Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-06-08

lated against them, yet in spite of this
enunciation. in spite of all this legislation,
state and federal, they have gone on multi
plying. State legislation has been found to
be absolutely futile, because federal judges
uniformly declared ii to be unconstitu-
tional
Federal legislation has likewise been
found 10 be futile. The trusts are masters
of the situation. 1t is evident that TO sim
ply go on denouncing trusts is an insult to
the intelligence of the American people.
It is the cheapest kind of political DEM
agogy. The time has come when some new
method of dealing with these monOpoiies
must be adopted. The experience of other
countries, as well as a thorough coQSid-
Grafton of the question, shows that It Is
impossible to reduce many of these mo-
nopolies back to their original element.
They have come to stay, and therefore it
is the mission and the duty of the demo-
cratic party to secure the benefit of the
monopoly for the public, for the people,
that means municipal and governmental
ownership of all moEopolies which it is
practicable for a government yet to
control. Have you heard any gold stand
ard democrat declare himself openly to
be in favor of this or of any other prac-
ticable manner of dealing with monop-
olies? Instead of that, what do they pro-
pose? They tell us that we should adopt
a platform denouncing trusts. That is, we
shall do what We have been doing for
quarter of a century. indulge in Geciara-
tons that signify nothing. Mr.. Depew
lately declared that the republican party
would in its platform denounce trusts.
What is the purpose of this? Why simply
to fool the people, entertain the people
Trust lawyers and men who secretly serve
monopolies will draw the declarations de-
nouncing trusts. and it will be farce.
That politician makes mistake who
thinks that by a mere denunciation of
trusts you can fool a great number of
democrats in 1900 The people wait to
know what we propose to do about it.
Look at the situation from any standpoint
and you will find that the so-cal!ed gold
standard democrats are not earnestly and
heartily with US on any of the great queS-
tons that now confront our people. BY
affinity, taste, interest, afilation and nat
ural selection they are on the other side.
The idea of abandoning principle and
adopting some cheap common cry, with the
hope of thus sweeping the country and
getting offices, even if it were possible to
succeed that way, is unworthy of a mo-
ment's consideration at the hands of any
man who loves his country. But it would
be futile. and if the national democratic
convention of 1900 should adopt such a
course it might well issue a certificate
of election to William Mckinley. I hear
it said that we cannot carry the country
unless we get New York, and that il order
to get New York we must abandon our
principles. In the first place. I dispute
both propositions, and in the second place
1 want to say that the time has gone by
when the democracy can carry New York
on blear-eyed Platform. The rank and
file of the democratic party in New York
is aroused, and it is as devoted 20 the
principles of the Chicago platform as is
the party anywhere in this country and
competent judges tell me that Gov Roose-
velt's election was made possible by the
votes of democrats who preferred sup
porting an open enemy to democrat who
stood for nothing. For several years prior
to 1896 the democratic party so melted
away in a number of states that the pop
ulists and other Independent parties gained
absolute control, but as soon as our party
again stood for definite democra tic princi-
pies these men returned to our standard
For over three years we have been preach
ing devotion to principle. The democrats
OF the country have held their heads UP,
they nave breathed the pure and invig-
Grating air of independence, they are
ready 20 face thousand defeats but they
are not willing to sneak down the dark al
ley OF tricky politics Men have said to
me, why don't your people take up late
war hero and sweep the country? l an
swer, first. our people want to know what
their candidate stands for. They want to
know wFat governmental policy he will
reSolutely carry out: they want to know
what influences will be slipping up his rear
stairway and filling his council chamber.
L answer, second, is there not danger of
war heroes getting cheap?
compared with the mighty civil war,
the late cuban war scarcely rises TO the
dignity of skirmish, yet the heroes of
the late war seem to be more numerous
than all the heroes. union ard confederate
OF the civil war. Let me say, my friends,
that we are not hero worShipers nor, on
the other hand, are We devoted TO the for
tunes of any one man. We view this whole
situation calmly, and even coldly. We
rate men not by the clothes they wear. but
by the principles they stand for, and by
the services they render their country.
And viewed from this standpoint, never
before in the history OF any country or
any people was the cause OF freedom, the
cause OF great people, SO heroicaliy and
so ably maintained in all its integrity Gas
it has been during the last three years by
William j. Bryan. And when we say this
we are not indulging il hero worship, bur