New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-11
BRYAN'S PROGRAMME.
Tells Hoo He Would WOrk out
Government Ownership.

william J. Bryan. in q letter to THE Wall
street Journal" published yesterday, says:
and your favor. upon my return to the city,
and lake pleasure in answering your questions.
and you at liberty to publish the letter II
. II You YOU viii carefully read my Madison Square
government ownership as an immediate issue but
prefaced my remarks by saying that aid not
know whether the country was ready TO consider
beTs Of my own party agreed with me.
For some fourteen yeaGs after my entrance into
ieqfsation and was brought reluctantly 20 the be-
asfisfactoTy remedy for the discrimination rebates
ard extortions practised by the railroads and for
. ;ss corruption which they have brought INTO poll
Ny first public expression on this subject
led me 10 discuss the subject at that time. First,
Louis discouraged the more radical members Of
our party. Feeling sure. from contact with the
5 osndsncy o. the socSed conServaTe leaders
a sf % TeTnS With ss narS to te rd o
frol Of the organization and make the party an
To encourage these progressiye Democratic TO re-
main with the party announced the conclusion
NV second reason for Bringing the subject for
ward then that federal ownership OF all the
railroads the only plan discussed by the advo-
worth while to present the dual plan which
would: IN my judgment Eiye the country the
fralization involved in the plan which puts the
fedefai acinoTltes IN contfoi OF al the railroad
The dangers Of Capitalization ere real dangers.
Whole 70 consider theories IN advances SO q their
application.
BEGINNING RAILROAD DEVELOPMENT
We are not at the end of railroad development,
S Tat se az has f ts S9 a 5e as have
the federal government OF all the railroads.
coward the obteraon Of state lines ana re TegaTI
the Preservation 9f cur onah form Of EoyernlmTent
TIE plan. aoooTding @ which the federal severn;
The several states the remainder OF the roads is
consistent with our form Of government. md in
build up the states and thus ofTof sure bulwark
against Capitalization ] have been SURPRISED that
would lead TO capitalization when II was the
rear q I'm. nus IhsI Ieo me 20 pIsSnF F tne pan
its hayfng 0 BEEN tried h other countTies E have
n other s countre Totally in Germany Where
nearly all the railroads are owned by the several
When in Germany last summer. was told by a
member Gf the heehstas that as result or TINS
states had been greatly strength,ensd: - .,.,,.,,.
70 any one who has seen the manner in which the
small states Of Europe handle their international
Having set forth the plan and my. reasons for
setting it forth at the time did, VIII now answer
your questions.
1t is not necessary that there should be many
trunk lines. Some have assumed that every me
which through two more states Is a trunk
line but this does not necessarily follow. Only
az sn04 oaet DP for fss sRpped the
state lines. While It is not likely that adjoining
trafhc arrangements. stil the operation Of few
federal trunk lines would give to each state an In
Ks to the acquiring OF lines. suppose that all
rated gTsdnaly so that the government could profit
By experience II y proosoie thar enc 5t
a possible cross line. line from the Atlantic 10
fs opa no ore O 70 de emo the wisdom or
the. folly Of government ownership than az. ne
system II the government is Incompetent TO attend
% such matters and 200 SS Wet bs maid ~
competition. In fact. they ought 70 welconne me
shows that it can reduce rates. improve the ser;
vice. accord better trsatnent to eInpIoygsS ana
sSstly eavpplsfn II the government road saueezes
~ az So1 BASIS and copes the roads 70 give
better rates 10 patrons and better terms TO eTn-
ployes?
GOVERNMENT CAN BUY OR BUILD
,o5sysI Se overb Ie8 ocsIs think best
have not entered upon the details OF the plan OF
ent should buy II II announced its purpose to buy
line there would probably be number ofLerea
might buy oon;rolling interest IN ne-that is
nee Inc tie s,5cness Of the new line would largely
determine the value OF other lines offered for sale
SeFoe e Increasing SO rapidly that new line
would not materially lessen the business OF the oid
nental lines; and the Chicago. MiWaukee z 81, Sc
Paul Is building through TO the 1OaSl 70 TINS
demand. The transcontinen-sl roads have not been
able 20 carry the freight offered 10 them. and the
Union Pacific is earning an income on consiceraoly
more than the value OF the road.
II II was thought best the government could do
France did: authorize lines, guaranteeing falf
dividends and contributions 10 sinking FUND which
AZ the end Of a OF years would give the gov
eminent the title 10 the roads
II any doubts the financial SUCCESS OF gov
eminent trunk line. he must overlook the fact that
the malls at the present rates would az once IuF-
nish quite item Of business.
II is not fair 10 compare government roads IN
other countries with private roads in this country.
The public OF Europe equal 70 the private
roads Of Europe-that IS the only fair comparison
the private plants and furnish service az lower
rate, which Is evidence that the public ownership
OF roads is feasible
Being assured Of an outlet for the traffic OF their
roads, the states could proceed 70 acquire local
roads slowly rapidlv they wished. II the peo-
pie any state preferred 10 leave the local lines
N private hands. they could do so: II they desired
% build roads. they could build them; II they
desired 10 buy existing roads upon such terms as
seemed best they could do that
The dual plan suits itself to the views Of the
people IN each and 10 conditions 10 be met IN
aztec 10 permit private roads 10 use them upon
equitable terms Il would be OF still greater advan-
faRe At present the small lines are forced into
consolidation in order TO secure an outlet for their
TRAFFIC: these private lines tapped a gov
eminent lire they would be independent
Objection has been made 10 government owner
ship the ground that Il would prevent the states
u the roads Tais objection might be made against
The federal ownership OF all the roads, but IL does
not lie against the dual plan For. first, II the
states did not choose to own the local lines they