Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-16
BRYAN. SPEAKS In VIRGINIA
Eebraskan Again Pleads For Government
Cwnsrship Of Railroads
CITES EXAMPLE OF GERMAN EMPRe
HE Says Most of Railroads Ave
Owned by states and serve
an Buffer Against Central
ization of Power.

ROANOKE, Va. Sept 15.-Colonel Will
liam Jennings Bryan spent, today in south
west Virginia, delivering an address this
afternoon to the largest crowd ever gath
cred In this part of the state in the fair
grounds at Radfordj and speaking TO an
enormous .throns here tonight. His Rad
ford speech was political, but here lie dis
cussed ethics. .. co..
At Radford Mr. Bryan said democracy is
a doctrine that appeals to the heart and
Is why the democratic party lives whether
IL wins or loses. The party Is full of hope
for the coming campaign. he said, because
the people. understand democracy better.
While the republican party is claiming
credit for it's opposition to the trusts 1t is
not doing its duty on the trust question,
said Mr.. Bryan. .
II am willing to go down on my knees
and ask my Heavenly Father. Give us this
day our. daily bread. but / am not willing
20 make millions OF my countrymen get
down on their knees and say to some trust
magnate: Give us this day our daily bread,
and have him reply, I will. IL you vote the
ticket l want you TO vote
"In the impending campaign we shall
challenge the republican party TO state its
position and we viii state ours boldly-that
you cannot regulate a private monopoly
that you need not waste time trying to re-
strain it, but that you must kill 1t out
right"
State Ownership of Railroads.
He referred to the railroad rate law and
said he was going a step further. and con-
tinued: e.,
Two years ago I had reached the conclu-
sion that the government ownership OF
railroads was the only solution or the ques-
tion. My position has been misstated, and
In some places misconstrued. have been
accused OF fayoring a thing that would lead
10 rehabilitation. Let me remind you that
ration, but Il is the first suggestion made
In many years that looks toward the
strengthening Of the state and making a
bulwark against Capitalization. People
have been discussing public ownership with
the idea that the federal government would
own the railroads and It seemed TO me
cause ! believe In the democratic doctrine
/ OF local self government
Example of Germany
believe in our constitutional doctrine
that local things for the states and national
affairs for the federal government. and
therefore Instead Of advocating a federal
ownership that would eentrallze ali this
plan. whereby only the trunk lines would
be under the control OF the federal govern
ment and all the local lines under control
of the state government and II anybody
denies that II Is practicable. cannot but
tell them that In the empire OF Germany,
almost all the railroads are owned by the
! separate states, and that today the empire
wants 10 get the railroads in order 70
strengthen The general government. but the
\ states refuse. to surrender them because
4 they are the influential in the strength OF
the states. !, So my friends. Instead OF being
| for GENERALIZATION, this IL the plan that
gives to the state the power 70 strengthen
Itself and TO attend 10 its own affairs
Railroads I'm Politics.
There has been one other objection end
! only ons TO which wish To refer and that