The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-01-04

the national committee met at Wash.
ington recently the country heard from
the White House again definitely thai
a nomination would not be accepted.
The message to congress DEC. 3 was
a stand pat v~aledictory.
The staying power OF the Twice De-
feated and his hold on the affections
OF the Democratic rank and file in the
race Of concerted effort to discredit
sim by a clique Of the rich and power
full conservatives still in control of the
party machinery made one of the DO
hucal wonders Of the year. After his
open espousal Of the national and state
ownership Of railroads last year the
current ran very strong against Mr..
Bryan in the party. This situation
he met last April by frankly saying
that he had come to the conclusion
that the people were not ready for the
ownership idea vet and that regulation
must be tried out on Democratic lines.
This did not prevent him from cham
piontpg the initiative and referendum
programme. Not until the middle Of
November did he definitely announce
his willingness again to accept the
nomination. No opposition appeared.
At least n course Of legislation
was grist to the Bryan mill. While
the oyershadowing bulk Of federal
power was fumbllng over a rate bill
in 1906 and the r~eorganized interstate
commerce commission in 1907 was
struggling with the vast problem Of
keeping tab on the railroad manage
ments the idea that the humble state
governments could impose lower rates
by legislative enactment took root and
made a remarkable growth. Missouri
joined the procession by March, and
the courts arranged with the railroad
men to give the two cent rate a trial
for ninety days, after which opinions
still differed Other states to pass rate
bills We're Pennsylvania and Michigan
In April and New York, Illinois and
Minnesota in May. But the New York
bill never became a law owing to the
veto of Governor Hughes on the
0rnnnd ae h4s- -a,o,
ed. In all the states where these laws
were passed litigation against them
mas been begun by the railroads affect
ed.
The drift toward public ownership
took the shape Of state commissions
with new powers and was felt in the
elections of Busse in Chicago. johnson
in Cleveland and in the fifty year trac-
ton transfer ordinance in Philadel-
Dhia.
The American people are SOLDERING
up" This expression applies to one
Of the most significant political move
ments In which the conscience vote
appears. When the returns of the No
yember elections were in, no one result
attracted more general attention than
the fact that the wave of "drynessp
which had been sweeping over the
south had made itself felt In Della
ware. Kentucky and Illinois and was
gathering impetus sufficient to carry II
into the north and west. Georgia
has gone into the strict prohibition
under a law in effect on New
Years day, and the new state of Okla
homa came into the Union with a
prohibitory clause in that radical CON
stitution Of hers, making five prohibi-
ton states. But many others are vir-
Lually so on local option lines, the dry
sections Increasing until it is now es-
Limated that half the population Of the
nation are living In communities free
from the public saloon. Other features
If the November elections were the
capture Of Salt Lake City from the
Mormons, the election Of Dr.. Taylor as
he reform mayor Of San Francisco
over the powers Of graft, the Republic
IN sweep Of Kentucky by 1900, Dem-
retention Of Rhode Island and
he cutting down Of the Republican
cad in New Jersey and the defeat of
he Hearst Republican fusion by Tam
many in New York city, besides the
Of Johnson in Cleveland. al
'eady referred to.
The Administrations