Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1906-09-21
What Would Bryan's Election Mean

While no n a safely predict what
will happen two years hence, at this
moment all the indications point to the
nomination for president of MIR. Bryan
in 1908. Hence it is not only right but
it is a duty for every citizen who loves
his country. to analyze what he says
and try to anticipate results in case his
New York speech embodies the platform
which he would demand should be
framed for him to stand upon. Wefnd
that 1t is more Populist than Democratic
that while it. echoes the old Democratic
demand for the a~brogation of the tariff
and the smashing of the trusts ii goes
farther it loans to a general govern
ment ownership of public utilities and
holds out a covert promise to cure every
wrong and every supposed wrong by
legislation. IN addition il his purpose
is nor to array every dissatisfied ele-
ment in the nation against the rich and
prosperous, and instill into every poor
mans mind a belief that the reason he
10 poor is because of the wrongs heaped
upon him by the rich, then he does not
make his meaning plain.
Assuming that the rich can take care
Of themselves, we should try to estimate
what the effect would be upon the poor,
could Mr.. Bryan's theory of govern
lnent be carried out.
In passing, we may remark that Mr..
Bryan's praise of Mr.. Roosevelt that he
might assume that what of reforms the
president is trying to bring about are
reforms stolen from the Democracy or
from Mr.. Bryan, is altogether gratui-
tious, for the presidents course was all
outlined when a boy in the New York
legislature and when he was a police
commissioner in New York City. The
president does not borrow his principles.
We personally know that Mr.. Bryan's
ideas Of the tariff correspond exactly
with those Of Mr.. Cleveland. When
Mr.. Cleveland became president in 1893,
his first significant official act was to
dispatch his special Mr.. Blount to
Hawaii to haul down the American flag.
His second was to call congress in special
session to destroy silver as money. WE
mean Of course primary money, a stand
ard Of values. In his message to con-
gress he ascribed the panic (which was
precipitated to give him an excuse for
calling the special SESSION. and s,agna-
ton to the fear of capital that the u
try was about to .gravitate to a silver
basis.
After a more than three months strup-
gle congress repealed the purchasing
clause of the Sherman law and placed
the country on a gold basis. But the
promised revival did not come. The
threat of tariff REFORM was still how.
ering over the land. Finally Mr.. Will
son framed his bill and pushed it through
the house. Had the senate done the
same, and the bill had become a law,
the Democratic party would have gone
into liquidation or at least into the
hands of a receiver.
As 1t was Senator German tore the
thing to pieces. covered 1t over with
protection patches and Mr.. Cleveland
was too angry to sign it, leaving it to
become a law by action of time. Then
The nation resumed work. 1t is a repe
tition of that gloomy period that Mr..
Bryan's plan foreshadows. How do
the poor Of the land like the prospect
When 1t comes to dealing with the
trusts and other combines of capital.
NE. Bryan does not promise or propose
to seek out the wrongs and correct
them, but to smash the combines. But
aside from the western miners and far.
mers, nine-tenths of the wage n
In the country look to these same com
bines for employment.
While the smashing of the combines
is going on where will those employees
get work.
AS for government ownership Of rail.
roads we will, today, consider but one
phase Of the question. We hear men
say every day that the government can
,wn and operate a railroad just as il
AN the postofice. Assuming that to be
rue. what them What employee OF
he ~postofice has ever advanced one
tep above a clerkshipf Is an occupa.
ion that offers no opportunity for pro.
notion the one the average American
10Y desiresf Is it a system which the
abor unions OF the country desire to
81 inaugurated?
Can any honest laboring man see in
nything Mr.. Bryan proposes any bene-
Z to himselff But prices will be re-