The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-09-22

are the property OF the Government.
and operated by the Government IN
the interests OF the people.
And / belieye-I believe that
there is growing belief in ali par
ties that this solution. be It far or
near. is the ultimate solution. But, i
my friends, to me the dangerous cen
tralization is a danger that cannot 5e
brushed aside. The greatest danger
of republic Is the consolidation Of
all power at the capital remote from
the people. and because I believe that
the ownership of all the railroads by
the Federal Government would so
centralize power as to virtually OBJ
literate State lines, instead of favor
ing the Federal ownership of all rail-
roads, favor thg Federal ownership
Of trunk lines only, and the State
ownership Of all the rest of the rail-
roads"
At Louisville, KY. September IL,
1906, Mr.. Bryan said:
In my speech at the New York re-
ception made some remarks con-
corning the government ownership of
railways, and thought had expressed
myself SO clearly that my position
could not be discontinued, even by
those who desired to misconstrue it.
The New York speech was prepared
in advance. 1t was not only written
but 1t was carefully revised. 1t stat
ed exactly what 1t wanted to state,
and ! have nothing to withdraw or
modify in the statements therein
made"
1t was in this speech that Mr..
Bryan began retreating from his posi-
ton. He said, further on:
Il advocate strict regulation and
shall rejoice If experience proves that
that regulation can be made effec-
tive"
In letter to Henry NJ. Whitney,
OF Boston, on March i25, 1907, Mr..
Bryan wrote:
Il am in favor of both National
and State regulations, but 1 also he
lieve that public ownership is the
ultimate solution of the railroad
question. This, however, is
not an immediate question; at least,
l am not sure that the people are
ready to consider the question OF pub
lie ownership, and until they are
ready to consider that question, the
interest is centered in regulation"
The flapjacking was completed on
July 10, 1907, when Mr.. Bryan had
the following in his Commoner:
Government ownership is not an
immediate issue. A large majority
of the people still hope for effective
regulation, and while they SO hope
they will not consider ownership.
While many Democrats believe, and
Mr.. Bryan is one OF the number, that
public ownership offers the ultimate
solution of the problem, still those
who believe that the public will final
ly in self-defence be driven to own
ership recognize that regulation must
be tried under the most favorable cir
cumstances before the masses will lie
ready to try more radical remedy
Now where does Mr.. Bryan standP
First, complete government owner
ship, was the real and only solution.
Later it is regulation that the masses
ought to have instead. In the first
instance he advocates one of the most
fanciful schemes for further central
ization OF power that had ever been
introduced into party politics; later,
in the platform which he wrote fo.
his Denver convention. he declared:
Believing with Jefferson in the sup
port of the state governments, ETC.. :
We are opposed to the Capitalization
implied in the suggestions, now fire.
quertly made. that the powers of the
general government should be ex-
tended"
Is leader who thus straddles is
sues to meet the requirements OF oc-
casions, who turns. squirms, twists
and wriggles to set himself right, who
first says one thing and then another,
is he the kind OF man honest citizens
who are anxious for good, stable gov
eminent, want to have as the execu-
tive head OF this great and glorious
nation?