Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-31

New York, Aug. 30.-The home-cOm-
ing of William J. Bryan was made
complete tonight when he was greeted
in Madison Square Garden by a throng
numbering more than 10000. 1t was
such q welcome as seldom has been ac-
corded private citizen. Mr.. Bryan's
eyes filled with tears as he acknowledge
ed the cheers. For eight minutes he
strobe nervOuSly from side to side Of
the narrow platform. Only once during
the entire evening was there anything
approaching such q demonstration.
That was when the speaker told his
hearers that he had become convicted
to the cause of government ownership
Of railroads.
Il favor the control of only the trunk
lies by the national government said
Mr.. Bryan, land the ownership of al!
other railroads by the state govern
ments."
In an instant thousands Of voices
We're raised and faces We're turned to-
ward the side of the building opposite
the speakers stand where William Ran
dolph Hearst sat Three cheers for
Hearst was the cry which swelled I'M
til the speakers voice was drowned.
Tonight's reception. which was given
under the auspices of the Commercial
Travellers Antitrust League, proved
to be the sounding of the Democratic
campaign call. Mr.. Bryan's speech was
a clear-cut outline of his ideas as 10
what the Democratic policy should be.
The election Of United States senators
by the people, regulation Of the trusts
by the government, universal S-hour
law, settlement of all international dis
putes by arbitration rather than by
resort to force, and revision of the tar
if, were some of his points. Mr.. Bryan
declared, however. that he was merely
expressing his opinion, and that the
trusts were the great issue of the day.
He favored the closest supervision of
the organization of corporations and
said that no man should be a director
of two or more corporations which
dealt with each other or to engage III
the same line of business He tallei for
the enforcement of the criminal clause
of the Sherman antitrust law and the
placing of trust controlled articles on
the free list.
He also went into the question of the
government ownership of the railroads
at great length and related that what
he had seen in other countries had
served to strengthen his conviction on
the subject. He saw danger in central
ization. however. and for this reason
advocated the federal ownership OF tile
trunk lines and state ownership Of the
local lines.
The speaker scored the recent Con-
gress for not passing the legislation
urged by President Roosevelt giving
publicity to campaign contributions.
He gave the President some praise.
however for what he termed his adon-
ton Of Democratic ideas. Mr.. Bryan
said he hoped the income tax might
some day be imposed through an
amendment to the constitution. he re-
ferred briefly to the recent insurance
investigation and said smilingly that ne
believed the disclosures made would re-
suit in difficulty in securing large cam
paign contributions in the future.
On the financial question Mr.. Bryan
said the unexpected and the unprece-
dented discovery Of gold had brought
a victory to both the advocate OF golu
and the advocates of bimetallism the
Republicans have gained 50 much
pleasure and some partisan advah-
tages," he said, from the dissension
in our ranks on the money question:
that they ought not to begrudge US the
pleasure we find in the fact that con-
ditions have removed the cause of dis
cord and dissention.
Mr.. Bryan spoke for an hour ana
twenty minutes and was constantly IN
terrupted by cheers and applause.
The only discordant note sounded
during the evening was when Mr.. Bry-
an turned to a discussion Of socialism
and said that the man who says the
trust is an economic growth and has
come to stay, is the one who is helping
Socialism. Some one yelled: Three
cheers for Socialism," but the call was
drowned in Kisses.
Mr.. Bryan quickly said: my friends
I have no objection to any man ex-
pressing himself in favor of Socialism,
because the Socialist as a rule is an
honest man; but he is seeking what ne
believes to be a benefit to him with
argument and not with business. l
deny that the trust is an institution
made necessary for economic purposes;
deny that it is an economic institu-
ton at all. It Is not economic, 1t Is