The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-10-07

PtosPete0. Inen ! wanted to make |
MIN admit and testify to the fact that
the best antitrust la " thai has ever
yet been offered was one prepared by
the Populists and Silver Republi-
cans and introduced bv Senator Pet
tlgrew as an amendment to the
Dingley tariff bill. The amendment
was to the effect that every article
made in this country, which is con-
trolled by trust shall be put on the
free list, and that any citizen can
bring an action in any court to es-
tablish the fact as to whether or not
trust exists in q certain line of
business. This was not only far
reaching, but it provided the ma
chiney SO as to make it effective as far
as the tariff bill was concerned, which
all other antitrust laws have failed
to do. Did this amendment passf
No. 1t was supported solidly by ev-
cry Populist, but Democratic votes
jJined with the Republican vote to
defeat it.
The Democrats who opposed our
antitrust amendment (and it was d.
rected chic fly against the sugar trust)
claimed that it was unconstitutional
and gave this as an excuse for joining z
the Republicans and voting against
it. We challenged them to show
wherein it was unconstitutional and
of ered d to accept any amendmer: CO
change that they would suggest that
would make the amendment consti-
tutional and secure their support.
But they ,e'used. They would not
accept our amendment, they would
not suggest how it could be changed.
They would not offer an amendment
of their own, but simply joined the
Republicans in voting our amend
ment down. 1t was these Democrats
who relieved the Republicans of the
responsibility of killing the best an
THRUST amendment ever before Con-
gress, and the vote of these Demo
Gratis will be quoted as justification
by every monopoly Republican in
the next campaign. "It was uncon-
stitotional," they will cry, and quote
Democratic testimony to sustain
them.
If this amendment could have been
put on the tariff bill then the Repub
licans would have been put in the
position of being forced to accept
their tariff bill with this amendment
or to defeat their tariff bill, because
this amendment against trusts was
on it, and was the policy pursued BY
the Populists and Silver Republican,
from beginning to end, to try t.
amend the bill in every respect pos
sible, to remove inequalities and in
justice, (knowing that the Republi
! cans had secured enough votes t.
! pass it on the final vote, no matte
how We voted, and having done this
leaves the Republicans to accept j
or be responsible for rejecting thei
= own measure.
t These are the reasons why l de
Q manded, to know the name of tn
man who asked the questions. Whel
he refused to answer, though still
: believe he was in the audience,
asked If you, as the editor o
: the paper would father the ques
y tions. You did not answer. l thel
q asked if any Democrat in the audi
S ence would father the questions. N
t one would answer. I then ask
J. ed If anybody, Democrat, Re
= publican or Populist in the aud
q ience who wanted me to al
+ swer the question saying
e would answer them if a single ma
o would ask me to do 50. No one sal
y yes, but there came a volley {
r :'noes." had intended to answ,
t. the questions even if could get \
n one to father them, but when no on
b seemed to care anything about II
r questions, and when the audien'
; expressed its desire for me to ignol
n them, then, and then only, did
a pass them over. All of this yc
n know. You should have been fa
70 and manly enough to state the
~ facts or at least say nothing. The
ID was no excuse for you to misrepr
a ent me and the facts.
lp The policy referred to above W
outlined by the Popplists and Silv
g. Republicans and set forth in an of
S. cial address signed by every Pop
1e list Congressman and Senator and 9
Id dorsed by all of the Teller Silver R
i'd publicans in the latter part of Mar
,e Immediately after the extra sc
ar sion was called and before t
to tariff bill was ever reporte
a will ask you to publ
r" this address at the end of r
u card in order that your readers m
ng see the position taken by the Pop
be lists and silver Republicans befe
the tariff bill was ever Introduce
TO- and our reasons for the same.
nd know that there was concert
ais movement on the part of both De
IN ocrats and Republicans to try
,re sidetrack the financial question a
,re make the tariff again an iss
it in 1898 and 1000. We saw
he that time evidence Of IT In p
as the old parties in both Houses
aot Congress. We saw evidences of
ion in the press of both parties. a
oil to-day the only papers and pol
clans who are criticising the posit
,hy of the Peoples Party with refere
aal to the tariff bill are the gold and
nopoly papers and politicians,
in certain other so-called Democrs
,r," papers who want to revive the ia
on ii order to sidetrack Bryan and
ach fl financial and monopoly refor
by Has not the Charlotte Observer
and this State been constantly CRITICS
ing the Populists for their position
dis striving to draw me and others
,ill, q controversy over the tariff 1
ows papers of the stripe of the Charl.
side Observer are making this Ct
on everywhere, They know and
the know that other and greater ea'
.ph. than any tariff. legislation are resi-
ner- sible for the hard times, and
bill know and we know that no t
of legislation however wise and
ant. can remove the present evils
vho- estore prosperity
;nos Thew know and we know that