New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-21
BRYAN FLEES ISSUE.
TALKS ON RAILROADS.
Trying to Get Rid Of Government
O5cnerShip incubus.

Lincoln. Neb.. July 2O-William Jennings
Bryan to-day issued the following statement:
Government ownership is not an immediate
issue. a large majority of the people still hope
for effective regulation. While they so hope
they will not consider government ownership
While many Democrats believe and Mr.. Bryan
is one of them, that public ownership of rail-
roads is the ultimate solution OF the problem
still those who believe that the public will finally
In self-defence be driven to ownership recog
nze that regulation must be tried under the
most favorable circumstances before the masses
will be ready to try more radical remedy.
Regulation cannot be sufficiently tried within
the next year. There is desire anywhere to
make government ownership issue in 1908
Mr. Bryan fully agrees with those who believe
that it would be unwise to turn attention from
regulation, which the people ready 10 act
to government ownership. on which the people
not ready to act. To inject the government
ownership question into the next campaign
would simply give representatives Of the rail-
roads q chance to dodge the issues of regulation
and deceive the public.
so far, the railroads have been successful in
preventing effective federal regulation, and state
regulation as rule, has been restrained by the
United States courts. 1t is about twenty years
since the Interstate Commerce Commission was
created. 1t required about ten years for the
courts to find out that the powers conferred were
insufficient, and then it took about ten years to
procure amendment. The railroads fought
the amendment at every step, and the President
was finally forced 10 compromise with the rail-
roads Republicans in the Senate in order to
procure their support.
Even that amendment, obtained with tre-
mendous effort. falls short of what it should be-
II aims to stop passes and rebates. The rail-
roads profit pecuniarily by both the stoppage Of
rebates and the prohibition of passes. but
tortonate rates still exist State legislation for
IL . Of ba i'm Ui
tation the part of the railroads for legislation
which VIII deprive the state of authority. and
centraize all rate legislation In Congress.
THE Democratic party must meet the issues
presented; it must resist the enCroachments on
the authority Of the states It must insist on
the exercise of federal power for the regulation
Of interstate commerce. and It must insist upon
the exercise of state authority for the exercise
of all OF the power vested in the state. This
question has grown in Importance during the
last wear. and its prominence VIII be increased
if any attempt IS made 10 impair state authority.
The Republican party IS as impotent to regulate
the railroads 1t is 20 exterminate the trusts
and TO reform the tariff.
The Democratic party has in three national
campaigns demanded effective railroad regula-
ton while the Republican national platforms
have been silent on the subject. The President
has partly adopted the Democratic view on this
subject but SO far the Republican leaders have
resolutely opposed Il. The President Is helping
regulation, but his party under its present lead
ership, is powerless TO accomplish this or any
other important reform. II the Democratic
party Will clearly and unequivccally demand.
first. the ascertaining of the value OF all the
railroads. second. the prevention OF overca pital-
ization, and third, the reduction Of rates 10 n
point where they VIII yield only a reasonable
return the real value OF the roads. IL viii
commend itself not only TO Democrats. but TO
those Republicans who have been led TO study
the railroad question. The railroad situation
presents vital issue, and tho issue should be
so stated that every one can understand the
partys position"