Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1907-08-01
BRYAN a COWARD.

eiJ enSre mas Oeen mucn SAID
by the Democrats. about Mr.. Roosevelt
showing cowardice in his treatment of
the tariff question. We are not likely to
hear much more of this talk from the
press that is supporting Mr.. Bryan. or
those who are likely to stand by him if
he is nominated by his party next year.
The manner in which he is trying to
back down or away from his great gov
eminent ownership idea is provoking
rldicule from prominent Democratic
journals and leaders. The papers of
the East are especially severe in their
criticisms. Among these are the New
York World and the New York Evening
Post, and they are very caustic in their
comments upon the Nebraskan's change
of front on the government ownership
question. The Post says:
Mr.. Bryan has now discovered that
1t is unpopular and is injuring his
chances as a candidate for the Presi-
dency, therefore he cody declares that
there Is no desire anywhere to make
government ownership an issue in 1908.
disqualification could hardly be more
complete
The~Post proceeds further, and de-
clares that Mr.. Bryan's remuneration of
his pet and paramount issue for 1908 as
1.-The boldest act of cowardice ever
heard of"
Heretofore it has been the boast of
the followers of Mr.. Bryan that he is
both brave and truthful His evident
equivocation on the government owner
ship question is well calculated to make
intelligent people doubt both his cour-
age and sincerity. Everybody knows
that when he came back from Europe
last year it was with the declared pur-
pose of making his government owner
ship doctrine paramount issue for the
next Presidential campaign. In an ar
ticle headed: MIR. Bryan's Change of
'front.'" the Richmond Times=Dispatch
says:
Not quite year ago-to be accurate.
on Wednesday, August 26th-Mr. Bry-
an arrived in New York and prepared.
like Moses, to hand the tables of law to
the assembled tribes. From all sections
OF the country Democrats focked to
meet him, the radicals hoping that he
would give back nothing, the conserva-
tives praying that the opportunities
and experiences of travel might have
taught him something. Before Mr..
Bryan made his memorable speech in
Madison Square Garden it was known
that John Sharp Williams, of Missis-
sippi, had gone all the way to London
to urge Mr.. Bryan not to tie his for
tunes to government ownership. But
with the self-satisfed certainty of a
man who feels himself inspired. Mr.
Bryan would hear no advice. and de-
clared that the only solution of the rail-
road problem was government owner
ship"
The Times-Dispatch is the only prom
lnent Democratic paper in Virginia that
seems disposed to admit that it was Mr..
Bryan's original purpose to make gov
eminent ownership the chief issue in
1908. Other Democratic journals have
expressed delight that he has abandon
ed it, and try to make themselves and
others believe that it was never his in
tention to make this question an issue.
But what are they going to do and say
about initiative and referendum? That
doctrine is as absurd, impractical and
undemocratic as is government owner
ship. Yet it has been but short time
since Mr.. Bryan publicly declared that
iniative and referendum would be made
a cardinal doctrine of the Democratic
party, and that all who did not sub
scribe to it would be driven from the
party or he would walk out. Now
which is to be done? Will the Southern
Democrats subscribe to the doctrine
will they be driven out, or will Mr..
Bryan walk out?