Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-09-20

DuI tney go 1arther and urge that there
aregood corporations as well as bad ones.
and the former should not suffer for the
latter. From their viewpoint radical po-
licies are only for abnormal conditions.
They should not last longer than those
evils to which they owe their existence.
If they do, there is danger. For radical
policies mean departures from existing
conditions, while the prosperity of the
country depends upon settled state of
affairs. 1t is conservatism therefore
which in the end must work out the
remedial measures brought about by
radicalism to cure our ills. AS an ex
ample, the radical wave was the cause
of the law empowering the Inter-S State
Commerce Commission to Regulate
freight rates. But if those who fought
for it would have that measure afford
relief to the shippers, it must be en-
forced by conservative men who will
fix rates that will be fair to both sides
and not of such character as will in
spire endless litigation as well as eva
sions by either party. A conservative
administration contemplates the en-
forcement of the laws and the enact
ment of new ones demanded by existing
conditions, not new ones designated to
solve condition which from a theoreti.
cal standpoint may become a problem
in the future and be liable to create an
era of uncertainty, of timidity among
business men on whom our prosperity
depends. A conservative Democratic
platform, appealing to the mass of
voters for support, need go no farther
than stand for those laws against monop-
lies, free trade with Porto Rico and the
Philippines and Tariff for Revenue
only. To ignore the National Owner
ship of railroads, and the income tax or
oppose both in the planis would be to
inspire the support of those who realize
the dangers of National Owership, the
impossibility of properly administering
an income tax, and who also believe
that the country may yet suffer from
the impulsiveness of Mr.. Roosevelt
That the leadership of Mr.. BRYAN is
not In harmony with such a policy goes
without saying. The country wouldno
accept him as conservative even if
the impossible happened and the bril-
liant Nebraskan became one. While.
as L stated before, it is dangerous in
such times as these to urge a return to
conservatism, it is much more so to ask
a change in National leadership that
would mean the elimination of William
j. Bryan. The radicals might swallow
a conservative platform, but to set
aside the brilliant Nebraskan is quite
another matter. More they might urge
that such suggestion is inspired by the
Eastern prejudice against Mr.. Bryan
which has not yet died out. But thew
are wrong. The conservatives place
the party above the individual. They
believe the rank and file, not one domi
mating personality should guide it. Right
here let it be said that so far as intee-
rity and ability are concerned the con-
servative wing shares with the radicals. q
peep admiration for VIM. j. Bryan. That
he is man of force, of magnetism. no one
can deny. But the question is whether
the time has not arrived when the
Nebraskan can do greater service as a
leader In the ranks than as standard
bearer. 1t is true that from present
indications, he is apt to be the nominee
IN 1908, unless between now and that
time the conservative forces start a
campaign to bring the party back to the
better days of 1876, 1884 and 1892. One
may well ask in view of this whether
Mr.. Bryan is willing again to sacrifice
at the polls the opportunity of the party
just for the glory of being its nominee
for a third time. For the probabilities
are strong that he will be defeated.
This must not be construed as threat.
1t is merely an opinion given in a heart
to-heart talk among Democrats. There
are two reasons for urging this view.
The first that Mr.. Bryan will not have
united party at his back. He was
the candidate of faction in 1896 and
no less one in 1900 though his second
nomination was brought about without
opposition. His attitude at the present
day toward conservative Democrats who
in other days brought victory to the
party and his interference in factional
quarrel in other states prevent the
soreness from healing. True, that dur
ing last spring and summer, many
Democrats who had opposed him in his
two campaigns expressed a change of
heart. But as every one knows the
cause of this was the fear that Hearst
might capture the nomination if BRYAN
did not and also the belief that the
Nebraskan had modified some of his
views so offensive to the conservative
wing. His speech at Madison Square
Garden disproved the latter idea. His
plea for national ownership of railroads
has split the party just as free silver
coinage did. The mere fact that Mr..
Bryan is not going to force this issue
upon the Democrats means nothing.
he has been judged by the speech and
can do nothing in mitigation except to
repudiate it, thing Mr.. Bryan is too
honest to do. The conservative wing
as a result has swung back into the
ranks of theOpposition to the Nebraskan.
The second reason may be briefly
stated. 1t is his extreme radicalism,
the general idea that he seeks to out
radical Mr.. Roosevelt. AS a conse-
quence, the mass of voters on whom he