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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 1904)
f.'-'i The Commoner. IUJQUST 12,-1904. ii Opinions For And Agadnst Hereinafter The Commoner repro duces newspaper editorials relating to Mr. Bryan's suggestion with respect to the lines upon which the democ racy must do battle in the future. Some of those editonars are lavor able, others critical, whilcr some aro extremely bitter. All are, ' however, presented to the readers of The Com moner, in order that they may know just what is going on. ' .-, Government Railroads. Mr. Bryan's announcement of his program for reorganization or regen eration of the democratic party need cause no great surprise. He would make, government or state ownership of railroads the corner stone of his political faith. It Is a suggestion not to be lightly cast off. State socialism is not a new and untried thing. Mr. Bryan and his as sociates will not be without arguments which have force and which, if they arc to be refuted, must be met with arguments" and not ridicule. Owner ship of railroads and operation of these public conveniences for the ben efit of the public has made wonderful advancement in recent years, and one needs but to go out into the great world and find thousands of cases of such socialism in full force to afford examples of what might, be done -in the United States. In fact the United States owns some railroads and oper ates them. The reason which Mr. Bryan gives is not that which has generally been presented. "Recent events nave con vinced me that the time is now ripe for the presentation of this question," ho says. "Consolidation after consoli dation has taken place until a few men now control the railroad traffic of the country and defy both the legisla tive and the executive power or the nation. I invite the democrats, there fore, to consider a plan for the gov ernment ownership and operation of the railroads." He might have gone on still fur ther and have declared with ex-Senator Pettigrew, long an advocate of gov ernment ownership of railroads, in an interview in St. jouis, during the national convention, quoted in this payer at the time, that with govern ment ownership of railroads would vanish every trust in existence. That "By two or three witnesses shall a matter be established." FIVE OF EXCELLENCE. Leaving the ceater of the city from which you start; reaching the center of the city of your desti nation, over smooth and level tracks; giving rest and comfort; beside running wator most or mo way; through tho centers of pop ulation to the gateways of com merce; when you travel by tho NEW YORK CENTRAL LINES. A copy of tho Illustrated Catalogue of the "Four T?ack Series" will be sent free upon receipt ofa two-cent Btamp by George H, D&nlcla, General Passenger Agent, Grand Central Station, New York is but an extension of tho same idea. lhe program Mr. Bryan proposes in cludes state ownership and federal su pervision, rather than ownership di rect b the United States. This is a detail, however, which might be al tered: On tho surface it appears to weaken tho program. It Uiay be said fairly that one of the ultongest arguments for govern ment ownership of railroads which M.r Bjjan will be able to offer is tho succ-ss of the incomplete consolida tions effected under the general mer ger movement. Every argument that -an be deduced in support of the mergers goes to state socialism In tailrcad property. Ana to this others may be added. The issue is one therefore, which will altord some opportunity of con troversy. It is not to be put off with a sneer and a snicker. Des Moines, Iowa, Daily News. Bryan An Economic Reformer. Mr. Bryan announces that since the responsibility of national leadership of the party has been shifted from him to another, he is free to undertake a work he has heretofore avoided namely, the organization of tho radi cal and progressive element of the democratic party. He will henceforth advocate these principal reforms state ownership of railroads, govern ment control of telegraph systems, abolishment of private monopoly, the income tax and the electron of the federal judiciary by the people. Private ownership of land is the first form of private monopoly. But it is assumed that Mr. Bryan will not make a political issue of what is now and what is destined for many years to be an economic question. He will rather strike at those monopolies based in the ownership of the natur al sources of supply of the people's necessities, and in public service util ities. Mr. Bryan sees what every student with discerning eye must see the par amount need of breaking the ever increasing power of the corporations. The first monopoly to be destroyed is the railroad monopoly, which is de feating, the ends of representative gov ernment by debasement of the elec torate and bribery of the legislatures and courts, and which wring from the producer in excessive ireignt rates a measure of profit that leaves him only enough for bare subsistence. With tho railroad corporation disrupted, the largest factor in dishonest government will be removed. The income tax is imposed in almost every country in the world, excepting the United States and is everywhere regarded as the most equitable tax in that it places on the shoulders of those best able to bear it the largest meas ure of tho expense of the government. The supreme court of the United States having declared such tax un constitutional, it will be necessary first to secure a constitutional amend ment authorizing its imposition. The telegraph companies take their existence from grant of 'government and give nothing in return, as it is convenient and possible for the gov ernment to maintain a mail service, so it is tho part of wisdom for , the gov ernment to establish and maintain its own telegraph service. Jefferson once said that if the Am erican people ever lost thejr liberty, It would bo through arbitrary decisions of the courts. Jefferson wks not op posed to the judiciary but he believed in strictly defining its power and In making it answerable to the people, who should have power of selection. It is a notorious and shameful fact that the railroads are dictating the selections of federal judgesi Naturally these officials will administer justice as tho railroads want it. Tho safe guard against a corporate judiciary is election of tho Judiciary by tho peo ple. Mr. Bryan will have a largo follow ing and ho will succeed in organizing the progressive and radical wing of the democratic party. Ho will induce thought on economic subjects and this is whnt is most needed, ror whon the American people have b.een awakened to tho justice in tho roforms he pro poses, they will adopt them, It Is an augury for bettor days, it Is the light breaking Into darkness of privilege and corruption, that there arc in the United States today more than 100,000 ablo men who arc, giving at tention to economic qeustions when twenty years ago, as John Brisbon Walker remarked to tho editor, ho could count on his fingers and toes tno men who wore advocating eco nomic reform along the linc3 of pres ent day discussion. 