The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-04

he had said on the preceding evening
about Federal ownership OF railways,
but he added: Il believe in many things
that l would not put in a platform. We
can't make issues. Conditions, not
parties, make issues" This was
time q platitude, but the moment chosen
for ~propounding 1t gave II an obvious
significance. A candidate for the Presi-
dency who processes himself qualified
to act v a shepherd Of the people could
scarcely be expected to avow quickly
and roundly that in his effort to differ
cntiats himself from Mr.. ROOSEVELT OF
the one hand and Mr.. HEARST on the
other he had taken a wrong track and
put forward adoctrine which II adopted
would be likely to cost his party its
stronghold. He went al far a. a craving
to keep a reputation for consistency
would let him whenhe told his New Hayen
auditors:
what said At New York about Federal owner
chip Of railways you should regard - q counsel
OF perfection. I don't know whether the country
10 ripe Dor t. For the present IL 10 simply my per-
sonal opinion. Whether II should be embodied two
years hence tn the party platform 10 for you and
your delegates 10 . national convention to deter
NINE
II any Democratic veterans heard
him they must have wished that he had
shown himself similarly submissive in
1900 at Kansas City, instead Of forcing
the platform committee to reoommit the
Democracy to the free silver folly. II
still well wishers, however. OF the Ne
braskan, they must have felt that re-
pentance comes better late than never,
and that II Mr.. BRYAN were ready to re-
nounce the vanity of consistency there
might be some basis for the assertion
that his mind has deepened and broad
ened. The hope seemed TO be strength
ened by the fact that at Newark and
jersey City on Saturday tho candidate
made no reference 10 Federal owner
ship Of railroads. But the hope was
dashed on Sunday afternoon, when in
reply to a SUN reporter. who had asked
whether, in defersnce to strong Demo-
| cratic protestations he had decided not
to press the railway Ownership proposal,
Mr.. BRYAN said that he had heard no
strong protest" and proceeded to deny
categorically that he had dropped the
railroad issue.
II Mr.. BRYAN has heard no strong
protest against his advocacy Of Federal
ownership of trunk railways, he must
have kept his ears shut. or else his def
milton Of strength" differs materially
from the current one. II there are two
men who merit the name Of statesman in
the South and who indisputably com
mand the confidence of their party in
that section they are JOSEPH W. BAILEY
Of Texas, who since Germans death has
been the leader of the Democratic minor
! ity in the United States Senate, and JOHN
SHARP WILLIAMS Of Mississippi, who is
the leader Of the corresponding minority
in the House Of Representatives. We
are able to say. on the best authority,
vepudiate the Federal ownership policy
OF which Mr.. BRYAN has made himself
the sponsor, and that both are likely 10
make a public statement on the subject at
an early date. It is no secret that Senator
BAILEY has at no time put much trust in
the soundness OF Mr., BRYAN's judgment:
and IL is q matter Of record that Mr..
WILLIAMS, when he met the Nebraskan
not long ago in London, strOve earnestly
to dissuade him from propoundlng the
Federal ownership of railways as apivotal
issue on his return to the United States.
Not he found Mr.. BRYAN obdurate did
the Mississippian come to the conclusion
that a denomination OF the twice beaten
candidate would be for the Democraoya
fatal bIunder. There is scarcely a doubt
that Mr.. BAILEY and MI. WILLIAMS, In
| conjunction with other Democratic lead
ers Of their section, would be able to con-
troll more than a third Of the delegates
to their party's next national convention,
and thereby put an extinguisher on the
| N~ebraskan's aspirations.
What some Of the Democratic national
committeeman and some members OF
the Democratic Congressional commit
tee think about the effect of the Federal
ownership issue in doubtful districts is
evident from the fact that Mr.. BRYAN,
speaking on Sunday to a SUN reporter,
would not deny that they had requested
him to let the railroad issue slip into
allegiance because Of the hurt that further
urging Of 1t would cause Democratic
candidates in the coming Congressional
elections. As it is, the effect would be
mischievous enough, but it would be
absolutely destructive if Mr.. BRYAN
were already accepted as the Democratic
nominee for President.
What the Nebraskan seems unable to
recognize is that both political parties
are responsible for the railway rate act
recently passed, and that the whole
country is determined to give Federal
regulation of interstate roads a fair
trial. Mr.. BRYAN strangely fails t o per-
ceive that he disqualifies himselfi in adj
vance for the Democratic nomination by
~proclaiming and emphasizing his want
Of faith in a remedy for railway abuses
on which the Democratic party has set
the stamp Of its approval. No man can
be trusted to apply with zeal and energy
a remedy as TO which he cOnfesses at the
start his belief that il is doomed to fail