The Washington times., 1906-08-18
PARTY STATESMEN
FEYERISHLY AWAIT
BRYAN'S KEYNOTE
Tariff, Railroads, Trusts
One of These Expected
as Leading Issue.

Plans for the Congressional campaign
are all tentative, and will remain so
until after Mr. Bryan shall have como
home and made his big speech in New
York. and the subsidiary speeches that
are 10 be scattered about the adjacent
regions during the succeeding days OF
his festival of talk in what was once
the enemy's country,
The Democratic Congressional com
mlttee doesn't know where IT is going
TO stand. il doesn't know what VIII be
the Issues; Il doesn't have an idea what
It must meet, whether Il viii Le IN the
defensive or tho offensiYei whether Il
will suddenly fiud money coming more
easIlv or will run into a financial
squeeze. It doesn't know. for instance,
whether Mr.. Bryan viii spring GOV.
ernment ownership OF railroads, or tarlh
revision. as the big issue. II has
horrible suspicion that he viii say
enough about the railroad issue at least
10 compel the party 10 recognize = ana
divide attention between II and tarln.
Maybe MIR. Bryan viii make neither or
these prObIems paramount, but just go
in for q general trust-busting program.
Really, II isn't so pressingly important
what he VIII do as that he should DO
II as soon as possible and let the cam
paign work 90 forward
More Radical Than Ever.
Mr.. Bryan has sent word that he is
more radical than ever and a sum
mary OF hts revised views on Govern
ment ownership OF railroads has been
eabled a-d widely circulated without
any denial. This forecast Of what
may be coming sent the shivers mp and
down the backs OF the Democratic man
ayers in Cnnrress. They don't want tho
Government ownership issue forced
They have been sitting at the feet OF
John Sharp Williams too long. lie mas
m last got them into pretty good dis
cIDlius on the tariff issue though II u
aIvyavs hard 10 keep the lineup HFfn'
Mr.. Williams doesn't believe IN Gov
ernmeut ownership. and before he start
I'd for Europe a few weeks ago ne ue-
plared that he expected 20 see Bryan
and tell him iu the most emphatic terms
he could muster that a Government
oV,nership proEram would cost nun ne
gupnart If the South. and would Fulu
rhe lnest outlook the party has ALo~1 -
IN many years. in tMs view MT " ltr
faros Is hacked by almost all the eOulh'
z~u Democrats In both houses OF Con
eress The Hearst wing. OF course
wants the Government ownership pro
gram,
Did williams Fail?
Knowing that Mr.. Williams went
abroad determined 10 head of the
threatened movement for new ra1i,'l
noI5cfas. Washington has been on the
r77i ,-fye since Williams and Bryan met
IN England. What passed at that cor
ference2 Nobody knows. Not & word
has been given out But It Is signif-
cant that not long afterTard lhe ap-
parentIv authorized statements OF MT.
Brvan's new views on the railroad cues
tion was cabIed here. 1t may be con
gtr1ed therefore. as indicating thai Mr-
Williams failed I'm his purpose o. rloe-
tracking this issue.
II Is the general agreement that The
tariff issue promises best results Tor the
Democrats this fall II is, for one Jhlng,
altogether 800 late TO change 10 80 ln-
mense a proposition a 8 would be opened
by the consideration Of the public own
ershlp issue That needs long cam
palgn OF education. II it ever comes
public men say. IT viii be after another
campaign such as that OF 1886.
It Might Do, Later.
The people who are praying that Mr
Bryan VIII spare the party an injection
OF this new idea this fall are not so
sure that it will be bad politics two
years later. There has never oeea a
test of public opinion on this question
of public ownership Of railroads In this
country. IL Is well known that senti-
aFrF ina n n
very fast OF late years. and that in 9TH
er countries where anything Ike pie
bIscite has been taken on the question
II has always developed unexpected
strength
1T may be a winning issue" said a
Southern Senator. but IL isn't for this
year and what we want now is 10 win