Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-06-01
Bryan Urges Both Parties
To C0-operatein Exposure
Of Reactl0n0t~y Schemes
by WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN

through politics., as well as through
society in general, separating the
conservative from the radical. The
division is due in part, but not en-
sirefy, to difference in information.
Two people, equally well Informed,
may take opposite views of a subject
because of what may be called con-
stitutional tendency. These two
forces contribute, each its part, to
the welfare of society. If it were
not for the conservative the radical
would go too fast; If it were not for
the radical the conservative would
not go at all. In so far as the con-
servative simply compels delibera-
ton, he performs a real service, and,
when conscientious and not influence
ed by Interior motives, he gradually
yields to public opinion. based upon
intelligent discussion.
But, while the conservative can be
tolerated because of the element of
caution that he contributes, the reac-
tionary belongs to a very different
class. The conservative accepts
progress when it becomes an ac-
complished fact and uses that which
some new step in advance. The re-
dictionary. on the other hand, is
usually the secret agent of a public
enemy and, therefore, less candid in
giving reasons for his course. An
honest conservative points out the
a warning as conscientiously as the
radical pleads for a change. But
the reactionary, conscious of his in
ability to defend his position by open
argument, resorts to subterfuge and
forces of society have nothing to
fear from honest conserva tism; on
the contrary, they welcome its chal-
lenge and meet its inquiries in the
spirit in which they are presented.
DIT r1Iifo ",
the dark and actuated by motives
he can neither disclose nor defend
is the real foe whom the reformer
has to fear and against whom he
must continually fight.
why Stake Is Bigger
The conflict between the morgan
lied masses, who ask only justice
and are content with the recognition
Of their rights, and the predatory in
terests, RACES in every land, and no
where more bitterly than in the
United States. The stake is bigger
here because the wealth which is
within the reach of avarice here sur
of other lands, and the very intelll-
gence of our people becomes the ave-
nue. through which misrepresenta-
ton can be spread when great news
papers are brought to the support OF
schemes of exploitation.
The corporation, a real invention in
commerce, and an apostle of democ-
racy when properly employed, has
become the means through which
greed does the major part OF it's mis-
large number of people to cooper
ate under conditions much more IA
vorable than any partnership can
offer, az when properly managed,
furnishes to the masses a means of
sharing in great industries and en-
sI-1
every other good thing, is liable to
be abused, and it has been grossly
abuse in the United States. A few
designing men can, when they obtain
control Of a corporation, turn we'll
intended fundamentally entirely
away from it's proper course and use
it for the e1richm-~t Of those who
are in a position to direct its ener-
gies. When once a controlling inter-
est is secured and the valuable priv
lnent of corporation are turned to
the ,ry advantage OF nose in
charge.
Passing over the period during
which the trusts reached their max
imum development, let us consider
the change that followed the cleo
tion of 1912. When President Will
son entered the White House he had
a senate and house in sympathy with
him, and )emocratic party made
reform without a parallel m our his
tory. It lowered the tariff; it enact
ed a currency law that has proven to
be the best in the world; 1t gave
the farmers relief through q farm
loan law; it created a federal trade
commission and began a war against
the trusts. 1t distinguished between
labor and merchandise and gave to
the wage Garner protection from
government by injunction and also
va i0h fl doxy I -
steps in advance weie contested by
the big corporations. The tariff Tar
ons fought the tariff law; the finan-
ciers waged a fierce fight against the
currency law. the trusts bitterly op-
posed legislation aimed at them AID
all combined to resist the eight-hour
day.
Women Saved Party
In the campaign Of 1915. the pred
atory interests made a united at
but for the wome1's vote in the west,
would have succeeded in overthrow
ing the party. And it should be re-
membered that the election in the
west was won. not upon economic
had resisted the efforts made to
force him into the European war and
into the war with Mexico. He re-
ce;ved so large support in the suf-
frage states as to be elected by a
small majority in the electoral col
leSe in spite of the east. An inspec-
ton of the r,turns of that election
leaves no doubt as to the complete
ness of, the political organization
formed by the moneyed interests OF
the country.
Then came our entry into the war
when, as war necessity, the gov
eminent took over the railroads, the
telegraph lines and the telephones.
This angered the monopolists bevond
measure.
Inc inability of private Management
to meet the eXigencies of the war.
they saw at once that they had to
meet the issue between private mo-
nopoly and government ownership,
From that moment the fight was on
In earnest, and government owner
snip was the point of attack. With
the railroads, the telegraph lines and
the telephones under the manage
ment of persons opposed to govern
ment ownership Git being impossible
under the circumstances to substf-
tute new men for those in charge),
the experiment had to be tried under
the most unfavorable conditions. The
fact that those in immediate control
were out Of sympathy with the poll
cy of government ownership would
have been enough to paralyze the ex-
pertinent, but to the lack of sym
pathy was added an active effort to
demonstrate the failure of govern
ment ownership, and every newspa-
per, controlled or owned by monopo-
lies, local or national, teemed with
criticism.
The Republican victory in the con-
primarily to the aggressiveness of
these predatory interests rallied by
the promise of the Republican lead
ers, and the congress elected in 1918
has SO far lived up to the highest
expectations of those who desire to
return the government TO the control
of the big interests.
We are now approaching the cam
paiSn of 1920 where the case is to
be tried out before the people-not
fairly, by an open, honest statement
of issues, but by evasion, misrepre-
sentation and subterfuge. No party