The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-09-16
BRYAN TALKS IN
OLD VIRGINIA
Largest Crowd That Ever
Gathered in the Vicinity of
Radford Listens.
OWNERSHIP OF RAIL WAYS
DUAL PLAN DISCUSSED AND ADJ
VOCATED.
OWNERSHIP OF RAILWAYS

Roanoke, Va, Sept. 15-W. j. Bryan
spent today in southwest Virginia. deliv-
erlng' an address this afternoon to the
largest crowd ever gathered in this part
of the state in the fair grounds at Rad
ford and speaking to an enormous throng
here tonight. His Raoford speech was
political. but here discussed ethics.
At Radford Mr.. Bryan said Democracy
Is a doctrine that appeals to the heart
and that is why the Democratic party
- full OF hope for the coming campai ign,
he said. because the people understand
Democracy better.
While the Republican party is claiming
credit for its opposition TO the trusts il
is not doing its duty on the trust ques-
ton, said Mr.. Bryan.
Will Not Pray to Trusts.
= am willing to go down on my knees
and ask my Heavenly Father give us
this Gay our daily bread but / am not
willing to make millions of my country
men get down on their knees and say to
our daily bread and have him reply. L
vote
I'm the impending campaign we shall
challenge the Republican party to state
its position and we will state ours boldly
that you cannot regulate a private mo-
nopoly, that you need not waste time try
ing to restrain. but that you must Kill it
A Step Further.
He referred TO the railroad rate law. and
he said he was going step further.
Two years ago." he said II had
reached the conclusion that the govern
ment ownership was the only solution Of
the question.
My position has been misstated and
In some places misconstrued. have been
accused Of favoring a thing that would
lead TO Capitalization. Let me remind you
that this plan not only does not lead to
Capitalization. but ii is the first sugges-
ton made in many years that looks to-
ward the strengthening OF the state and
making bulwark against Capitalization.
People have been discussing public own
ership with the idea that the federal gov
eminent would own the railroad and il
seemed that that was fraught with dan
ger because j believe in the Democratic
doctrine Of local self-government.
Difference Explained.
81 believe in our own constitutional
doctrine that such local things are for
federal government and therefore instead
o. advocating a federal ownership that
would centraliZe all this power at Wash
lngton; L advocated dual plan. whereby
control OF the federal government and all
the local lines under the control of the
state government, and IL anybody senses
That 1t Is practicable L cannot but tell
NA-Nhi 1Ildl III the empire OF germany al
most all the railroads are owned by the
separate states and that the empire wants
ito get railroads in order to strengthen
the federal government but the states
refuse TO surrender them because they
are the influential strength OF states. So.
my friends, instead OF being for centrali-
zation this is the plan that gives TO the
state the power to strengthen itself and fO
attend to its own affairs.
Has Had Experience.
There has been another objection and
only one. to which, wish to refer, and
that is that IL we had the ownership of
railroads by the government IL would in
crease the political power Of the party in
control. We'll / have an opinion. because
when L was candidate for president 1
mad chance to measure relative in
fluence of the administration over its
civil servants and the influence of the
railroads over its employees. I never had
any difficulty with mail carriers and civil
service employees. but the railroads mar
sbaled their forces and compelled their
men. against the risk of losing employ
mcnt. to march i'm their parade and wear
the button of their champion.
If any OF YOU are afraid of government
ownership want you 10 join with rne and
announce II az the doctrine of the Demo-
cratic party that a man could with the
railroads shall not be placed where he
has to serve two masters.
Surface Indications.
These questions / have discussed are
surface indications OF still deeper ques-
ticn. 1t is a question between plutocracy
and the people. 1t is the question whether
the wealth of this country is TO be gar
nered in the hands OF the few by priv
ileges given out to those who can control
the government. ! think the time has
come for the people to consider and they
are considering this question
Colonei Bryan will leave Sunday for
North Carolina.
PAYSON SOCIETY.