La Junta tribune., 1908-01-04

the national committee met at WASH
lngton rerntly the country heard from
the White House ngain definitely that
nomination would not Ia accepted.
The message TO congress DEC. 8 Was
I stand pat yaleiictory.
The staying power of the Twice De-
fentcsl and his hold ON the affections
Of the Democratic rank aud fiie In the
face of concerted effort To discredit
him by clique of the rich and power
fui conservatives stiii In control of the
party machinery made one OF the po-
liticsi wonders of the year. After his
open cspoussl Of the national and state
ownership of railroads last year the
current ran very strong against Mr.
Bryan la the party. This situation
he met last April by frankly saying
that he had come To the conclusion
that the people We're not ready for the
ownership iden yet aud that regulation
must be tried ont ON Democratic lines
This did not prevent him from cham
pioning the initiative and referendum
programme. Not until the middle OF
November did he definitely announce
his Willingness again Ia accept tue
nomination. No opposition appeared.
Al least one course OF legislation
WIS grist 10 the Bryan mill. While
the overshadowing bulk OF federal
power was fumbling over II rate bill
in 1906 and the reorIanized interstate
commerc. 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 remarkable growth. Missouri
joined the procession hy March. and
the courts arranged with the railroad
men 10 give the two cent rate 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
bill never became a law owing TO the
veto OF Governor Hughes ON the
ground OF being not carefully weigh
ed. In all the states where these laws
We're passed litigation against them
has 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 Bussc In Chicago. Johnson
in Cleveland and in the fifty year trac-
ton transfer ordinance In Philadei-
phia.
The American people are SOLDERING
up" This expression applies TO one
mcnts in which the conscience vote
appears When the returns OF the No
vetnber elections were in. no one result
attracted more general attention than
the fact that the wave of ''dryness
which had been sweeping over the
south had made itself felt In Della
ware. Kentucky and Illinois and was
gathering impetus sufficient to carry 1t
far into the north and west Georgia
has gone into the strict prohibition
column under II law in effect OH New
Years day. and the new state OF Okla
homa came into the Union with a
prol,ibItory clause III that radical con-
stitution OF hers. making Ave prohibit
tion states. But many others are vir-
tually 10 OH local option lines. the dry
sections increasing until 1t IL now es-
tlmated that half the population Of the
nation are living in communities free
from the public saloon. Other features
Of the November elections were the
capture OF Salt Lake City from the
Mormons, the election of DIR. Taylor as
the reform mayor of San Francisco
over the powers Of graft. the Republic
nm sween of Kentucky by 14WO Dem
ocratic retention OF Rhode Island and
the cutting down of the Republican
lead in New Jersey and the defeat of
the Hearst-Republican fusion by Tam
many in New York city. besihcs the
victory Of johnson in Cleveland, al
ready referred to.