Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-09-01
MR.. BRYAN'S VIEWS.


What importance attaches to the
speech Mr.. Bryan made to the host of
the faithful and the unfaithful-the
latter coming in that garb of sack
cloth and ashes which he imposed
several years ago as the condition of
welcome-who had gathered to greet
him on his return from foreign tour,
due track of which has been kept and
noted, says the st. Paul Dispatch, is
due to the probability that he will
again lead the democracy in 1908 and
the possibility that he may be the
next president of the United States
His speech will be read by the faith
ful and the unfaithful, we imagine,
with various feelings. 1t will be read
by republicans to see at what points
the acknowledged leader attacks
them, thus pointing the line of at
tack in the intervening months which
preeede the presidential election.
What now is the paramount is
sue?" Not free coi6Age of silver. He
accepts the gold standard because it
has brought, what democracy demand
ed in 1s96-190O, more money He
is satisfied and hopes the opposition
is Not the tariff. That is merely "an
incident of the paramount ISSUE" to be
again deferred as it was in '96 to the
issue then paramount 1t is no
longer 'sthe robbery of the many for
the enrichment of the few" 1t is an
Incident of the paramount issuel
about which the leader will express
his views on a later occasion. What
then is there in the broad field of
national policies which the republican
party affirms and the democratic
party denies? For only thus can
there be any issue, paramount or
otherwise.
The paramount issue"-the words
are his-is, he AYERS and expounds,
the trust. What does he affirm that
repuhlicanism denies about the trust?
Rather, what does he say that republi-
cans not only say but have acted up
on. Does he not congratulate Presi.
dent Roosevelt upon the steps he has
taken to enforce the antitrust law?''
He would remove the duty on trust
made articles, but we recall like
declarations in lot of republican
platforms. Even then absolute free
trade would not necessarily make a
trust impossible" What he says
farther about the resultant effect OF
protection in perverting the views OF
men as to the rightful use Of govern
ment is what republicans have said
over and over again.
Turning to find what of new and
positive policy this acknowledged
leader of nearly one-ha1f of the voters
of the United States suggests as
policy his party should adopt, we ge
the proposed ownership of railways
suggested not with force, but tenta
lively. 1t is his judgment, but hi
does "not know if the country /:
ready for this change" He repeats
what he said at Zurich, on this topi'
"a federal ownership of interstate
and state ownership of interstate rail
ways, betraying again that Anticipated
and worn out notion Of state sover
eighty. Here he falls far short as :
constructive statesman, of his fellow
democrat, Senator Newlands, whit
proposes a plan for which the peopl
are now ready.
After all, the solution of thu
mystery Of the undoubted popularit,
OF this leader is not to be found in hi
qualities as statesman, but must b.
found in his personality, his -tempera
ment, his sincerity in what he say
So and his sturdiness in maintaining hi
opinions. h /. /. 5%s. H.. =. If g..