The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-09
SOUTH, HOSTILE
TO NEW ISSUES,
MAY BOLT BRYAN
Government Ownership Dis.
tasteful in Democratic
Stronghold.
Leaders Did Their Best to
Induce Modification,
but Failed.
Williams Disguised by De.
termination to Raise
Ownership Cry.
Vast difference Between
"CommOner" and
Roosevelt.
BY w. w. Jermane.

wv = ASHINGTON, Sept. S.-Mr.
" Bryan's, recent speeches are
not taking we'll in the south
ern states. Echoes of southern SEN
timent are being heard in this city,
and they indicate a trend toward
hostile criticism of Bryan's railroad
ownership idea. Unless he can in some
way manage to minimize the signifi-
canoe of that utterance, he will not
have southern support for the presi-
DENTAL nomination. This is the opinion
of prominent southern democrats who
have been in the city for week or
more. -
Under government control Of the
railways. the "Jim Crow car would
be knocked sky high, and the races
would commingle all over the south
when travelling by rail. The thought
is abhorrent to the southern mind. It
touches the south at most tender spot.
That section will not stand for any
man who upholds II. g - +. =
Representative John Sharp Williams,
minority leader in congress, who is just
home from Europe, landed in New York
a day ahead Of Bryan, and hurried on
to Washington without thinking it
worth while to stay over for the dem
onstration. Williams saw something Of
Bryan in Europe, and there tried to
prevail upon him to cut several para
graphs out of his proposed speech. This
Bryan refused to do. Williams was
disguised.
Refuses to Trim Speech.
Senator Bailey of Texas went to
New York for the particular purpose
of trying to induce Bryan to modify
his speech as to railroad ownership and
one or two other matters. He failed,
altho Bryan talked the situation over
with him more than an hour. With
Bailey were several other prominent
southerners, among them Representa-
tive Livingstone Of Georgia, ranking
minority member Of the appropriations
committee. All these men labored. to
convince Bryan that he was making
trouble for himself and the democratic
party by injecting railroad ownership
into his speech. But they were unsuc-
cessful.
Other efforts are to be made to have
Bryan, qualify his Madison Square re-
marks. Should they fail, a bitter op-
position to him will develop within the
democratic party, in it's stronghold, the
old south, and his nomination for the
presidency in 1908 will be quite out Of
the question.
What a difference there is between
Bryan and Roosevelt, altho both are
radicals difference grounded on what
Roosevelt has called "the saving grace
of common sense ''-on tact. The logi-
cal effect of Bryan's railroad utterance
will be to make, government and state
ownership the paramount issue Of 1908,
provided Bryan is to be the demo-
cratic nominee. Such an issue the re-
publicans will welcome with loud &C.
claim. '' E..'. NJ. - -
Roosevelt Hears Others.
: Reference has already been made to
the persistent efforts to :dissuade
Bryan from talking government own
ership in New York. But he could NOT
be hudged from his determination to
give voice to conviction that weighed
upon his conscience. Herein lies the
great difference between him and
Roosevelt. Roosevelt has convictions
and they, too weigh upon his con
science, but he listens carefully to the
counsel of his party associates before
giving those convictions voice.
Before Bryan left Europe he an
nounced that he had become more rad
ical than before. Roosevelt avows
with charming frankness that he be
comes more radical as he understands
modern conditions better. Bryan, how.
ever, .endeavors to fasten his radical
ism upon the democratic party out Of
hand, as it were, and against the ear.
nest protest Of the wise leaders Of that
party, who are as keenly alive to party
interests as he and fully as patriotic
Roosevelt, on the other hand, iniects