The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1899-11-09


One of the silliest clauses in the
Leavenworth county Democ ratio plat
form is the one devoted to claptrap
about trusts The Democrats never
have done anything to regulate or
restrict the operations of what they
call trusts" On the other hand the
Republicans have enacted the only
antitrust laws ever placed on the
statute books of the United States
AID their record has been one of con-
tinuous opposition to monopoly.
The Republican party is opposed to
trusts now as it was in 1855 aud in
1892, when it said in its national
Platforms: I'VE declare our opposition
to all combinations OF capital. organ
lied in trusts Or otherwise. to control
arbitrarily the condition of trade
among our citizens" and recommend
ed such federal and state legislation
las will prevent the execution of ali
schemes to Cypress the people by IN
due charges on their supplies, or by
unjust rates for the transportation
of their products to market" This
was the Republican proclamation in
1855. In 1880 the Republican Con-
gress passed the Mckinley tariff law.
In it was q strong antitrust clause as
follows:
Every contract, combination in
the form Of trust or otherwise, or
conspiracy. in restraint of trade or
commerce among the several states,
or with foreign nations. is hereby de-
clared to be illegal"
The Mckinley law placed a heavy
penalty upon trusts of every kind and
every where in the United States The
law containing this most sweeping
provision against trusts was passed in
1890 by a vote of l64 to 142 Every vote
for it was Republican and every vote
against it. except two, was Democratic.
1t passed the senate by q straight party
vote of 40 Republicans to 20 Democrats.
The only bill ever passed by Congress
in tho direction of tearing up the
trusts by the roots, in every state in
the Union. and in every shape and
form, received almost unanimous Re-
publican support and almost unani-
nous Democratic opposition.
Then the Democrats got into power,
and controlling both houses Of Con.
gress and having the executive. they
proceeded at once to extend to the
trusts the greatest act of friendship
they have ever received from any
source. No one was more prominent
in doing this than William j. Bryan,
who was a member of the ways and
means committee, and one of the
trainers AID champions of the Wilson
tariff law of 1894 That law killed
the complete and effective provision
against trusts in the Mckinley law.
In 1897 again the Democrats voted
against the antitrust clause and pre-
vented it's insertion in the new tariff
law The Republicans had no absolute
ma iority in the Senate and the Demo-
cratic senators wou d not permit the
antitrust clause to be inserted.
The Sherman antitrust law was en-
acted by a Republican Congress and
even though the democrats have had
control of the government during four
years since its enactment they ma de
no attempt either to enforce or amend
it.
The trust movement began, and the
fathers and progenitOrs of all tho
trusts came into existence, under
Democratic regime. The Repu blicans
opposed the trusts by all the means
in their power. The result was that
the trusts in order to evade the laws,
changed the form of organization and
became corporation, duly incorporated
under state laws. The Standard Oil
company, for instance, is on the same
legal footing as any other business
in this state. That is one
reason why the laws against trusts,
are Intellectual because trusts,
as they once were and as they were
by the laws, no longer
exist.
If the Sherman law is Intellectual to
re ach the great monopolistic corpora.
tions, it is the constitution which
must be blamed, not Attorney Gen.
eral Griggs. The constitutionality OF
the Sherman trust law has been at
tirmed, but the operation of that act
has been defined as giving to a federal
authority jurisdiction over only such
trusts and monopolies as include in
their objects transportation or inter.
course between states or between the
United States and foreign countries.
Look now at the record? Which
party has shown q practical determin-
alton to fgh: monopoly? The Repuo-
licans have proved their faith by their
deeds. The Democrats have done
nothing, except in aid Of the trusts
Other action is still necessary. But.
as experience proves. relief from the
evils of monopolistic corporations
mo longer properly called trusts WI
never come from the Democrats. 'ihe |
Republican party is the only party |
the people can depend upon to deal
with this question intelligently and |
effectively. The Democratic leaders |
have already shown that while they |
can be most Cru.usc in denunciatiOn |