Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-10-05
Mr.. Bryan and The Railroads.

ship of rail ways.
| Mr.. Bryan must be saint-indeed
be must be one who, when smitten ol
one cheek, turns the other, if be doe
not see some necessity for such man
agement of railways as will prevent
them from being professedly managed
as privat corporations, and at the SAM
time being the real owners of and con
trOllers of the Government.
If the railways. in effect. now owr
the Government. why may not the
Government with equal propriety here
after own the railways?
No man ever suffered from railways
as did Mr.. Bryan in 1896 and 1900 NJ
party ever had its candidate so slaugh
tered and his success turned into de
feat as did the Democratic party in
those years and to no single agency
was the result so directly attributable
as to the railroads. To be sure, the
insurance companies, banks, trusts
and corporations of all kinds, every
one of which together with the rail-
roads, was massed against him, we're
accessories to the crime.
In the campaign of 1896 1t will be re-
membereG that the railroads, without
any single exception. and challenge Q
denial. used every device known to
them to compass his defeat. They gave
vast sums of money, they bulldozed
their employees, they opened their pass
books, they gave free trains, they ran
specials, they loaded West Virginia to
the bows with negroes who were put
into the mines to stay until election
day and then TO be illegally voted.
They were accused of doing similar
things in other States, and as reason
ably and. believe as justly so. They
carried thousands upon top of thousands
of people to Canton, Ohio, free that
they might see Mr.. Mckinley and hear
those and 10 minute talks, which be-
came SO famous, or join in the civic
parades. which daily passed before his
residence for review during that re.
markable campaign. They aided ev-
cry Republican picnic. public speech
making or mass meeting by reduced
rates or special trains. In this part of
Virginia the president of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railway went upon
the hustings, grew eloquent, frothed,
fumed and perspired in his zeal for
Mckinley, although professed Demo-
crat. His road ran free trains to his
places of speaking, and in our town be
and his road were accused of suborn
ing the press.
Now, where was Mr.. Bryan with re-
ference to these railroads during that
time? He had to meet his appoint
ments as best he could on regular trains.
His money was not good ior specials.
In fact. be could not have hired a hand
car. The trains, it was charged at the
time, were often DELAYED which were
to carry persons to hear him. and oo-
g ,acles were thrown in his way OF the
most annoying and exasperatlng char
acter. In the West on one occasion
when he Was to speak, hostile crowds
were poured in on free trains and they
surrounded him, hooting, ,howling and
threatening violence, and it was said
at the time that one of these hirelings
did actually spit in his face. In q
Northern town, near great univer-
sity. free trains carried crowds, includ-
ing students who were to disturb his
meeting, which they did by cat calls
and other d1sreputable conduct, thus
egged on and assisted by the rail ways.
In the campaign of 1900 much the
same conduct on the part of the rail-
ways was manifested, but not to such
a degree as formerly. Yet Mr.. Bryan
even then could get no specials, he
could not purchase facilities out of the
ordinary; while at the same time, Mr..
Roosevelt, who was touring the cOun-
try in the interest of the party whose
Vice-President candidate be was, had
special trains, the finest that could be
furnished, and Democrats have charg
ed and still believe sucn trains were
furnished him absolutely free, as 9
part of the contribution of the rail
ways to the Republican campaign
fund.
l take occasion to repeat here wha
NAV have told before, but it illus
trates my point.
On one occasion during the campa igl
of 1900 party of us were waiting at
chesapeake and Ohio railway station
in West Virginia for its regular traiI
No. /. We we're told it was 20 minute
late. Mr.. Roosevelt had spoken tina
day at Hinton, w. Va. When tn
moment for our train to arrive, had
been on time. did arrive, the screaI
of q whistle was heard and in mo
ment more the rays OF an electric heat
light flashed ground the curve a mil
away. With the speed of the win
the train dashed up to the station an
halted at the water tank. We ha
time to inspect it. For equipment
was magnificent product OF railwa
genius; two OF the most luxurious Pull
man Cars and baggage Car drawn b
zone OF the finest engines of that raj
fway composed it. On inquiry we fCun
it was ''Mr. Roosevelt Jrain." E
must speak next day at a point son
hundreds OF miles away, SO travel an
freight had been brushed aside, tt
railway cleared, common people we
made TO stand and wait Till the roy
traic sped by. The regular passeng'
train, for which we were waiting, W,
held 20 minutes, and its time given
the special" that Imperial C4s,
might be with his legiOns the next de
to overcome the Nervi.
What was Mr.. Bryan doing ther
He was speaking also In behalf Of
political party, but not the Republics
party. No special" were accOIdt
lnim. He could not have hired a Cd
tie car Aud yet here was every ia
Iroad in the United States placing
tracks, equipment and officers at Il
lbeck and Call of his opponent. Is
to be wondered at that he thinks th
need control?
In conclusion may add the Repu
lican party Will assume control of Il