Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-08-31
A ROOsEvELTlAN MR.. BRYAN.

William j. Bryan's admiration Tor
| Theodore Roosevelt has made Il new
man of Mr. Bryan. No saner, more
/ conservative or thoughtful exposition
OF democratic faith could have been
made than Mr.. Bryan uttered at Mao
/ ison Square garden. F'irebrand cpl
| grams were all absent No attempt
| was made to infiame the prej'ldlces
| of discomfort. Even such radical
| theories as public ownership OF raal-
| roads and tariff revision were APP
preached with the conservatism Oh
/ student, the defense of the theory IN
| the one case being presented With the
admission that the people are probably
not ready for public ownership OF ran
roads at this time aud in the other
case that tariff revision would not
necessarily destroy the trusts. The
Roosevelt doctrine OF square deal
| for every man is the theme OF the
whole discourse. The conservatism
| OF a man of wide study, of property
and of mature judgment. makes the
address as different from the Bryan
of the cross of gold and crown OF
thorns. as Ben Tillman is from Grover
Cleveland.
Next to the conservatism of the
speech it is. most notable that MI.
mo
custom Of the democratic party to de-
nounce everything Mpublican. There
is no view with alarm" or "unalter-
ably opposed" or "denounce with in
dignation" in his platform. 1t is not
a negative policy which he presents
He has weighed carefully the Prob
lens of the day and has frankly
adopted that which to him seems wise
regardless of what might have been
the republican position with the re-
suit that his platform adopts republic
an policies in fully three-fourths Of its
entirety. Mr.. Bryan is the first eem-
ocrat since Mr. Cleveland to learn that
leaders should adopt that which is
right regardless of the position of the
opposition.
The result is that he heartily en-
dorses railroad rate regulation as
achieved by President Roosevelt, He
admits that the gold standard has
proved itself wise monetary policy.
He adopts the Roosevelt view that corr
porations must not dominate politics
or contribute to campaign funds. He
declares against monopolies as Roose-
welt has DONE at the same time MAX
ing it clear that he is not opposed to
property rights or interests. just the
distinction always made by Roosevelt.
He favors new legislation for curbing
corporations much in the
game language as demanded by Roose-
welt He advises some kind of arbi-
tration in labor disputes suggested. by
Roosevelt's acts OF intervention. He
differs from the republican admins
tration only in positive advocacy OF an
income tax, "a tariff for revenue only |
and public ownership of railroads al |
tho he declares against socialism. He
bids for the labor vote by favoring the |
eight hour day, but makes it clear that |
organized labor is no more to be trust-
ed in acting fairly when given power
than is organized capital, from which |
it may be presumed that the Roosevelt !
idea Of an open shop is also endorsed. I
If it were not for the radicalism of |
the men, who must surround Mr.;
Bryan in the leadership of the demo-
cratic party. there is nothing in the
Bryan platform itself which need
alarm d nation and nothing which even
suggests the Bryan of previous cam
paigns. It Is q platform prepared with
elaboration and designed for pur-
pose. The mental process undergone
in devising Its character offers an in
teresting study in American politics.