New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-01
CONSERVATIVE AGAIN.

It begins TO look as If Mr.. Bryan had decided
TO be again the Democracy's Greatest COnserva-
tive Force. He is as reassuring as an old nurse
10 a frightened baby Every word is full of
hahn and the tones of his voice Soothe the aSi-
fated nerves. He seems prepared to have the
nation understand that his Madison Square Gar
den divagatiOn was a mere temporary lapse,
venial in one who had been for long time
away from the country. had not yet got his bear
ings, did not fully apprehend his role, and did
not know the natural bounds and confines of
conservatism.
He treasures the world upon the dangerous
subject of government ownership Of railroads.
He believes in it, of course for consistency is
ever Mr. Bryan's way, but it's only harmless
idioSyncrasy. He has no idea Of putting his
personal beliefs into effect Government owner
shin is only the ultimate solution of the ques-
ton" and ultimate solutions are. of course,
long way of. 1T is not an immediate question"
He is mot sure that the people are ready TO
consider government ownership. 1t is merely
his private belief that some day, when things
work their way upward toward perfection, we
shall reach that blessed state where government
ownership will be natural and inevitable. Would
such essential moderation alright the most tim
orOus? Why, we may say that government
ownership as the ultimate happy estate of man
kind amounts to little more than a theological
belief, and you might as we'll pronounce man
politically dangerous because of his belief in
the millennium as to call Mr.. Bryan radical
because of his faith in government ownership
as the ultimate solution. TimOrous Wall
Street may well take Mr.. Bryan 10 Its bosom.
He should sOOthe the panic. lie should hearten
investors. He should prop the tumbling railway
stocks with the assurance that the peril Of gov
eminent absorption is only ultimate" for ultl-
ho--o
eminent ownership is like the ultimate chilling
Of the earth, drying up Of the seas. or going out
Of the sun, in which astronomers believe but
which do not affect security values Wall Street
has been crying out for some one to hush its
fears, and Mr.. Bryan comes forward with his
bottle of soothing syrup
Mr.. Bryan in his efforts TO regain his lost
prestige as a conservative, should be greatly
helped by his latest recruits. His choice of Mr..
Henry NJ. Whitney as his intermediary in soOth-
ing Wall Street is admirable. Mr.. Whitney is
almost a reinsurance in himself. The assocla-
ton OF the two men in a political venture which
aims at the Governorship of Massachusetts and
| tho Presidency Of the United States suggests
that, like government ownership, Mr.. Bryan's
programme Of reducing to the ranks Democratic
leaders affiliated with the trusts is only an ultl
mate solution" Mr.. Whitney Is the guarantor
of Mr. Bryan's conservatism, and Mr.. organs
letter helps Dir. Whitney by assuring the Ne
braskan's admirers that Mr.. Whitney is not on
the Democratic indeE eupHgqtortgs. Says the
Boston correspondent Of "The Springfield Re
publican" regarding tie incident:
1t seems as if Whitney had put the questions
to Bryan for the sake of giving the latter an
opportunity Of saying things which would re-
move the distrust which is felt of him IN some
conservative quarters. If Whitney can draw
the sympathy OF the Bryan men IA this way it
will make him ali the stronger as a candidate
for the GOvernorship.
The other Bryan recruit, Senator Bailey has
relations with the trusts sufficiently Intimate for
him to borrow money Of them. Is not his sup
port with Mr. Whitney's, sufficient Ito remove
THE distrust which is felt in some conservative
quarters?
If Hearst, in the person of Dunno, is hand
sOmely beaten in Chicago this kissing and max
ing up between the Nebraska man and the con-
servatives should make progress famously. If
not-but why borrow trouble?