Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-21
SAYS 1t IS A PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Also Declares That Government
Ownership lis Not an Immediate Is,
sue-Rooscvel, Has Good Ideas But
is Hampered by Republican Party.
Long Advocated in Democratic Plat
form
(Dy Associated press.)

J. Bryan today issued the following
statement; Government ownership
is not an immediate issue. a large
majority OF the people still hope for
effective regulation. While they SO
hope. they will not consider govern.
mcnt ownership. While many dem
ocrats believe and Mr.. Bryan is one
OF them, that public ownership OF
railroads is the ultimate solution OF
the problem. still those who believe
that the public will finally find it.
SELF driven To ownership, recognize
tina; regulation must be tried under
the most favorable circumstances be
fore the masses will be ready TO try
n more radical remedy.
Regulation cannot he suniclcntly
tried within the next year. There Is
no desire anywhere to make govern
ment ownership an issue in 1908. Mr..
Bryan fully agrees with those who
believe that IL will be unwise 10 turn
attention from regulation, on which
the people are ready to act, to gov
eminent ownership. OH which the
people are not ready to act. Govern
nient ownership sintroduced-.in.o con-
gross would give the railroads n
chance to dodge the issues OF rcgula-
tluH ulu uecelNt Lne DuDllC.
ESQ far, the railroads have been
Successful III preventing effective
Ncderal regulation and state regnla-
ton has as Il result been strained
by the United State court. 1t is
about 20 years since the Interstate
Commerce Commission was created.
Legislation Falls Short.
1T required about 10 years for the
IN Ind
conferred were insufficient and then
IL look about ten years to procure
an amendment. The railroads fought
thc amendment at every step, and
the President was finally forced to
compromise with the railroad Repub.
leans In the senate in order to pro.
cure their support
Even that amendment obtained
with tremendous effort falls short of
what il should be. II aims to stop
passes and rebates. The railroads
profit pecuniarily by both the stop.
page Of rebates and the prohibition
OF passes. but extortionate rates still
exist State Legislation for the re-
ductlon OF rates has resulted I'm an
agitation in part of the railroads for
legislation which will deprive the
state Of authority and control OF all
rate Legislation in Congress.
THE Democratic party must meet
the issue presented; It must resist
the entertainments on the authority
OF states. 1t must insist upon the
exercise of Federal power for the
regulation of interstate commerce
and 1t must insist upon the exercise
OF state authority for exercise of the
power vested in the states. This
question has grown in importance
during the past year and its promi-
nence will be increased II any at
tempt is made TO impair state author.
ity. Tho Republican party is as I'M
potent TO regulate the railroads as ii
Is to exterminate the trusts and to
reform the tariff.
Purely a Democratic Measure.
"The Democratic party has I'm three
national campaigns demanded ef-
fectve railroad legislation, while the
Republican national platforms have
been silent on the subject. Tho
President has partly adopted the
Democratic view on this subject; hut
so far the Republican leaders have
resoiutely opposed it. The President
is helping to educate the people up
to the need of railroad regulation.
but his party under its present lead
ership Is powerless to accomplish
this or any other important reform.
If the Democratic party will clearly
and mequivocaily demand First. the
assertion of The value of all the rail-
roads; Second. the preventing OF
over capitalization; and. third, the
reduction of rates to n point where
they will yield only Il reasonable re-
turn OH the real value of the roads,
it will commend itself not only to
Democrats but those Republicans
who have been led to study the rail
road question. The railroad situa-
ton presents Yotal issue and the
issue should be so stated that every
one can understand The nnrfinc nnsi.