The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-31
BRYAN DESCRIBES
THE REACT|ONARY
IN i. S. POLITICS
Says Conservative Will Accept
Progress When It Becomes
Fact, But Reactionary Is
Secret Agent of Enemy.
BOTH PARTIES MUST
/ BE PURGED OF REAL FOE
Declares Woman's Vote in
West Saved Democrats in
1916 and Elected Wilson.
Tells Accomplishments.
~ WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
Copyright, 1890, by the Wheeler Syn
dipatH fnrl

CHS HOUUltipIlolNilCIt
sY WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN.
Copyright 1890. by the Wheeler Syn
dictate, Incl
There Is natural line running
through politics. as well as through So
ciety In general, separating the con-
sentative from the radical, The division
Is due in part, but not entirely. TO diff
ference in information. Two people.
equally we'll informed may take oppo-
site views Of subject because OF what
may be called constitutional tend
ency. These two forces contribute
each its part to the welfare Of society
II il were not for the conservative the
radical would go too fast. IL 1t were
not for the radical the conservative
would not 20 at all. In so far as the
conservative simply compels delibera-
ton, he performs real service. and,
when conscientious and not influence |
by Interior motives, he gradually Yields
to public opinion. based upon intelli-
gent discussion.
But while the conservative can be
tolerated because OF the element OF
caution that he contributes, the re-
dictionary belongs TO very different
class. The conservative accepts prog
ress when II becomes an accomplished
fact and uses that which has been ac-
quired when he contests some new
steps in advance, The roactonary, 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 dangers RS he sees them and
uttcrs a warming as conscientiously as
the radical pleads for q change. But
the reactionarv conscious OF his ina
bility to defend his position IN open
argument. resorts to subterfuge and
false pretsnse. The progressive forces
Of society have nothing to fear from
honest conservatism: on the contrary,
they welcome its challenge and meet
its Inquiries In the spirit In which they
are presented
But the reactionary, working In the
dark and actuated by motives he can
neither disclose nor defend. is the real
foe whom the reformer has to fear
fight
The conflict between the morgan
lied masses. who ask only justice and
are content with the recognition uf
their rights, and the predatory inter
sstS RACES In every land and nowhere
more bitterly than In the United
States The stake is bigger here be-
reach OF avarice here surpasses the
dreams OF the plutocrats of other lands,
and the very intelligence OF our people
becomes the Rvenue through which
Misrepresentation can he spread when
great newspapers are brought to the
support Of schemes OF exploitation.
An Institution Abused.
The corporation, a real invention in
commerce. and an apostle Of democ
racy when properly employed, has be-
come the means through which greed
does the major part OF it's mischief.
A corporation permits a large number
OF people to cooperate under condi
tons much more favorable than any
partnership can offer, and. when prop
erly managed furnishes to the masses
a means of sharing In great industries
and enterprises But the corporation,
like every other good thing. Is liable to
be abused, and II has been grossly
abused in the United States. A few
designing men can. when they obtain
control OF a corporation. turn we'll
intended fundamentally entirely away
from its proper course and use II for
the enrichment OF those who are In a |
position TO direct Its energies. When |
once a controlling interest is secured |
the rights of the minority stockholders |
are sometimes ignored and the valua
Bile privileges which accompany the |
management OF a corporation are turned |
10 the pecuniary advantage OF those IN |
charge
Passing over the period during which |
the trusts reached their maximum de- |
velopment, let us consider the change |
that followed the election Of 1912 |
When President Wilson entered the |
White House he had a senate and |
house in sympathy with him, and the |
Democratic party made a record along |
the line OF economic reform without "a |
parallel in our history. II lowered the |
tariff. II enacted currency law that |
has proven TO he the best in the world |
1t gave the farmers relief through a |
farm loan law: Il created a federal |
trade commission and began war |
against trusts. II distinguished between |
labor and merchandise and gave 10 tho |
waEe-earner protection from govern |
HnNnt by injunction, and also gave an |
eight hour day. All Of these steps in |
advance were contested nv the big cor |
porations. The tariff barons fought the |
tariff law: the financiers waEed a
fierce fight against the currency law |
the trusts bitterly opposed legislation |
aimed az them and al combined TO re-
sist the eight hour day.
Why Wilson Won.
In the campaign Of 1915 the preda-
tory interests made a united attack |
upon the Democratic party and, hut |
for the women's vote in the West,
would have succeeded in overthrowing |
the party And It should be romem |
bered that the election in the West !
was won. not upon economic grounds, |
but because the president had resisted !
the efforts made to force him into the /
European war and INTO war with |
Mexico. He received so large sup. !
port In the suffrage states as to he |
elected by small majority in the cleo
toral college, In spite Of the Fast An |
inspection OF the returns OF that cleo
ton leaves no doubt as to the. com
pleteness Of the political organization |
formed by the moneyed interests Of the |
country
Then came our entry into the war, As |
var necessity, the government took |
over the railroads the telegraph lines |
"a al H.
monopoists beyond measure While |
they had TO confess tho inability Of |
private management TO meet the eNi- |
gencies OF the war, they saw At once |
that they had 20 meet the issue be-
tween private monopoly and govern. |
the fight was on In earnest, and gov |
eminent ownership was the point NJ |
attack. With the railroads. the tele- |
graph lines and the telephones under |
the mansgement Of persons opposed TO
government ownership Ot being inn |
possible under the circumstances to
substitute new men for those N |
charEel the experiment had To be tried |
under the most unfavorahle conditions |
The fact that those in immediate con
troll were out OF sympathy with tho |
policy of government ownership would |
have been enough 10 paralyze the cN
pertinent. but TO the lack Of sympathy |
WAS added an active effort to demon |
strate the failure Of government own |
eFshp. and every newspaper controlled |
by noropolits, local or national, teemed |
with criticism.
Why G, o. P, Won in 1918.
The Republican victory in the con
gressionsl campaign OF 1918 was due |
10 the aggressvencss Of those |
predatory interests, rallied by the
promise Of the Republican leaders, |
and the congress elected in 1918 has So |