The San Francisco call., 1907-01-27
Continued from Page %, Column 5

Continued from Page %, Column
views on public ownership Of railroads
expressed in your New York speech?'
I asked.
The answer was an explanation.
NY position" Bryan said, was
stated in the reception speech at New
York as il had been stated two years
before. And it has not been modified,
although unfriendly papers have sought
to misrepresent it. ] stated that / re
garded Government ownership as the
ultimate solution. DO not overlook
ultimate solution.
Il stated that did not know whether
the country was ready for II or II the
majority Of my party favored II; but
expressed as my opinion that the coun-
try would finally come 10 IL and that
the railroads, by their corruption and
their resistance TO regulation would
educate the people up to the owner
ship idea In anticipation Of this ul-
innate solution. I suggested a dual
plan. under which the Federal Gov
ernment would be limited 10 the own
ership Of the necessary trunk lines,
while the other lines should be owned
and operated by the States.
"All that I have added since is that
this was an individual view. and that
I had not attempted to say whether
the plank should or should not be in
the next platform, for platforms should
be made to represent the wishes Of
the voters Of the parties and not the
opinions OF one man or a few men.
In the New York speech took pains
TO say that regulation ought to have a
fair trial. referring especially to the
rate bill, although from my past ex-
.perience I did not believe that II would
prove efficient I may add that the re-
fusal Of the Republicans in the Senate
Commission 70 ascertain the values of
the railroads robbed the law OF much
Of its value.
RETICENT AS TO CANDIDACY
MY candidacy? I have nothing to
add to the subject Of the Presidency
TO what ] have already said. I do not
say that ] viii or viii not be a candi-
date, because the time has not come to
decide that question. Conditions make
platforms and platforms make men"
Cropping for an idea OF the kind Of
man the next Democratic platform will
make pressed the great Commoner for
an exposition OF the key note of that
platform. He replied:
1T is too early to write a platform,
but II seems certain that one of the
most important issues, II not the most
important, viii be the trust issue, for
its involves the railroad question, the
tariff question. the labor question and
the question OF swollen fortunes.
Yes. am in favor Of direct primary
election laws ] am In favor Of the
election Of United States Senators by
the people; the initiative and refer
endum and all other reforms that are
intended to give the people more COM
plete control Of their own affairs
President Roosevelt's administra-
ton? have indorsed the President
whenever he has done anything that
approved OF, just as I have criticized
him when he has done things Of which
I oid not approve. I have commended
his prosecution OF the trusts, thoug%
be has not gone as far as I would like
TO have him go. I approved his recon-
mendations for rate regulation, though
am sorry that he surrendered TO the
railroad representatives in the Senate
IN the matter OF q court review.
Il approved his recommendation Of
an income tax and agree with him on
what he has said on the subject Of in
herttance tax, although I think Il "a
better 20 withdraw the special priVi-
leges that allow swollen fortunes to
accumulate than to build them by spe-
cial legislation and then take them
back. I DO not approve Of his policies
when he adopts the views Of Hamilton
and ignores the rights OF the States"
As TO HEARST AND BELL
ID the matter Of the Presidents pol
icy for the employment and control OF
rough labor on the Panama canal, Bryan
declined to express an opinion beyond
a bare statement that he wished to see
the canal built
Concluding the interview, Colonel
Bryan discussed briefly his reasons for
supporting Hearst as a candidate for
Governor. while he supported Bell for
Governor Of California Beyond the
bare statement that he favored Bell,
the comnoner did not. explain why he
was for the Democrat that Hearst man
aged to defeat Touching the New
York situation. the first note OF acri-
nnony made itself apparent when Bryan
said:
y hope that the enemies of Hearst
viii not deny me the privilege OF sup
porting a Democratic nominee who sup
ported me very Loyalty in two cam
paigns"
A. Davis Colonel and Mrs. Bryan