Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-22
BRYAN
CHANGE
FRONT

ship of railroads from the list of Dem
ooratic issues.
GAS the campaign approaches" he
seys, ut becomes more and more ev-
ident that, of the economic questions,
three--the trust question, the tariff
question and the railroad question
will share public attention, and these
three really present the same issue
between the general public and the
privileged classes: Shall the govern
ment be administered in the interest
Of the whole people, or in the interest
OF few? This is the issue presented
by the trust question, the tariff ques-
tion and the railroad question.
Try Regulation First.
Government ownership is not an
immediate issue. A large majority
Of the people still hope for effective
regulation, and, while they so hope,
they will not consider ownership.
While many Democrats believe, and
am one OF the number, that public
ownershlp offers the ultimate solu-
tion of the problem, still those who
believe chat the public will finally, Ia
lself-defense. be driven to ownership,
recognize that regulation must be
tried under the most favorable cir
cumstancts before the masses will he
ready TO try more radical remedy
| Regulations cannot be sufficiently
tried within the next year, and there !
Is no desire anywhere to make gov
eminent ownership an issue in 1905" !
Mr.. Bryan fully agrees with those
who believe that II would be unwlse |
.tc turn attention from regulation. on
which the people are ready to act, TO
government ownership upon which
the people are not ready to act. To
inject the government ownership /
question into the next campaign, ne
says, would simply give representa-
tiyes of the railroads a chance 10
dodge the Issue OF regulation and de-
celve the public.
Has Been Ineffective So Far.
so far the railroads have been
successful In preventing effective fed
eral regulation and state regulation
has as rule been restrained by the
United States courts. IL Is about 20
years since the interstate commerce
was created II required
about 10 years for the courts to find
but that the powers conferred were
and then Il took about IL.
en- years to secure an amendment.
The railroads fought the amendment
Il every step. and the President was
lnally forced TO compromise with
he railroad Republicans In the sem
te In order to secure their support. .
Even that amendment. secured with
tremendous effort, falls short of what
should be, II aims to stop passes 4
nd rebates. 4
state legislation for the reduc-
ION of rates has resulted in an agita-
ion ON the part of railroads for leg
Station which will deprive the state
Z authority and centralize all rate
'gislation In congress. The Demo
rattle parry must meet the issue pre-
ented; IL must resist the encroach-
tents upon the authority OF the
ates.
What Democracy should do.
The Democratic party has In
lree national conventions demand
reforms. while the Republican
latforms have been silent on the
ibject. The President has partially
iopted the Democratic view on this
lbjeet, but so far the Republican
aders have resolutely opposed It.
he President is helping to educate
le people up TO the need OF railroad
'gulation, but his party, under its
resent leadership, is powerless 10
'complish this or any other impor-
mt reform.
III the Democratic party will clear
aud unequlyocally demand first, n
e aseortalning OF the value OF all
e railroads; second, the preventing
over-capitalization; and third, the
duotion OF rates 20 a point where
ey will yield only a reasonable re-
rn upon the real value OF the roads
II the party will do this, IL will
itself not only TO Demo-
ats, but 10 those Republicans who
We been led to study the railroad
uation. The railroad situation
esents vital issue. and the issue
o0ld be so stated that everyone can