The Washington herald., 1907-05-15
WEDNESDAY. MAY Is. 1901
Mr. BrYan,s Platform.

Mr.. Bryan's Platform.
William J. Bryan. in the current issue
Of the Commoner. sets forth the Demo-
cratic position from his own point OF
view. Mr.. Bryans creed has thirteen
clauses. Of which but four. or possibly
I'VE. present any political beliefs that are
the subject Of contemporary controversy.
The remaining clauses relate to political
principles which are. in the main. the
common inheritance Of every American
citizen. such as the inalienable rights of
the individual. the wisdom OF local self
government the duty Of the government
to levy taxation equitably and the like
These principles l0ngagO passed Outof the
realm Of popular discussion into that of
universal acceptance, so that they are
valuable nowadays solely for purposes
Of political education. and not as vote
setters for any party or any candidate.
The vital clauses, then, of Mr.. Bryans
creed have to do with State rights, the
tariff, the trusts. and with our colonial
policy. Mr.. Bryan does. indeed. appro-
pirate the initiative and referendum. but
that system Of popular government looks
as good to the Republicans Of Maine or
Oregon as TO the Democrats Of Oklahoma.
and its adoption has not hitherto been
urged along partisan lines. It is a politi-
cal device which conflicts with the repre-
sentative character Of our government
rather than with the principles Of any
political party. for representative institu-
tons have never been the subject Of party
controversy There is no indication any
where in this country that differences Of
opinion regarding direct legislation run
along party lines. and perhaps as many
Republicans as Democrats would sub
scribe TO Mr.. Bryan's declaration for the
election Of Senators by direct vote Of the
people, the direct primary. and the initia-
tive and referendum.
Mr. Rryans cautious statement Of the
State rights doctrine is no more than the
commonly accepted American doctrine as
90 the relation Of the State and Federal
governments. He insists on respect be
ing shown 10 the constitutional provision
which reserves to the States and to the
people, respectively. the powers not dele
gated TO the Federal government or de-
MED to the States" but believes in the
exercise by the Federal government of
its delegated powers in such a way as to
protect the interests of all the people. 8"
The meaning Of this lies in the application
of il; and il is well known that Mr..
Bryans views as to the scope Of Federal
power are scarcely less extensive than
Rlr. R0osevclts, so far as either have been
formulated with respect 20 specific mat
ters Of legislation
But when the tariff. trust, and colonial
questions are reached the lines OF di-
vergence become clearer. The Democratic
party. Mr.. Bryan says. has opposed a
tariff levied purely for the purpose Of pro-
lection" and in this it has always tray
ersed the policy Of its protagonist As 10 a
colonial policy. Mr.. Bryan declares that a
republic cannot consistently hold colo
nies and administer governments outside
Of and in conflict with the principles of
the Constitution thus placing himself
squarcly in opposition TO American colo
nial policy as now carried on. On the
trust question, Mr.. Bryan declares the
Democratic party the natural enemy Of
the private monopoly" and brands such
monopoly as 'indefensible and intoler-
able Monopoly in all its forms must,
therefore, be destroyed
Here. we believe. may be found a very
distinct line Of cleavage between Repub-
Hcan and Democratic opinion on the trust
question. Mr.. Roosevelt displays an in
clinaJion not 70 disturb immense corpora
tiOns like the steel trust or the sugar
trust, 50 long as they are not complained
Of as oppressive. and conform TO the law:
but Mr.. Bryan's idea is that these cor
poratiOns should at once be attacked. and
that the scope Of their operations should
be restricted and their monopoly shat
tered. The difference was clearly shown
in the Bryan-Beveridge discussion of the
trust question. as we pointed out some
days ago. 1t is a fundamental difference
that is likely to become accentuated as
time goes on. for the two policies are
closely related 10 the genius of the op-
posing parties, one of which has always
stood for the promotion Of commerce and
industry by governmental means. while
the other has favored as little interven-
tion IN such matters by government as
IS consistent with preserving justice
among men.
Mr.. Bryan significantly omits from his
Democratic creed any declaration for the
government ownership Of public utilities,
though he has a clause placing the Demo-
cratic party in opposition to swollen for
tunes, and declaring that IF the govern
ment would cease to permit a few to
monopolize that which belongs to all
there would be no fortunes so swollen as
to veX the country" Mr.. Bryan's plan
Of dealing with swollen fortunes is thus
quite at variance with that of Mr.. Roose-
welt, who would impose an inheritance
tax upon them. Both. however. favor an
income tax, and Mr.. Bryan in defending
his radicalism by saying that a reason
able radicalism is necessary If a more
extreme radcalism is TO be avoided
adopts precisely Mr.. Roosevelt's view of
the method that ought TO be adopted 10
bring TO naught Mr. Bryan's public-own-
ership propaganda.
The new Spanish prince is a mighty lit