The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-30
SOCIALISM TO
BE REAL ISSUE
Political Leaders Of Both Parties
Now Contending With New #
Problem.
ROOSEVELT AND HEARST i: 4 Rs 81
Analysis Of Situation Wit11&View
ROOSEVELT AND HEARST 'l'|';'1
Analysts Of Situation Wit11zView
Of Possible Developments
to Come.

WAsHlNGTON, y. c., April 2o.-Fo
the first time In the history ofIpolltlc
in tic United States, the political leader
are seriously considering the growth, o
socialistic sentiment among the people
and In tho congressional elections th
fail the socfalistio idea VIII for the frs
time be a real Issue.
| TYo&years ago n prophet bold enough
to, predict that such thing could bt
I'M 50 short period OF time would have
been dismissed with the co1teniptuous
! word crank. But the apparently i'm
| possible has become fact. 1 i8
The Republican National Congressiona
Committee. organized a few weeks since
has recognized the growth Of socialistit
Ideas In Its first act. l Ia agents arc
now preparing n directory Of members
Of this congress. who are candidates fot
re-olection, a directory OF thnr opponent:
within and without their own party, to.
gether with notes Of conditions III the
district One Of the items on which par.
tcular emphasis Is laid Is Now does
this man think on the tariff question?
What is the sentiment OF the people Of
the district on tho tariff question?"
The New Question.
Another and q wholly new. one Is.
How does this man stand on The ques-
clarcd himself on this issue? What ia
the sentiment OF the people on public
ownership? Have newspapers In his dis
tr!ct declared for public ownership 2"
The socialism in the United States
which Is an issue to-day. Is not the So
otalism OF the Socialist party There arc
not enough supporters OF that radical
and thorough programme to command
fear or respect from political leaders.
t,llo LII, Sa t,1tt fno xnI
and respected Is what may be termed,
for lack OF a specific name, the ten
dency toward socallstc paternallsm IN
local and national affairs, manifested In
various ways. but particularly and more
insistenty In the demand for public
ownership OF public utilities.
This variety of socialism is manifest in
nearly all parts. of the countrs and has
developed considerable strength In every
portion OF tho nation save tho South.
1t is not confined to party lines, and is
at work vigorously in both Republican
and Democratic ranks. .ae
That Is why Che Republican campaign
managers, admittedly doubtful OF the re-
suit OF the coming congressional cleo
tons, want to know who's who on this
issue. They are. a fraid of making the
issue an open one, for the Republican
party does not know where It stands. 1t
must wait Tor 1nformatlOn.
The Democratic leaders are llkewises
fearful. With it's poor organization and
Its lamentablys procra stinating methods,
the Democratic committee has not as
yet undertaken to feel the pulse Of the
party In suck a Systematic manner; but
1t Is apparentto tho idlest observer that
the South Is practically not affected by
this tendency: that the Democrats In the
East are divided on It, tho division leav-
ing almost all the leaders against the
sentiment and almost all the voters for
1t, while In the West the Democratic
party Is chaos.
The Reason.
What is the reason ror this startling
in politics? The Ideas adj
are not new In some form or
other they have been advocated for
Grcenback party, the Union
Labor party, the Populists, these organt-.
cations have stood for such things. But
the paternalistc notions Of the Populst
party were submerged In the agitation OF
tho fiscal question. and on that Issue, not
IN any way related TO the socnllstc ten
dency to be faced to-day, the Populists
went into tho Democratic ranks,
For time 1t was sufficient to cry
"popuism'' or socialism and any idea
30 met WITH ueIiStoll VIVA ~ w
tied Even now the name socialism
will frighten many. But tho Republican
National Congressional Committee is
right III It's conclusion that something
moro tangible than calling names must be
advanced TO combat this tendency
Thon, 70 nj lntents and purposes. It Is
an innovation In American politics, be-
cause 1t vas never before treated serl-
pusly.
What is the reason? Who Is the rea,
but the question. The reason Is two-told.
and to some persons It may seem irreV-
nrent to link them In one sentence, but
i must be donsI,Th ne Roosevelt ana
Two years ago. when the present, Con-
gress was elected, and when Mr.. Roose-
Welt received his reGo -breaking majority,
from the public mind, In that campaign
there was no discussion Of controlling
railroad rates With Its corollary OF pub
|'yc SMeas il that campaign Of \ tax on
Icga cies and bancfact Ions sufficiently high
10 prevent the transmission Of large prl-
nr|Ifn mes, Ira as Il lad dome
q. eight years, the government control
e railroad rates. The Democratic party
yas committed to an n n PnM ,or TX al A.
-I,lfes ont Of existence. But these things
Sere merely on paper: they were not
discussed. and they were not seriously
1lnsdered
"a Roosevelt's Part.
S soon MS the election was over Mr..
osevelt declared for railroad rate conr
vaj. lie said, properly enough, that
must be d9ne e. f9p tH relief
oG rates and from the evil Of rebating.
eatIa moment this question came to. be
IN i,yest thing In politics, and SO II -
ls Ne, Senate is struggling with the prob
bon Whatever the Outcome q Of ihat strait
,rs viii be a question for discussion.
Ir'. TIC growing demand for public own
as WINTER systems In municipalities. 1t
the he seriously consdered w whether H., or
80 rship Of railroads Il this rate bill
= =. mot do for them all that they en-
ee. I1Rooseyet is the reason for that
ost j, too tho man with the n,lck-rake,
of datronlzed by the President and now
ida n,nn,l b<yf !, work nJ ha |