Omaha daily bee., 1894-08-28
DEMOCRACY AND TIE TRUSTS.

One of the democratic claims In behalf Of
the present congress, and perhaps the most
preposterous of any of them, is that it's policy
and legislation have been inimical to the
trusts. This claim is set up by Mr. McMil- |
lin whose statement is understood to be in |
the nature of manifesto representing the
views of the house democrats and therefore |
especially designed as a vindication of the |
party and at the same time to supply an |
argument for campaign purposes. That gen.
tleman makes the extraordinary assertion that
this congress has passed the most stringent
law against trusts ever enacted in this coun-
try and he says that at the same time the
attorney general has instituted proceedings in
the courts to try to dissolve Illegal trusts.
"The democratic party" says Mr.. McMilln,
was pledged to the enactment of more strin-
gent legislation against trusts 1t has kept
this pledge and offers this as it's fulillment,"
referring to the tariff bill, with its sugar
schedule under which the refining monopoly
is assured, according to democratic testimony,
OF not less than SAC, O,O00.O 900 plundered from
the sugar consumers of the country during
the next twelve months, and a very gen.
erous sum thereafter, while the Whisky trust
will also be benefited to the amount Of many
millions.
Fortunately there is able and candid dem
ocratic testimony in refutation of this pre-
posterous claim. On August 13 Representa-
tive Tom L. Johnson OF Ohio made a speech
in the house, vigorously combating the pro-
posed surrender to the senate ON the tariff
Mr.. johnson is an uncOmpromlsng advocate
of free trade, He does not. like so many of
his fellow partisans, hide his light under
a bushel, but declares his views in plain and
straightforward way, so that everybody can
understand them. In his speech when the
house had under consideration the resolution
to recede from the disagreement to the senate
amendments to the Wilson bill. Mr.. Johnson
said OF the senate bill: "It is more fully and
emphatically trust bill than was even the
Mckinley bill. All the trusts were called in
to make II up and what tricks and devices
lie hidden to the general public in its techni-
cal language no mani do not believe even
Senator Gorman-yet really knows" Refer
ring to the consideration shown the Sugar
trust, the Ohio congressman said with frank
ness that must have amazed his democratic
associates: II know and you know and the
people know was about to say that every
dog that barks in the streets of the capital
knows--that the real purpose of imposing this
| tax is not to give revenue to the government
| but revenue to the bsodlers, You cannot
| disguise it from the people, for the people
| know II already, that the purpose OF this
| sugar tax is to put millions and millions in
| the pockets of men who are already million
aires by robbing the people, They know
| that this tax on sugar has been brought
through every step of its way, carried by
such open, undisgused corruption as has
| never been faunted in their faces before
4 they know that the Sugar trust has purchased
this privilege of taxing them, and that
| though the price 1t may have paid may be
| millions. II will receive back m lions and mil
lions before the treasury gets 1 cent" There
was much more by this candid and out
spoken free trade democrat, who stands
squarely upon the last national platform OF
his party. in the same vein. and 1t constl-
tutes an arraignment the great merit OF
which is that 1t is absolutely truthful. II
is democratic testimony that cannot be gain
said.
The pTetense that the democrats in con.
gress or that the democratic administration
has done anything looking to the suppress
sion of the trusts is as false as any Other
OF the numerous claims which that party
has put forth. What has the administration
done to enforce the law already on the stat
ute book against trusts? A single case hai
been instituted against the Sugar trust, anC
is understood to be now on the docket OF thu
supreme court. but who would venture I,
say when it will be reached If the presen
attorney general of the United States. will
his well known devotion TO corporations, i
to determine when proceedings shall go ON
That official has no confidence in the existing
law, or processes not to have. He believes
with Mr.. McMllIn, that 1t is $50 mild an,
gingerly" as TO be inadequate to the pur
pose Of crushing the combinations, yet h
has failed to give 1t a fair test. and neithe
he nor the president has suggested to con
gress how its defects might be remedied an
the law made stronger and sufficient for it
object. The democratic pretense of hostillt
to trusts and combinations whether comm
from Mr., Cleveland or Mr.. McMillin or an
others who speak with responsibility for IN
party. has been shown to be hollow. falls