The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-09-07
wATIERSON ON BRYAN
The Great Nestor Of the Southern Press Re
views Bryan's Madison Garden Speech.

Rarely HAS the Cd5c VI ttnS PcSPAS
against the plutocracy, the masses
against the classes, received such an
exhaustive and convincing treatment
as was bestowed upon 1t by the elo-
quent and elaborate speech OF Mr.. Bry-
an at Madison Square Garden.
The occasion and the man were
completely met That which democra-
cy Is. and hopes to be. was there set
forth with such power and candor
which must impress reflective men OF
every sort, whether they agree with
all the speaker uttered or not.
II the people do not destroy the
Money Devil, the Money Devil will
destroy the people; their moral ma.
ture, their public character and their
free institutions. That was the key
note. It is the cue to what Mr.. Bry-
an said, to what Governor Folk said,
and to what Augustus Thomas said;
four picked and marked men, taken
from the most typical and enlightened
rank and file Of contemporary Amer
lean citizenship.
Mr.. Augustus Thomas declared that
he was glad that England. recogniz-
Ing Mr.. Bryan as Christian states
man, had called him the Gladstone
Of America"
There is much to support the an
alogy. Mr.. Gladstone was the most
captivating personality of his day be-
fore British audience. Mr.. Bryan like
wise before an American audience.
Mr. Gladstone had the reputation of
being the bravest and sincerest of
men. So has Mr.. Bryan. Mr.. Glad
stone was wont. when he drew his
sword, TO throw the scabbard away.
That seems Mr.. Bryan's method Mr..
Gladstone was outspoken to fault.
eloquent to q fault, imprudent to a
degree. We fear we must so describe
Mr.. Bryan. liz
His speech OF Thursday night is a
great speech. II contained matter
enough 10 engage the thoughts Of
people and parties and statesmen for
a decade TO come. II half the RENE.
dies ne proposed be attained we shall
have sailed out Of the trough of the
sea OF Mammon and be riding full
rugged the billowy midocean of democ-
racy. IL In with positive lamenting
that we read, mark and inwardly. di-
gest what he says of the purchase
and public ownership Of the railways,
because we not only think it the
height OF unwisdom from the political
point Of view, but of error from the
democratic and republican point of
view.
Well may Mr.. Bryan doubt whether
''the country is ready for this change"
whether "a majority of my own party
favor &C." though IL may be conceded
that IAN increasing number of the
members Of all the parties see in
public ownership the sure remedy for
determinations between persons and
politics and for the extortionate rates
for the carrying Of freight and pas
sengers." the increasing number"
embracing for the most part those
who fail to differentiate between the
administration of the railway service,
with It's too frequent disregard of
private rights. and the relation of the
business Of transportation to- the
character and conduct of the govern
ment OF the country. As
Mr.. Bryan's scheme. as we shall
proceed to show, Is I'm conflict with his
philosophy. with the real tenor and
burthen OF his argument against the
plutocracy, proposing to enlarge. rath-
er than to abridge. its influence and
area. and to multiply its agencies an
hundred fold, whilst at the same time
removing the government further
away from the reach Of the people
and the pressure of public opinion.
IL il less. not more. government
which we need both from the national
capital and the state capitals. We
suffer from q multitude Of political
disorders more or less traceable to
the complicated machinery Of gov
eminent and from too much power
lodged In hands either dishonest, or
ineficeint. The tariff is an instance.
It's mysteries. inexplicable and pro-
found. protect 1t. The birds Of prey.
which have made it their abode and
which fatten upon its concessions.
build their robber castles In the fast
nesses OF its schedules, and fire in
safety upon the people from the crags
and denies made by its classifications.
Mr.. Bryan has been member Of the
Ways and Means Committee and
knows full well how hopeless 1t is
to attempt to unravel the tangled web
OF system OF taxation that ought to
be 10 simple child might read and
understand It, What may We expect.
when TO the complications of the