The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-11
Thinks Ownership Idea Will
Bring Defeat
MAKES AN APT COMPARISON
Says Bryan and Roosevelt Differ Only
In One Respect, bryan Is Not
lnfalIible While Roose-
welt Is"

Washington, September 10.-(Special)-
In the opinion of Senator Rayner of Mary
land there would be no chance of demo-
cratic success two years hence with a
government ownership of railroads plank
in the platform.
1T vii not do said Senator Rayner
Ito Wage q negative campaign. II we
have no issues we might as well say SO
and make the contest upon the character
of our candidates. NY own Judgment is,
and 1t is a deliberate one, not formed un-
der sudden impulse or momentary en-
thusiasm, that Bryan will perhaps poll
as many democratic votes as any other
man that I know of in the party.
know Mr., Bryan well personally and I
care not what others say who have never
come in contact with him, | know that
he is not obstinate about his opinion lie
is always willing to confer and modify
his views, unless II is a matter of abb
solute conviction with him, and then he
will fight It out, win or lose.
~ don't think in reading over his speech
that he has come to an unalterable con-
cluslon upon the subject of governmental
ownership of railroads. He regards it as
a question for the future; SO do a great
many other people; but he makes no Inn
poratlyo demand that 1t must be placed
In the platform or accepted as the policy
of the party
Requires Thought.
This Is a matter that requires thought
and investigation. and some of the great
est political economists Of the present day
have devoted profound attention to 1t.
Governmental ownership will require a
constitutional amendment. and Mr.. Bryan
will not Insist upon It that we must in
corporate a planiSslntlFe platform provid-
ing for a constitutional amendment upon
the subject OF governmental ownership. I
| am sure that whatever may be his own
| opinion or the opinion of Mr. Dunno OF
| Chicago, or Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Of
George Frederick Williams of Massaehus-
etts, all of them men OF original ideas
and striking individuality, they will not,
when the time comes, plant us upon this
issue and put us to the country on Il.
There would be no possible chance of sue.
cess If this were to take place.
"The democratic party is n party of in
dlvidualism. and not of paternalIsm; SO
thought Jefferson and SO think we all, and
predict that the democratic platform VIII
not contain any plank providing for gov
ernmental ownership. and that Mr.. Bryan
will not force this issue upon us.
you know that Bryan and Roosevelt
are very much alike They are both men
of genius of great courage. of unbendns
Will of high purpose and wonderful re-
sources. Bryan differs from Roosevelt in
one respect-he is not infallhie. Roosevelt
is. His entire retinue of sycophants and
courtelers have persuaded him that he Is
both an oracle and a prophet | know we
| are having an era of apparent prosperity.
but I would rather have less prosperity
and more equality; less Capitalization and
more distribution; a man of the masses in
preference to man of the classes, and
return to the simplicity of our earlier
days rather than all the display and
pageantry of concentrated power in the
hands of the executive"
Williams Opinion.
Representative John Sharp Williams,
the democratic House leader, has made
the following statement:
II am opposed to government ownership
of railroads. irrevocably now and forever.
I'm theory and in practice; a question con-
cerning which Mr.. Bryan and | agree to
disagree. But l see no good to be attained
by my rushing into print on the subject.
we will simply vote It down II offered as
plank of the democratic platform
Now let us not magnify democratic
differences. There are so many things we
are agreed upon let us magnify and push
them to the front If we can. Bryan Is not
nfallible and does not pretend to be.
He Is right about so many things,
eloquently and greatly right, but abso-
utely and altogether wrong about this
one thing. especially from the standpoint
of racial peace and quiet in the south. Let
us strongly regulate our rates. but not
operate railroads."