The Morris County chronicle., 1907-09-03

! further than any referendum provision
tried or adopted in any state in the
| Union, and thought that to introduce
such a radical change was doubtful
experiment. He also opposed the
clause forbidding the consolidation Of
noncompeting public service corpora
tions, stating that union and con-
solidation of railroads had done much
to facilitate railroad transportation the
country over. He likewise felt thar
1t would be wrong to restrict the union
of private corporations and plants
since combination of capital was just
as necessary as the combination of
labor. The best way Ae said. to reach
the evils of combination of capital was
by antitrust laws and prosecutions.
For these reasons he averred that
If he were citizen of Oklahoma he
would vote for the rejection Of the
constitution. The secretary entirely
disclaimed any authority to speak for
the president regarding the validity
Of the constitution as adopted.
Bryan Answers Roosevelt.
w. ]. Bryan in commenting on
President Rooseyelt's address at Prov
incetown in which he proposed the ma
tional incorporation of railroads and
other bodies engaged in interstate
commerce, said: Here is the secret.
The states are annoying the, corpora-
tions, and the corporations are de-
inanding federal protection from state
legislation. The president thinks that
action is most pressing as regards
those corporations which, because
they are common carriers, exercise a
quasi public function. The. states have
been enacting two cent fare laws and
laws reducing freight rates, and the
railroad managers demand that they
shall be relieved from further fear
of such legislation. The president
yields to the entreaties of the rail-
roads. If 1t We're the public he
sought to protect he would recon-
mend federal remedies which would
not interfere with state remedies. But
sit is the railroad, not the public, that
demands the removal of authority to
Washington. The Democrats can be
depended upon to oppose with all their
might this movement toward centrali-
cation. If any Democrat wavers, his
constituents should look into his busi-
ness relations to see whether he is
under obligations to the railroads. 1t
is fortunate that the people have had
an object lesson so recently. The fed
eral law stopped rebates and passes,
but the railroads make more money
than they did before. The states, on
the other hand, gave the people re-
duction in rates, and those who are re-
ceiving the benefit of these reductions
will be slow to surrender the advan-
tage thus far gained"
Later Mr.. Bryan In an interview al
Lincoln replied to Secretary Taft's Co
lumbus speech, which, he said, was a
disappointment to those who expected
"a clear bugle note In favor Of re.
FORM" On the contrary, Bryan char
acterized Taft's speech as a ''strad.
die" For instance, on the, railroad
question he notes that Taft does not
advocate ascertaining the value OF the
roads. Besides this, he says, Taft ad
yocates no new legislation as to trusts
and takes the position that q monopoly
may not be harmful and would give
"the benefit Of the doubt to the cor
Iporations instead of the people" Bry'
an also makes much of the fact that
Taft, while arguing in support Of in
heritance and income taxes. concluded
by saying he Is not in favor of@ldopt
ing either Of them now. Taft il
charged with coming out strong fol
government by injunction while say