The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-10-25
sourhERN pEMocRAT.

Democrats OF BEDFORD county II
mass-meeting have decided 70 ascer'
tain lust what the sentiment tn the
state is with respect to the nomina.
ton Of a Southern man for President
With this end in view they have is
sued a call for a state convention 70
be held at the capitol in Nashville on
Nov. IL. Upon the result of this con
vention viii very largely depend the
action Of Tennessee Democrats next
year In 30 far as a choice for the
Presidency is convened. Should the
convention be largely attended by
Democrats Of influence and standing
in their several counties and q gen
uine enthusiasm is manifested there
will be little reason to doubt that the
movement for a Southern man has .
formidable sentiment behind It.
On the other hand should the con-
vention be dominated by those who
are chiefly known TO the politics OF
the state by reason Of their continued
and aggressive hostility to William ].
Bryan and the public should get the
impression, whether justified or not,
that the movement was born Of hos
tility to Bryan and was but another
effort in disguise to turn the party
over to the reactionaries. then its ef:
feet will be directly the opposite OF
that desired by its promoters. 1t
would prove a real detriment to the
sincere Southern man sentiment and
would render more than eyer certain
the endorsement Of Bryan By this
state.
The Democrats of Tennessee VIII
not endorse any movement having for
its ultimate object or which they have
good reason to suspect has for its
object the surrender of the party to
the reactionaries. The platform OF
the Bedford Democrats, upon this
point. unfortunately is not reassuring
Il is hardly a platform upon which
the genuine Democracy Of the nation
could appeal to the voters with con-
fidence. The people rebelled when
the last National convention sacri-
feed principle for expediency and al
lowed the lust for Federal Office and
not it's real convictions to dictate its
platform.
In so far as the resolutions adopted
demand that the rights of the state
under the Federal constitution shall
be preserved inviolate and registers
emphatic disapproval of the Roose-
yeltian idea of Capitalization by Jul
dicial construction they will meet the
approval of every democrat. How
ever. not one word is uttered concern
ing the greatest issue today before
the American people, that OF the regu-
lation. control and enforced obedience
to>law of the great railroad and other
gigantic corporations. 1t is all very
well to inyeigh against Federal inter-
ference with the State, but how about
States interference with the law defy
ing corporations?
The great issue Of the next cam
paign is going to be this: Shall the
Government and the States, each oper-
ating within the defined sphere OF
their constitutional powers, regulate
and control the corporations,
or shall the corporations con-
troll and rule the Federal gov
eminent and the States? Much Of the
talk about Capitalization and States
rights has been deliberately promoted
by the railroads and their newspaper
organs for the sole purpose of divert
ing the public mind from the real
issue of corporate control. When the
Federal government goes after the rail-
roads they howl states right and when
the states make an effort to regulate
them and enforce law observance,
they seek refuge in the Federal courts.
Neither the corporations nor their
organs care anything about the con-
stitution, the rights Of the states nor
the federal courts save when these
issues can be used to serve selfish
and lawless purpose.
Upon but one other issue did the
Bedford Democrats declare them
selves and that was the tariff. II this
declaration meets with the approval of
any considerable number of Demo
Gratis or arouses any enthusiasm any
where we shall be very much sur
'prised. The resolution upon this is
sue is an endorsement Of the protec-
tive tariff It calls for revision OF
the tariff, provided 1t does not de-
prive American labor of its ability to