New-York tribune., 1907-09-28
ISSUE NAMED BY BRYAN
Rights of State as Against Federat
Government Put to Front.
IBy Telegraph to The Tribune.

Lincoln Neb Sept. 27.-Wiliiam Jennings
Bryan has discovered another paramount
issue" He hopes to have better success with
il than he did with free silver and later with
government ownership. both now discarded.
even by himself. His latest issue while some
what complex. might best be dehned as state
rights up to date"
Mr.. Bryan sounded his tocsin of alarm at the
Democratic State Convention in this city last
Tuesday. Both in the platform adopted and in
his speech later he urged the Democrats OF Ne
bra ska and through them the nation at large to
beware of the danger which he sees lurking in
GENERALIZATION of power at Washington"
It is somewhat significant that in this latest
issue Mr.. Bryan seems to have considerably
more support than he gained for free silver and
government ownership AT any rate, he prob
ably will have behind him the solid South. as
was indicated by the fact that while the plat
form being adopted here Governor Folk Of
Missouri delivering speech at Nashville
in which he laid stress on the same issue.
There are indications that among the Demo-
Gratis of the North especially with reputed
Presidential aspirants. the new issue will be
looked upon with favor. Mayor Tom L. john
of Cleveland is classed one Of those
strongly in favor of using II the party battle
cry in 1908. Governor John \. Johnson of Min
nesota Is another supporter. William r. Hearst.
of New York. is counted upon being in line.
Even Alton b. Parker is held to be not unfavor-
able to the plan. although he looks with strong
disfavor upon the attack upon the federal judi
cary contained in the Georgia suit against the
validity of the Fourteenth Amendment to the
federal Constitution.
The platform adopted by the Nebraska Demo-
Gratis this week summarizes Mr.. Bryans views
on the subject. Some even go far TO say
that this plank practically the first one in the
platform any definite issue, came from his
own pen:
Believing with Jefferson in the support of the
state governments in all their rights and the
most competent administrations for our domes-
tic concerns as the Surest bulwark against anti
republican tendencies. and in the preservation
of the federal government in its whole constitu-
tionaI vigor as the sheet anchor of our peace at
home and safety abroad" opposed TO the
Capitalization implied in the suggestions now
frequently made that the powers Of the general
government should be extended by judicial con
struction While we favor the exercise by the
general government of all its constitutional ,
authority for the prevention of monopoly and
for the regulation of interstate commerce. we
insist that federal remedies shall he added to
and not substituted for state remedies.
Further the platform says:
We assert the right of Congress to exer-
else complete control over interstate commerce.
and assert the right of each state to exer-
else just complete control over commerce
within it's borders. We demand such en-
largement of the powers of national and state
railway commissions may be necessary to
give full protection to persons and places from
and extortion.
Incidentally, 1t is interesting to note that in
the Bryan platform adopted by the Ne |
braskan Democrats there is not a single refer |
ence to either currency reform or government |
ownership. The principal planks. aside from |
those devoted to state rights. ask for tariff |
revision ct once and a federal income andfin- |
tax, at the same time denouncing |
government by injunction" and imperialism" |
At Mr. Bryan's request the platform, in order |
not to embarrass him, does not refer TO him |
again as a Presidential candidate. but says:
We reassert our fidelity to the principles which |
he has ably advocated, and which at this |
time are SO generally accepted by a large ma |
jorty of the people Of the United States
The speech made by Governor Folk at Nash |
VILE practically at the time that the Ne |
braska platform being adopted would |
seem to Indicate concerted movement among |
the Democrats to make state rights the para
mount issue in 1908. Missouri's executive |
placed emphasis upon the subject when he said: |
The elimination of special privilege is the
paramount issue before the people of this coun-
try Another question the Democratic party |
should make issue is the rights of the states !
In all matters not delegated to the federal
government. Many instances have arisen of
late where the authority of the states to make
and enforce just and reasonable laws has been
limited taken away Under the doctrine
state statutes are suspended upon mere applica-
ton of railroad some other interest The
effect of this practice is to place in the hands
Of special interests power to veto any state leg
slation they may not like Any court has the
right TO declare q statute of a state unconstitu-
tional. and its ruling should be respected But |
no court should have the right to suspend the |
operation of the statutes of a sovereign state
that cannot be declared invalid A state should |
have the right to enforce its laws until those |
laws are declared by "A court OF competent jur-
sdiction TO be contrary to some provision of the
rational state constitution.
Nebraska Democrats, especially those of the
Bryan stripe gather considerable comfort from
The fact that practically synonymous with these |
party declarations the Nebraska Republican
was adopting platform containing
4 plank which the Bryanites consider TO be alb
solutely in line with their views on the new
ISSUE In fact they regard this plank being
even more radical than their own utterances
an the subject. Among the resolutions adopted