'lhe great economists of other days have never secured more than acade mic discussion of the reforms needful for tne people's progress and tho safe guarding of their liberties. Mr. Bryan will bring these reforms elbser to tho people, he will seek to educate them, he will endeavor to have a great party take them up, and while there is dis mal prospect that he will witness tho accomplishment of a single reform he advocates, the seed ho shall sow will one day bear richest fruit. Education linked with a high morality will event ually bring tho people into their own and establish this government truly and endurlngly on a basis of equality to all and special privileges to none. Tho Telegraph-Herald is glad to en list with Mr. Bryan in this contest. It will follow him, not because he is tho man Bryan but because ho is the con science of the democratic party. Du bupue, Iowa, Telegraph. Bryan's Progress. Wo do not suppose that Mr. Bryan's political program, which is given to tho world today, will soon come be fore the people in a practical way. But it Is Interesting as showing his entire failure to understand democratic principles. His enemies have always maintained that he knew little or nothing of the democratic philosophy. Now we think that the fact is demon strated that it ought to be clear even to his best friends, that is, provided they are really democrats. In the first place he proposes state control and ownership of railroads. Federal ownership, he thinks, would be a mis take. He says: "To put the railroads In the hands of the federal government would mean an enormous centralization of power, it would give to the federal govern ment a largely increased influence over tho citizen and the citizen's affairs, and such centralization is not at all necessary." So he pronounces for state owner ship. We do not now propose to dis cuss the feasibility of tho plan, fur ther than to say that the whole trust question is greatly complicatea by state control of corporations. The same difficulties would arise if the railroads were divided up among forty five different owners. But the point is that wo have in this suggestion, not democracy In any true sense, but so cialism and paternalism pure and sim ple There would be centralization in the states, and the party in power wouid be Tastly strengthened by the control of the railroads. The demo cratic idea is as little government as possible. The Bryan idea seems to be as much government as poasible. After the state had acquired posses sion of the railroads, he would nave tho various cities of tho country own municipal franchises a proposition which, in spite of its socialistic nature, is worthy of consideration. But with the railroads managed by the state and the public servicq corporations J Thi Stparafor Mtwt Did you think all separator wore miikv mai nuy kiiiu was kooo cnoilga , -that makers of bucket bowl separa tors would tell you their machine aro jxwrr Domo uairymcn nave itiougru KA tiarn lrnfitirM ft Imnfli nt mtiw thnt ml-hv. Hut vnnlll nnt If vaii In. vcstlgnto read Tho Separator News JCUIU VUHk It paratirs art Vastly DIffer&tf k .. -. - t A It ... t . k a jv cuwn ick nnn mu may loon aiiKe. llllt thnv'rn vnrv (llfTrnri fnn tawmnA tor support tho other to owlpo your i turn In fltr llmo. SuHulwt aro lust as riHTernnt 'Phn Knn. arator News tells now, tens it plainly, tellB whv Tutitila. . aro best, appeals to your juugmenu tu bulars recover moro buttnr fat nklm twlco as clean by ofllclal tests. It'athc only simple bowl i separator. Tho Sep. nratnr tJnvua tnllu f about separators Is Issued periodical lysubsoriptlon fro. Write for It and catalog No. C -228 CMcics, III. WmI Chsiltr, r, managed by tho cities, it is evident that wo should have a very central ized and powerful local government. It would not bo a democratic govern ment. Mr. Bryan says rurthcr: "Wo Uhvo plso reached a time when the pestonce department should em brace a telegraph system as well as a mail system. The telegraph lines do not reach as many people as tho railroads go, and, while tho abuses of private rvnershlp have not been so open and notorious, yet there is no reason nly this nation should not do what other nations are doing in this rcspoct." Here is more socialism, more cen tralization, and a further limiting of the sphere of democracy. Mr, Bryan continues to favor the income tax, wiiic'i we believe to be both demo cratic, and, if properly limited, just and right. Mr. Bryan also'would have the federal judges elected. In this there is nothing cither democratic or undemocratic. The question must be considered on other grounds. In our oyinion we elect too many judges al ready The federal judiciary has done great service to the country. It should be left where it was placed by the constitution. But our main purpose now is to call attention to the ex tremviy undemocratic character of Mr Bryan's principal suggestions. If they can be reconciled witn trie democratic creed we confess that we do not know what that creed is. Indianapolis, Ind., News. Objection. In announcing bis conversion to so much of the socialistic program an calls for public ownership of railways, telugraps, electric roads, lighting plants, etc., etc., Mr. Bryan takes the curious position that, in order to guard against excessive centralization the railways should become tne prop erty of the several states rather than of the federal government. If this is not merely a recognition of the old states rights doctrine it is evidence that Mr. Bryan perceives tho real danger to American liberty which lies in a proposal to add nearly one and one-half millions to the male era- i 1 M 0 -' ! .