroads had done very
much to build up the commercial pros
perity Of the South, but that beyond all
else Government ownership of railroads
would take from the Southern States the
State rights they now enjoy in providing
Jim Grow" cars for the negroes. Govern
ment ownership Of railroads, the South
erners went on to assert. would be operated
under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amend
ments to the United Safes Constitution
and would play havoc with the system
now in force on all Southern railroads
which set apart 'Jim Crow cars for the
negroes. In m any sections Of the South
even the traction cars have Jim Crow
compartments.
For Bryan to come out and advocate
government ownership Of railroads, the
Southerners asserted, would surely turn
the South against hihfs3botk in the conven-
and at the polls, and these Southern Demo-
Gratis, it was asserted, are to talk with Mr..
Bryan to-day and present their views to
him on this matter.
Bryan said to his friends last spring be-
fore leaving for his trip TO the Orient and
the Far East that President Roosevelt
was doing everything, and bent on doing
more, of the things which he Bryan had
advocated in the campaigns OF 1903 and
1900, and thai the standard bearer of the
Democratic party and the party itself. in
order to be successful in 1908. must be even
more radical than President Roosevelt.
Bryan, in other words, believed that
political radicalism is in the air, and Is to
continue up to 1908. Bryan's letters to his
friends in America while abroad all re-
iterate utterances OF a similar NJ The
Southerners, though, asserted yesterday
that government ownership OF railroads
was altogether too much radicalism for
them, and they would protest against 1t to
Mr.. Bryan and to every one OF Mr.. Bryan's
friends. -..