The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1907-04-04

Bryan settled In Lincoln with his
bride, a lawyer with a reputation to
make, be appears to have demon.
strated unusual uncanniness upon
this particular subject. He Joined
the leading firm OF lawyers In bis
town, but he insisted upon the con-
tracts with his partners excluding
him from the most profitable branch
OF the practice. This particular
firm OF attorneys were the greatest
among the railroad lawyers OF Ne
braska, but Bryan would never have
anything TO do with the railroad
branch OF the business-would never
even appear for the railroads at the
request OF bis associates, though he
was willing at times TO take suits
for damages against the railroads
from regular clients. In thus DELHI
erately excluding railway practice
Bryan was even more particular than
Abraham Lincoln, since attorneys
viii recall that Lincoln won his
greatest case In the courts as the at
torneys OF the Illinois Central. And
those who know Mr.. Bryan best say
that one of his chief reasons for
turning his attention from law to
the newspaper business and TO lectur.
Ing was his fear that his own profess
sion held for him no prizes save as
the attorney Of the railroads and the
corporations. And to use his orator
ical gifts In favor Of the railroads
and the corporations is one thing
MIR. Bryan has declared that he new
er would do, though as a lawyer he
has been willing that the railroads
and corporations are entitled to good
lawyers just as Lincoln recognized
similar rights.
1t has been supposed that Mr.. Bry-
ans enunciation In favor of the gov
eminent ownership OF railroads upon
the occasion OF his tour around the
world and his Madison Square Garden
speech was his first declaration along
those lines. AS matter of fact Mr..
Bryan in Nebraska and Iowa and
other Western states has often adj
vanced similar arguments, though in
his political campaigns he has not
said much long those lines, not car.
ing to be misunderstood and not car
Ing to inject new issues into the plat.
form adopted by the National demo.
cratic convention. AS matter of
fact, however, the Kansas City plat
form, for which Mr.. Bryan was large.
ly responsible. declared an unrelent-
ing, unrelentless war upon private
monopolies, AID 1t Is difficult to clas-
sify the railroads Of today under any
other heading save that o: private
monopoly. Though he has never
complained SO far as known either in
public or in private of the position
taken by the railroads. the banks and
the great life insurance companies In
furnishing money used In buying
votes In the doubtful states In 1896,
since Bryan's attitude in connection
with the campaign OF 1896 was that
of good loser rather than that Of a
''squealer," nevertheless he is said
to have felt deeply the dangers to a
republican form OF government in
connection with money utilized in
that particular way. In lectures
like "rhe Conquering Nation,r a
favorite theory appears to he that
care must he exercised TO prevent
this country from falling into the
hands OF the rich meD-that eternal
vigilance is necessary to keep the ma
tion free. But his views in favor OF
the government ownership OF rail
ways were not new, though the
method OF their enunciation at the
time OF the Madison Square Garden
meeting may have forced the atten-
tion OF the people OF the country To
these particular principles. But over
and over again TO newspaper men
like Homer Bassford, OF st. Louis,
who accompanied him through Europe
last summer, he did not hesitate to
declare his beliefs upon these sub.
jects, and more than a month before
Bryan landed on these shores Bass.
ford announced that Bryan would dc
exactly what he did do there at tn,
Madison Square Garden reception.
Indeed, IL the truth is told il i,
probable that Bryan is the most con
servatiye of the three men who's,
names are most prominent before tn,
people OF this country today. VIII
lam r. Hearst is probably the mos
advanced OF all OF the believers II
public ownership. Ii is only stel
from the theories enunciated In hi
municipal ownership campaign.
campaign which will lineer long II
the minds OF those who witnessed 4