The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-09-07
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER I, 1906.
BRYAN, GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP,
AND THE PARTY LEADERS.

MYSTERIOUS dispatches from W ASH
ington and New York inform Us that
Democratic leaders Of the South are
very much opposed to Mr.. Bryan's re-
marks on the subject of government
ownership Of the railroads. a 'bolI
is threatened, and all sorts Of disSatis-
faction is expressed,
Only two Democrats would permit
their names TO be quoted. One OF
them was Congressman Livingstone,
Of Georgia. Passing as the mouth
piece Of the people Of the South, he
tells the gaping public that the South
Will have none of il, and states, as his
chief objection 10 the idea, that 1t
would result in the biggest political
machine i'm the country. Mr.. Living
stone ought TO be put in a glass case
and preserved.
EAny man that has sense enough 10
20 abroad without guardian knows
that railroad engineers, iiremen, con-
ductors, superintendent, general man.
ayers, and bookkeepers are chosen
and must be ch0sen-on their skill and
not on their politics. Otherwise APP
palling railroad wrecks would occur.
How about the United States mail ?
That same argument was used when
the government decided TO handle the
mails Isn't that branch Of the govern
ment reasonably free from politics;
and would the people agree to have
the mails handled by a private mon
opoly?
Who are these leaders of the party
who are so much opposed to Mr.. Bry-
ans utterances on the railroad ques-
ton, and yet who refuse to be quoted?
Why don't they speak out, if the peo-
pie Of the South are so violently op-
posed to the idea Of government owner
ship? Don't party leaders usually
permit their names TO be used when
the cause they advocate is popular?
Why this sudden modesty?
The plain truth is, the people of the
South agree with Mr.. Bryan on the
question. Mr. Bryan believes that
the railroads will not regard the law.
He believes that they will continue to
violate the laws Of the land and to de-
bauch legislation. And he believes |
that if the railroads cannot be con-
trolled by the people, the people should |
and will take possession Of them. On
this proposition Mr.. Bryan could carry |
the South by vote Of two to one if
every Governor and every United |
States Senator in the South opposed /
him. The people Of the South no long
er get their political ideas from New
York, even if sou-e Of the leaders do.
The attempt to discredit Mr.. Bryan
because Of his uttersnces on this sub
jet will fail. The Lynchburg News
aptly says that those who attempt to
make the impression that he is insist
ing on this as party measure "are
Of treating Mr.. Bryan UNI
fairly, and of rejecting upon their own
sense of right and Justice
Away with all this twaddle about
'populism," Organism "social-
ism, and what not. The people Of
this country are not children that they
can be frightened by names and scare
crows. All this mounting about the
meaning of Democracy, and all this
signing about the decadence Of Jefier-
,onian Democracy, by papers and
leaders vino would revile Jefferson
were he alive today, is getting nau-
seating. equal rights for all, and
special privileges TO none, that was
Inc Democracy Of jefferson, and that
S the Democracy Of William J. Bryan.
The relation Of the railroad and the
State is plain. The railroad furnishes
he money; the state furnishes the
light Of way. The two are partners.
The State can run a railroad without
he help OF consent Of the railroad
but the railroad promoters
,annOt run the railroad without the
consent of the State. If the railroad
authorities continue to violate articles
4 agreement for the partnership; if
hey continue to swindle their partner; .
T they continue to defy or ignore the {
aw of partnership, then the State,
which is the people, will buy out the
ther partner and conduct the business
Without outside assistance.
And if there are any party leaders
a Virginia who desire to get run over :
v the steam roller Of public opinion, I
It them oppose Mr.. Bryan and take
ides with the railroads.