Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-26
DEMOCRATS DINE AND TALK
Trusts and Money Power Are Condemned
Over sumptuous Spread.
TABLES STUDDED WITH SILVER SHIELDS
Lights of the Party Discuss Issues,
ConhninR Themselves Mostly
to Evils of Industrial
Combinations.

81. LOUIS, May 25.-Promptly at $40 this
evening the caterers bell rang, the band
struck up The Stars and Stripes Forever"
an army of walters laden with viands APP
peared and the mammoth democratic anti
trust banquet was on, while the LAS ban
queters seated at the tables broke into
tremendous cheer, rising in body and wav-
ing the small hand flags that had been pro-
vided at eacE cover.
The vast arena OF the Coliseum was filled
with long tables, tastefully decorated with
roses lilies of the valley and carnations.
The table of honor placed OH raised
platform at the north side of the arena
and at 1t were seated w. j. Bryan, exGov-
ernor John p. Altgeld, o. II. p. Belmont,
NJ. c. Wetmore, Harry b. Hawes, president
of the jefferson club, under whose auspices
the dinner was given, Hon. Champ Clark,
Hon. David A. De Almond and number of
other prominent democrats. The Coliseum
was decorated throughout with flags and in
the center of each was fixed lRrge silver
shield.
The dinner was concluded at o'clock. No
speeches were made during the banquet. 1t
was strictly a love feast. BY the time the
tables were cleared the 5000 seats of the
| amphtheater were filled with spectators,
representing the society of st. Louis, and
evening was Harry B. Halves, president Of
| the jefferson club. who delivered the ad-
dres2 of welcome. Mr. Hawes said in part:
Address of TOnstmnstcr.
1t was not intended that this dinner should
be merely the means of affording entertain
ment, but it was believed by its promoters
that the serious discussions to be held to-
night will be the means Of crystallizing pub
lie sentiment against the encroachment upon
the liberties of the people of the giant
monopoles and trusts. 1t is not sought or
desired to push to the background the vital
issues of 1896, or to lessen in any par
ticular the fight to be made upon the great
est of all trusts, the money trust.
The battle line must be drawn sharp and
clear with democracy on one hand and the
trusts and the monopolies on the other If
the discussions here tonight will add to the
enthusiasm and determination of the demo-
cratic party to wipe out Of existence these
formidable allies Of republicanism, then the
object of this meeting will have been ac-
complished.
| Mr. Halves gave but few words to i'm
perialism. declaring that it and the ac-
duisition Of foreign territory is foreign to
the policy of the democratic party.
President Hawes was followed by Hon.
Champ Clark of Missouri. who presented
the state and district banners in the name
of the state committee.
Trusts Under Fire.
TRUSTS and Democracy occupied Colo
mel M. c. Wetmore of St. Louis but few
minutes. His remarks We're greeted with
cheers. He was followed by Hon. David
De Armond Of Missouri, who spoke upon
Trust and Its Parents" The parents Of
the trust according to the speaker, are the
protective tariff favored by the republicans
and Dartiality which he claimed that party
T., CHI To 70 iptap
! When Mr.. Hawes arose to introduce Mr..
Bryan he was greeted with applause. The
cheers drowned the music of the band which
| struck up Hold the Fort" as he advanced
| to the front of the rostrum. Mr.. bryan
spoke in part as follows:
| More trusts have been formed during the
last two years than existed at the beginning
of the present administration and the nom
| inal capitalization of the trusts now in ex-
istence approaches, If 1t does not equal in
amount the worlds total supply of gold and
silver The influence of these trusts has be-
come enormous that the people, without
respect to party, are asking themselves how
the evil can be remedied.
| The purpose of the trusts is to control the
| product of some article of merchandise and
the methods employed are, first, the union
of all individual factories under one man
| agement or in one corporation, and second,
| the crushing out OF new rivals. A monopoly
when once complete not only dictates TERMS
| TO those who buy the product but it also
dictates terms to those who sell the raw
material and to those who furnish the labor.
If the trusts are permitted to continue we
| shall find an industrial aristocracy growing
up in the United States which will prove
as destructive of our ideals as a landed aris-
| tocracy would.
The principle is incompatible with our in
stitutions. Mans necessities compel him
to become a purchaser, and where there
| is but one seller the purchaser is completely
at the mercy of the seller Where there
/ is competition between producers, the pur-
chaser Is sure to obtain what he wants at
J reasonable price. When competition is elm
mated the price is controlled not by reason,
but by the greed Of the one who possesses
! the monopoly.
| One OF the difficulties which has been en-
countered in opposing trusts is that the trust
! hides behind the federal constitution when
attacked by state legislation, and shields it
self behind its state charter, when attacked
| In the federal courts. No remedy will be
complete that Is not coextensive with the
| federal government. II the extinguishment
of the trusts is left to state legislation the
public at large will be victimized as long
as a single state will furnish robbers
roost where the spoils collected In other
states can be divided.