Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-09-20

SoS VI lue party SllOuIu like u look AZ
the delays of the past in meeting the
Issue squarely ana place themselves
with the Iowan and accept the chal-
lenge Now!
WHY THE SOUTH is FOR BRYAN.
Chicago Chronicle:-It is worthy of
remark that while the silly solid south
newspapers and politicians say I'M
complimentary things about Mr. Bry-
ans New York deliverance on the own
ership of railroads they are careful to
keep the way open for his support in
1903.
Even those that scold him severely
and say that he lacks the qualities Of
an able leader are careful not to say
anything against his candidacy. Not
only has the Alabama democratic con-
vention Endorsed Lis candidacy regard
less Of his position on railroad owner
ship but the Delaware convention has
done likewise and the democratic
press offers no objection in either
case.
There is, in short, every indication
that while the democratic south con-
dennis government ownership it will
support Mr.. Bryan in 1908 unless in
seems more likely to carry enough
northern states to give him majority
OF the electoral votes, including those
of the solid south.
Why is this? Is it because he is
"elouuently and greatly right" as Mr..
Williams says, on. many things in the
opinion Of southern politicians? Not
ut all.
If there is one thing upon which
southern politicians are unanimously
insistent 1t is opposition to centraliza-
ton of power in the general govern
ment. That is the only thing resem-
bling political principle upon which
they are thoroughly united
But Mr.. Bryan could not have ex-
pressed his contempt for this doctrine
more strongly than he did when he
pronounced for ownership of the trunk
lines of railroad by the general gov
eminent and Of interstate lines by the
state governments.
This would not only enormously In
crease the power of the general gov
eminent but would place it in a posi-
ton where it would necessarily have
to exercise its power to regulate inter-
state commerce by asserting its power
directly over the states in that regard
in ways that could not fail to cause
friction and give offense
And he has further expressed his
contempt for that doctrine by saying
that no corporation engaged in inter-
state commerce or in manufacturing
or otherwise producing articles enter
Ing into interstate commerce should
be permitted to do business without a
license issued by the general govern
ment-a license by virtue of which
every such corporation would be sub
ject to the supervision and regulation
of the general government.
Mr. Bryan has found it advisable to
say that he has Lot pronounced "une-
quivocally" for national and state own
ership Of railroads; that Regulation"
must come first and that when that
fails it will be time to talk about own
ership
But he has not yet retracted or mod
flied one word that he has said in New
York and elsewhere about national
control of corporations engaged in in
terstate commerce or producing for
such commerce by means of license
system.
What have the southern opponents
of Capitalization to say about that?
This is scheme for enormously in
creasing the powers of the general
government. Southern editors and
politicians evidently understand that
perfectly. Yet they criticise this Bry-
an scheme but feebly and hold them
selves in readiness to support Mr.. Bry-
an in 1908 despite his evident con.
tempt for the cardinal article in their
political creed.
They hold themselves in readiness
to sacrifice that article and throw
principle to the winds not only in this
respect but in others by supporting
Mr.. Bryan.
The question recurs, why? The
answer is plain. Because they wish to
see the democratic party in control of
the affairs of The :.=stion. They think
they can control that party if it comes
into such control and they can go on
indefinitely representing in congress
and the electoral college the millions
whom they have DISTINGUISHED. They
think with that party in power they
can reduce those millions to state of
peonage worse than the old slavery
through the democratic party.
Their thinking is far from compli-
mentary to the character and patriot
ism of their political associates in the
northern states. But it must be their
thinking or they would not be solid for
the democratic party and they
would not trample on their
own avowed principles If
necessary to secure democrat.
ic president. They would not support
a man whose doctrines they profess to
abominate for the sole reason that
they think he can attract the cratic,
disconnected, socialistic crowd in the
northern states and so put the demo
cratic party In the saddle.
The democrats of the south are play
ing dangerous game on the assump.
ton that they can control the party
once it is in power, but If they rely on
the northern revolutionary element as
a Hha 1anco If pouarD uh orau,itb ~ 80