The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-12

Mr. Bryan says in his letter of acceptance
| 1.-The Democratic party is opposed to
| trusts and intimates that TO other party
| is, and that he alone represents the idea
of opposition to trusts. In his speeches he
has frequently alluded to the Republican
| party as the friend and ally of trusts and
| has made the charge the basis of dema-
| gogic appeals for popular support in his
| own candidacy. His assertions on this sub
| ject. like many others made by him. have no
| foundation in fact. So far the record
shows the Republican party. or representa-
tive men of the party, have shown more
| of a disposition to restrict and regulate
trusts by legislation than the Democratic
party has The Republican platform of
| 1888. reported by William Mckinley chair
man of the committee on resolutions con-
tanned the following:
| We declare our opposition to all combina-
| lions of capital. organized in trusts or
otherwise, to control arbitrarily the condi-
recommend to Congress and the State
Legislatures in their respective juriSdic
execution of all schemes to Cypress the peo-
pie by undue charges on their supplies, or
by unjust rates for the transportation of
| their products to market.
contained no reference to trusts. General
Harrison is the only President who ever re-
ferred to the subject officially. In his an
| nual message of 1889 he said:
Earnest attention should be given by Con-
gress to a considera ton of the question
how far the restraint of those combinations
of capital commonly called trusts is a
matter of federal jurisdiction When or
gained they often are to crush out
all healthy competition and to monopolize
| the production or sale of an article of com
merce and general necessity, they are dan
gerous conspiracies against the public good
and should be made the subject of prohib-
itory and even penal legislation.
The Republican platform of 1892 contained
the following:
Wesreaffirm our opposition. declared in
the Republican platform of 1888, to all COM
binations of capital. organized in trusts or
otherwise, TO control arbitrarily the con-
dition of trade among our citizens. We
heartily indorse the action already taken
upon this subject, and ask for such further
legislation as may be required to remedy
any defects in existing laws, and to render
their enforcement more complete and eff
fective.
The action already taken upon this sub
ject' consisted in the passage by Congress
of an antitrust bill introduced by Senator
Edmunds as a substitute for one previously
introduced by Senator Sherman. 1t is
stringent bill, and received the vote of
every Republican Senator. In the House
the Republicans voted solidly for it and
the Democrats against it. Of ninety-eight
votes against the bill ninety-seven We're
Democrats. Messrs. Brookshire, Mar
tin, Parrett and Shively of this
State. voted against it, The bill was APP
proved by President Harrison. If enforced
it would break up every trust in the United
States but it's enforcement depends on the
Attorney general of the United States and
the various district attorneys under his
direction, and this administration has not
made the slightest effort to enforce it. Yet
Mr.. Bryan, who himself represents the
great silver trust, says: THE Democratic
party is opposed to trusts and that the
Republican party is their friend and ally.
What a liar.