The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-21
BRYAN IS WILLING TO YIELD
Cm VENT OWNERSHIP NOT
1 CAMPAIGN ISSUE.
ssyst lac Experiment Of Railroad Regulation
.nou.d BE Tried Out Trusts. Tariff
AID Preservation W the Authority or
the >,strs Arc issues Of tho Present.

~Eouiu bc hrteu Uut -ErustS. rartU
AID Preservation " the Authority VI
the >tstrs Arc issues Of the Present.
IScolS, Nebr. July :n.-The following
'st..sia! artiolo by W. J. Bryan, under tho
c,'.on "Go7crnment Ownership Not an
o., - WI appear in the next Issue of the
Nomtaoncr.
Sc mo csmpciGa approaches il be
,r',"s more and nom cvident that Of the
- aGc Questions three. the trust ques-
49,. tho tariff question and the railroad
,~.rsiIon. will share public attention.
aa. :hesc three really present the same
ss.c between the general public and the
r-'g. esoI elasses-shall tho Government
>, administered In the interest Of the whole
cope o. in the interest Of u few This
tac .ssue presented by the trust question.
~ tArs question and the railroad question.
Government ownership is not an i'm
,neG!a;o Issue. A large majority Of the
-. ,.e still hope for effective regulation.
ami whIe tney SO nope they will not con-
si5er ownership. While many Democrats
helieve. ana Mr.. Bryan is one OF the num-
Der, that public ownership offers the ulti-
mae solution Of til" problem. still those
vao 5eliovc that the public will finally
IN self-defcnoe I've driven 10 ownership
;pcogrl1o that re- equation must be tried
under tho most favorable circumstances
hefyle tho masses will be roady to try a
more radical remedy.
Regulation oanno lie sufficiently tried
within the next year. and there is no desire
anywhere TO make Government owner
ship an issue in 1903. Mr.. Bryan fully
agrees with those who believe that il would
Ue unwise 10 turn attention from regula-
ton, on which the people are ready TO act.
% Government ownership, upon which
the people are not ready to act. To inject
the Government ownership question into
tho next campaign would simply give
representatives Of the railroads a chance
{, dodge the issue OF re regulation and deceive
res 'olblic.
so for the railroads have been succcss-
ri H. preventing effective Federal regula-
to-, and State regulation has as q rule
bee. restrained by the United States courts.
II ~ about twenty years since the Inter
state Commerce Commission was created
1t required about ten years for the courts
to fad on; that the powers conferred werc
Insufficient and then IL took about ten
years 10 secure an amendment.
The railroads fought the amendment At
every step and, with the help Of railroad Re-
p~ublicans in the Senate, even then the amend
ment, secured after a tremendous effort, falls
short OF what it should he. IL aims 10 stop
rebates and passes and the~railroads profit
pecuniarily by both, the stoppsge OF re-
hates and the prohibition Of passes, but
.-SN-s.A-.. - .Vtn A-saN nAI GsaFo
legislation for the reduction of rates has
resulted In an agitation on the part OF the
railroads. for legislation which will de-
rrive the State OF authority and centralize
all regulation in Congress.
The Democratic party must meet the
lssue presented. IL must resist the en-
c~roachments upon the authority Of the
States. II must insist upon the exercise
4 Federal power for the regulation of
ia'nrstate and it must insist
urnn the exercise OF State authority for
he exercise OF all OF the power vested in
ne State.
This question has grown In Importance
during the past year. and it's prominence
Sli be increased il any attem pit is made
- impair State authority. The Republican
party is as impotent to regulate the rail-
ro7is as 1t Ia TO exterminate the trusts
an 10 feform the tariff.
The Democratic party has in three
national campaigns demanded effective
rlliroad regulation, while the Republican
national platforms have been silent upon
the subject. The President has partially
adopted the Democratic view OF this SUBJ
feet. but 80 far the Republican leaders
have resolutely opposed IL. The President
is helping TO educate the people up to the
need Of railroad regulation. but his party.
under it's present leadership. 10 powerless
~ accomplish this or any other important
reform
If the Democratic party will clearly
and unequivocally demand, first. the ascer-
tanning Of the value Of all the railroads.;
second. the preventing Of overcapitaliza-
ton, then, third. the reduction Of rates
N a point where they will yield only a
reasonable return upon the real value OF
the roads--if the party will do this 1t will
commend itself not only To Democrats
bur 10 those Republicans who have been
Led 70 study the railroad question.
The railroad situation presents a vital
issue. and the issue should be so stated
that every one can understand the party's
position. While Democrats may differ
as 70 the relative importance OF the trust
question, the tariff question and the rail-
roal question, all must agree that the
party must take the side OF the common
people on all three questions. Let the
lE- be drawn between those who want
D. make this a government OF the people.
by he people and for the people and those
VII, want IL to be a government OF the
c7rporations. by the corporations and for
tA' rorporationa.'