The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-09-02
PENSACOLA FLORIDA SUNDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER O. 1906.

Mr.. Bryan's Speech
and His Critics.
The great speech delivered by VIM.
]. Bryan at Madison Square Garden
Thursday night in response to his well
come home by the united democracy
Of the nation has been variously esti-
mated and criticised by both press
and public.
There are few democratic papers
that ihaye not found much to approve
In Mr.. Bryan's powerful enunciation Of
what he considers should be the poll
cies OF his party, and 1t may be said
that there are few also that have
hesttated to disagree with him on
certain personal Views which he ex-
pressed. The main point which the
the critics Of his address attack Is
his statment that he has reached the
conclusion that railroads partake so
much Of the nature of the monopoly
that they must ultimately become
public property and be managed by
public officials In the interest OF the
whole community in accordance with
the well-defned theory that public
ownership is necessary where compe-
tition is impossible"
This proposition is attacked by
many Of the papers as radical and
dangerous, but thinking men long
since recognized that the railroad
question Is really the overshadowing
issue before the American people to
day. It is now and has been for
years the paramount issue in state
politics, and it will for years to come
be growing issue in the politics OF
the nation. Whether it will be solved
"a by private ownership and opera
tin under government regulation, e.
government ownership under private
operation, or (3) government owner
ship and operation, Ia matter for the
future to unfold, but 1t must clearl,
dnd solution under one of the three
heads mentioned.
Mr.. Bryan thinks personally tina
government ownership and operation
win ultimately be necessary, but h
Is not attempting to force his opinion
In that respect on the party. On thu
contrary. in referring to the matter
he says:
81 don't know that a majority OF m!
own party favors 1t, but believe tina
an increasing number of the member
of all parties see In public Ownership
the sure remedy for Discrimination
between persons and politics and TO
the extortionate rates for the carry
ing of freight and passengers
There would seem to be no reason
therefore why the opponents OF gov
eminent ownership should have an!
nervous spasms over Mr.. Bryan's pc
sition on that question and, outside o
those who are hunting an excuse ,
oppose him anyway. we do not believ
thar an expression Of personal opinion
by him on the matter will create an
friction.
For OUT own part, The journal lon,
since expressed the conviction tina
government ownership OF railroad
would prove the final solution OF
question that owershadows all othe
nubQic issues in the nation to-day
and that, whether we like It or mo-
the trend is in that direction and tn
result is inevitable. But that, how
ever, has nothing to do with MI
Bryan's commendable spirit OF franz
ness or with the next national pla
form of the democratic party.
On the great questions Of the tariff
the trusts, IMPERIALISM. capital and Ia
Dor government by injunction" tn
eight-hour day, corporate control l
politics, the income tax, and the pop'
lar election of senators, not only tn
members Of the democratic party. br
we believe mapority OF the America
people are heartily in accord with M
organs utterances. He leaves y
doubt as to where he stands on an
Of those issues, and his treatment
them is as clear-cut and definite as
rs bold and convincing.
We like Mr.. Bryan's speech and W
are entirely agreed with the New o
leans Picayune, q paper that has neve
been friendly to him, In its asserio
that this speech "mnst be considere
as one of the most notable and M
mentous declarations of public polio
that has been presented to the Amer
can people since the violent issue