Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-09-13
Rrxan's Latest Issue.

A writer in the New York Mail de-
clares that one Of his neighbors. who
is a Republican Of the old-fashioned
kind. when he says his prayers at
night always includes in spirit of rev.
erence something like this: eve thank
thee. o Lord, for Mr.. Bryan; for the
help that through him Thou givest
against the people straying from the
true political path"
The New Yorker has the right idea
Of the case, for it is not to be denied
that for a full decade Mr.. Bryan has
been one Of the largest single assets Of
the Republican party. and one OF the
best reasons why the country has pre-
ferred to keep it in power. His recent
return from a long absence abroad en-
phasizes this fact. His return was
hailed with loud acclamations by the
Democratic press Of the country. and
1t appeared that his absence had not
only made the hearts of his country
men fonder toward him, but that it had
also brought together the factions OF
his party in his interest and taken the
edge off the harsh judgment of his
political opponents. Many people who
in 1895 and 1900 had no earthly use for
the Nebraskan statesman thought that
perhaps after all he was not such a
bad fellow, and that having rid himself
of his foolish notions by added years
and foreign travel he would make a
formidable candidate for the presidency
in the next campaign. Democratic
hopes went up like balloon. and some
Republican editors began to show signs
of uneasiness. That was during the
last part of Mr.. Bryan's stay in Eu-
rope, and while he was crossing the
ocean. and the grand demonstration Of
welcome which his friends had ar
ranged for him in New York.
But how great the change in only
few short days. His first speech on
American shores has shown that he is
the same Bryan as Of old. and that he
has again divided his party which was
struggling 80 desperately to get to-
gether. His speech wreathed Republic
can faces in smiles which refuse to
come off and has punctured the balloon
Of Democratic hopes for 1903. And all
this is because Mr.. Bryan in his old
time passion for political fads and fol-
lies launched another paramount is
sue"-the fourth or fifth in his series.
He not only declares in unequivocal
fashion that he is an advocate Of the
government ownership of railroads, but
also Of the preposterous idea that the
TRANSFORMATION systems Of the country
should be divided up among the 46
states. That is. the great trunk lines
| to be owned by the central government
and all the smaller local lines by the
state government. The more this
proposition has been looked at the more
! absurd it appears. and it is significant
that not a single prominent Democratic
| leader mas enuoTSe1 tiio oiyth'' Pio''i'
white many Of them have declared
| against It. Even Hearst assures the
world that he is too conservative" to
favor such a thing! Mr.. Bryan has
| again demonstrated that he is not of
the stuff out of which presidents are
made. If he is sincere in this latest
decIaratio it must be admitted that
| he is a light and shallow statesman.
| The only other explanation of his atti-
| tude is that he is a conscious dema-
gogue hunting desperately after plank
to float him into power.