The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-11
Nj WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.

nation has its issues OF paramount impor-
lance, and the world has its problems.
There are transient questions which come
and go n questions which, like Tenny-
sons brook, ~go or forever Each
generation, in each country, meets the
issues presented by conditions, but all the
nations of the earth are constantly CRAP
ping with problems universal in their
scope and everlasting in duration.
In his famous Grafton at Gettysburg
Abraham Lincoln spoke OF a n unfinished
work" which those buried there had pro-
NOTED, and to which the living should dedi-
cate themselves. Every generation finds
unfinished work when IL enters upon LIES
stage and leaves the work unfinished when
IL departs.
The work OF civilization is ever an IN
finished one. for the reason that new prob
lens present themselves as soon as present
ones lave been solved. In our trip around
the world we have had ar opportunity to
note some Of the problems which most
concern all people at all times. .
r1Rsr-rHE SPHERE OF
The first concerns the legitimate sphere
OF the Government-what hould the Gov
eminent, acting for all the people, do, and
what should be left to the individual?
This subject is under consideration in
every civilized nation, inc no two nations
have reached the same solution.
At the two extremes stand the individual
list and the Socialist-the former jealousy
guarding the individual and opposing any
encroaohments upon his sphere Of action,
the latter emphasizing the work Of the State
and seeking to convert the work Of produc-
- L u,.-I- - IsaN-tInN sAn inNA GNaNa
functions.
Between these extremes stand the mass
OF the people, governed more by the ext
gencies of each individual case than by the
theories put forward by individualist and
Socialist. In some directions the countries
of Europe and Asia have e~xtendedthe sphere
OF government beyond anything known in
the United States; in some respects our
Government has enlarged the sphere Of the
State beyond anything attempted in the
Old World, but everywhere the tendency is
to extend rather thar to diminish the sphere
Of the States activities.
PUBLIC CHooLs
In the United States the public school
Is probably the best illustration Of extensive
cooperation on the part of the public. We
regard the education Of the people az a
matter of public importance-so vital a mat
ter, in fact, that we no longer depend upon
the private school.
The private school has its place, and its
establishment il encouraged by localities
and regarded with favor by the Govern
ment. but the people, acting as a whole, insist
that the school door shall be open to every
child born into the country.
In the last quarter of a century much
advance has been mad in the establish
ment by the public Of technical schools, such
as law schools, medical colleges, dentistry
schools, Industrial schools and agricultural
colleges. Probably the greatest compare
tive advance has been mad in the matter Of
agricultural colleges and experiment sta
tons.
In Europe the public school system is
spreading more rapidly in the northern than
in the southern counties. but not less surely
in southern Europe. In Asia the people
are just beginning to recognize education
as a public functional part of the States
work.
In Japan public instruction has for some
years been modelled after the systems EN-
ployed in the United States and Europe.
In Asia the public school is of a more modern
origin, but some idea of the rapidly with
which the public school is spreading in
China may be known from the fact that
1000 public schools have been established
within five years in the district of one of
the viceroys.
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
Municipal ownership presents another
phase of this subjeot-a century ago COM
paratively few cities in this country or
Europe owned their own w~aterworks;
now il ia the exception that any city Of any
size relies upon a private corporation for
its water supply.
City lighting il having the same history,
although municipalization began later than
with the waterworks. Now comes the
question OF street car lines; and as the same
principles apply, the same inevitable trend
is noticeable.
The experience of all the titles has been
practically the same-irst, liberal franchises
TO induce the establishment Of water, light
or street car plants; secondly, efforts at regu-
lation and restriction made futile by the
corrupt influence of the franchise CON-
panies; thirdly, municipal ownership as a
protection To the people and as a means Of
purifying politics.
In the extent 10 which municipal owner
ship has been carried Great Britain leads
the world, although in other countries
some cities like Vienna have rivalled the
cities of Great Britain.
STATE OWNERSHIP.
In nearly all Of the countries Of Europe
and Asa the telegraph lines are now owned
by the Government and in most OF the
cities the telephone system is also owned by
the public. It is hardly necessary to say
that in all countries Of any standing the
mail service is now in the hands Of the
Government.
There ia very noticeable growth in the
government ownership Of railroads. Many
years ago the government ownership Of
railroads was tested in various European
nations. and the tendency Onward the ex-
tension OF government mileage and the di-
minution Of the mileage of privately
owned roads has been constant.
In some countries there Is still COMPETE
ton between the Government lines and the
lines owned bv DriVate generations hint