New-York tribune., 1907-08-27
BACK TO JEFFERSON.

AR Rrvan nlaying Samson AgoniStes to the
pillars of Federalism is a spectacle which ought
TO make conservative Democrats repent in tears
their interpretation of Americas foremost
Jeifersonian. That honorable title. after MT
Rryan-s memorable Madison Square Garden
sreech of August. 1906, seemed in danger or
lapsing TO converts or aliens. The Hon Samuel
w Mccall. OF Massachusetts and Major John
L. Reyburn of Philadelphia, both Republicans
have latterly been contesting the possession OF
Jefarson'S mantle with the Hon. Patrick III.
McCarren of the Borough of Brooklyn. But
now that the right of the states to nulIlly the
guarantees of the Constitution has been pro
claimed by the governors of Alabama and North
Carolina and the Southern States generally,
without whose approval PRESIDENTIAL cahdl-
date cannot be named in the approaching Demo
cratic National Convention, are suffering from a
Temporary recrudescence of Calhounism, Mr.
Bryans Jeffersonan blood is also stirred and he
is eager to nail the Virginia and Kentucky reso-
lutions to the mast as gage of battle next year
TO the benighted disciples of Hamilton.
The Nebraska statesman announces that he
is violently opposed 10 the "centraliZng ten
denotes of the Roosevelt administration He
can sniff HamiltOnian hereSies afar and SOUNDS
q trumpet call TO Democrats TO combat and ex-
tirpate them. Mr.. Bryan has made the discoV-
cry that President Roosevelt, in urging the reg
ulation of railroads engaged In Interstate COM
merce, is trying TO shield those railroads from
any regulation as regards their intrastate oper-
ations by hostile state legislatures. Demo
"crats.. he says "can be depended upon to
oppose with all their might this movement
toward Capitalization"
1t will be news to the anti-centralization ele-
ment in the Democratic party that MIR Bryan
can be depended upon to fight, bleed and die In
defence of Jefferson's weak government theories.
We do not recall that he has ever recanted his
belief in the necessity of government ownership
and operation of all the utilities of Interstate
commerce. He took up that issue and made it
paramount on his return from Europe year
ago. and he has only recently modified his atti-
fude by admitting that he was premature in
urging government ownership and operation and
that the people of the United States would only
be satisfied to try first the experiment of federal
regulation-an experiment which. he predicted,
would end in absolute failure. Having advanced
the most monumental scheme of "centralizatton'
ever formulated in our history. and still regard
ing il as the necessary ultimate solution of the
transportation problem, it might be supposed
that Mr. BRYAN was incapacitated for leader
ship in a return to Jeffersonian lGisSez fGte
simplicity Having himself favored the licens-
ing bv the federal authorities Of all corporations
doing an interstate business he might he hehl
10 have disqualified himself as a champion Of
non-interference with the states in the regula-
tion of trade and commerce
But appearances are often deceptive. 'ir.
Bryan is a philosopher of the nominalist school,
He cares nothing about the content of his IDEAS
if he can only have the last say in labelling
them. According TO his logic the President IS Il
Hamiltonian. and anything he suggests is, there
FORE to be repealed a new step toward seen
tralization." Mr.. Bryan is a Jeffersonian and
what he says and does must, therefore, be i'll
full accord with Monticello traditions. Govern
ment regulation of the railroads under Hamil-
tOnian auspices is Odious tyranny. But govern
ment regulation and even government owner
ship and operation under Jefersonian auspices
are a strict fulflment of the negative and nulli-
flying doctrines of the founders of the Demo
cratic party. Mr.. Bryan Is always willing to
go back to Jefferson, for the simple reason that
in politics the misbranding provisions OF the
pure food law do not yet apply.