Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-10-31

The Associated Press report of the
speech delivered by w. ]. Bryan at
jamestown. Va, quoted him as saying
that the great metropolitan dailies are
controlled by the trusts and their col
umns are open to the highest bidder. Mr..
Bryan later denied that this was a cor
rect report, asserting that he made the
qualified statement that many of the met
ropolitan dailies were so controlled.
In a leading editorial for the current
Federationist, President Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor describes
Secretary Taft as "the injunction stand
ard bearer" and takes the position that
no one can compel a laboring man to buy
where he does not want to buy. He says
that Taft's contention in regard to the
boycott would lead to the dispersion and
forcible breaking up by court orders of
every assemblage of workingmen, however
innocent or lawful their purpose, and to
the notification of all their agreements.
Editor Watterson of the Louisville
Courier-J Journal, in a New York inter-
view, said that old party lines had ceased
to exist and that we must now have a
new party. He asserted that Roosevelt
had destroyed what was left of the Re
publican party, and that Rooseveltism
was like Organism in 1896. Bryan would
have Mexicanized our currency, but
Roosevelt's reelection would Mexicanize
the nation. Bryan he characterized as q
destroyer of plans and breaker of i'm
ages. Watterson says he is out of poll
tics for good.
Before the American Bankers Asso-
citation at Atlantic City, Charles Emory
Smith, former Postmaster General, COM
mended the efforts of President Roose-
Welt to put the big combinations of CAPT
tai under control of the laws, but said
that some of the so-called wak0ling of
the public and the anti-corporation agita-
ton was "a wild and hysterical crusade
against all colossal enterprises and all
corporate activity" He thought there
was a call for sober judgment and that
it was senseless to decry all combina-
tions. He concluded that regulation it
self might need to be regulated and that
the craze for fantastic interference in
some States would in due time run it's
course.
From his prison cell former Mayor
Schrnitz of San Francisco has directed
the movements of the Union Labor party
and controlled its convention so as to
prevent fusion with the reform elements
favorable to the election of the present
Mayor, DIR. Taylor. The Republicans
have nominated a machine man named
Ryan, thus further splitting up the city
vote, but the Democrats have Penominat-
ed Mayor Taylor, and they have been
joined by the independent reform organ
izations. All factions except the Labor
party have renominated District Attor-
ney Langdon.
The Republican State convention at
Lincoln, Neb., formally recognized Secre
tary Taft as the logical candidate to per-
petuate the policies Of President Roose-
welt. On the same day the Democratic
State convention Endorsed Bryan for Pres
ident and Johnson for Vice President.
Judge K NJ Lands, when told that
there was a movement on foot to secure
for him the Democratic presidential nom
nation. said: ITO assume that | would
accept political preferment as a reward
for anything I might do on the bench is
to impeach my integrity as a man and
my honor as. a judge. No, sir; won't
dignity the rumor by discussing it
Justice W. J. Gaynor Of Brooklyn, y.
Y. in his address at the Brooklyn day
exercises at jamestown, defended the anti
rebate policy of the President, which, he
said. was in no sense a general assault on
corporations. He made the novel sugges-
ton that the government appoint the gem
eral freight agent of every railroad to
see that there is no fayoritism and cause
the Indictment and conviction of any
agent who didn't play fair. Justice Gay
nor went further and said that if the
people could not stop rebating except by
taking the railroads over then they would
take them.
China has the lowest tax rate.