Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-09-14
Friday. September Ia. 1906.
BRYAN-PRo AND CON.


That William Jennings Bryan is
an honest man, and a brilliant one,
even his severest critics admit.
When these two things are said of q
man, il means "whole heap" A
man may be deficient in what is
termed common sense"-which Mr..
Bryan is not; one may be 30 erratic
as to be dangerous-which some
think Mr.. Bryan on economic ques-
tions; or he may be 80 bull-headed
as to breed conceit, if not court dis
aster when opportunity arises-and
this some of his enemies inside and
ont of his party charge. But withal,
when a man is able and honest many
little shortcomings should be over.
looked, particularly In this day of
financial looting and political
chicanery. Ten to one we prefer q
public man or statesman who is
outspoken and can be read through,
to one whose views are concealed or
who trims them to every passing
political breeze. The most generally
beloved of latter-dsy Republican
Observation-Disclosures q man
of vsrillating views. His nature
was kindly, but as statesman you
never knew where to put your finger
on him. This is not said in odious
comparison, but to emphasize our
preference for the other sort of man,
the man like William Jennings
Bryan.
When all is said we don't know at
this day that we would wish to see
Mr.. Bryan our Presidential nominee.
We should love dearly to see him our
President, but as the nominee there
is at present grave doubts that he
would make any better run than mere
tofore. We could wish that be had
left unsaid what he said about gov
eminent ownership of railroads. We
could wish that he had not meddled
In Illinois (Sullivan) party affairs
not that his views on the latter were
not right, but because we think he
went out of his legitimate path to in
terfere. We do not think this country
Is ripe for the government owner
ship proposition. We have enough
jobs already flied by party partizans.
Russia is faring example today of
government ownership of public SER
vice corporations. Aside from dis
cussion of the feasibility and desir-
ability of the suggestion Mr.. Bryan's
qualified utterance on this subject
has arrayed against him strong
arm of the Democratic body. So
far is this the case that even nm
der the favorable conditions which
exist today, we do not believe he
could gather moro vote than did
Hancock. So much for his utter
ance on government ownership.
True, he qualified this unhappy
pronouncement with the words
"when the country is ripe for it"
Political enemies will lose sight of
this, and Democratic financiers will
fear his judgment as to the time of
ripeness. Had this part of his
speech been left out, there was moth
ing else to take issue with. The
campaign slogan of down with
high tariff and the trusts would have
rallied the people of the country
under the Democratic standard and
the cry would have gathered force
with the rolling months.
At the same time we should not
lose heart. While Bryan is undoubt.
eddy our national leader today, and
az yet we have no other, his views
are those of q private citizen who
wears his heart and mind upon the
coat sleeve. He has perfect right
to hold such views and TO express
them. Yet that does not commit
the Democratic party. Should
Mr.. Bryan be our nominee in
1908 he will stand upon . plat
form made by other Democrats, and
it is hardly likely that government
ownership" will be one Of the planks.
In such event his views will remain
private views and at the best could
not be put into operation without an
act OF Congress. So even if he is
not converted in his way of thinking
we see no danger to the country
along this line, and the whole thing
resolves itself into expediency touch.
ing the Democratic party. Let ms
hope that if he will not back-rack
on the proposition he will at least
keep quiet on it in future for the
good Of his party.
HURRAH for our friend Beazley,
OF the South Boston News, who, if