The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-10
Evolution of a Radical.

Il In true, az Mr.. BRYAN said when
enjoying the hospitality Of Ambassador
REID in London, that he is more radical
than he was in 1895, for the platform on
which he made his first campaign for
President did not call for Government
ownership OF railroads, but for the
enlargement Of he powers Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission and such
restrictions and guarantees in the control
Of railroads as will protect the people
from robbery and oppression
Mr.. BRYAN Is ven more radical than
he was when a Populist candidate for
Senator In Nebraska in 1894. "Reliev-
ing he then said, that government
which creates is greater than the crea-
ture created, I favor the strict control
Of railroads and Of all other public cor
porations by proper legislation To
get the right measure Of Mr.. BRYAN's
radicalism at this time we have to 90
back to the national Populist platform
Of 1897, which declared:
TranspOrtAuon being . means Of exchange and
q public necessity. tho Government should own
and ODsTats the railroads IN the interests OF tho
people"
In his speech in Madison Square Gar
den on the evening Of August 80 Mr..
BRYAN adopted the Populist doctrine,
although he calls himself a Democrat.
In his discussion Of the railroad situation
he said:
Il have reached the conclusion that there win
be no permanent relief on tho railroad question
FROM discrimination between individuals and be.
tween places. and from e1tortionAte rates. until
the railroads are the property OF the Government
and operated by the Government in the interests
OF the people
The Populist OF Peoples party has
steadily demanded Government owner
ship Of the railroads since 1892. The ma
tional platform on which WATSON and
TIBBLEs ran in 1904 declared that ~topre-
vent unjust discrimination and monopoly
the Government should WI and control
the railroads and those public utilities
which in their nature are mOnopolies."
Mr.. BRYAN would have been satisfied
with Government control or regulation
in 1894, and there is now on the Federal
statute book a law enlarging the powers
OF the Interstate Commerce Commission
so as to regulate the rates Of the rail-
roads and otherwise supervise their
management, but Mr.. BRYAN is not salts
fed with the mandate of legislation such
as was recommended in the platform Of
1895 on which he made his first cam
paign for the Presidency-he has gone
over to the POpulist camp bag and bag
gage, and now clamors for Government
ownership OF the railroads. In recent
years Mr.. BRYAN has resented the in
sinuatiOn that he was associated with
The Populists. On all occasions he has
proclaimed himself a Democrat, and as
such he was acclaimed the leader of the
Democratic party and its logical candi-
date for President by enthusiastic State
conventions--before he adopted and
made his own the Populist doctrine of
Government ownership OF railroads. II
the conventions were to be held over
again Mr.. BRYAN's development into a
full blown Populist might have a chilling
effect upon their idolatry. Mr.. BRYAN
the politician, who had been hailed a. a
statesman, did not speak out until his
nomination seemed to be a foregone
conclusion.