The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17


State Government exercise the powers thai
may be necessary to annihllate the monopoly
i do not agree with the gentleman that
you cannot annihilate monopoly. Jap
plausel. / believe It 10 possible to do so.
heard OF a man once who had been taught Ia
be oontented with his lot and finally
became very poor and traded of his coat
for loaf OF bread. Before he had chance to
eat the bread dog came along and snatched
itawsy from him. He felt little Indignant at
flrst but finally that feeling OF contentment
came back TO him. and as he watched
tho dog turn around corner in the
road carrying the bread away. he said: Well
thank God. Istill have my appetite Laughter
and applausel. Now. there are some people
who scam to preach that doctrine that we
ought to be satisfied with anything. Tho
American people are entitled to tho best that
there 10. vlApplausel.
The American people are entitled to the
best system on every subject. do
not believe IL necessary for US to sit
down quietly and permit a great ag-
greRation OF wealth to strangle every
competitor | do not believe that IL 10 In ac-
oordance with our dignity as q people, or In
accordance with the rights OF the peo-
pie. to say. because a great corpora
tlon 10 organized that therefore It should
be permitted to 60 into the field OF q new
raising the money by higher prices some-
whore else. ! don't think 1t 10 necessary
for Ms to do that. / have only suggested q
plan. 1t may not be the best plan. II you
have anything better propose 1t. II there
10 any amendment that you can think Of that
will improve it, suggest 1t. l am anxious to
accept anything.
Let me suggest one other thing that be-
lieve will be a step in the right direction. The
10 has haa fbof ,r,hi la n,
denounced corporations. corporations control
tho elections and place under obligations to
them the men who are elected to enforce the
law. lApplausel. Let me propose a remedy
not . remedy but a step. l think
in the right direction. Let the laws.
State and National make It penal
offence for any corporation to contribute to the
campaign fund of any political party. tCon-
tinued cheers and appausel. Nebraska
has such law passed two years ago.
Tennessee has such law passed two
Of years ago., Such a law was passed.
or was introduced. in the State Of New York.
but so far it has not reached the stage OF actual
law In the state Of New York. Laughter
Now believe it is a step In the right d.
rection. You remem Der the testimony taken
before Senate Committee few years ago.
when the head OF the Sugar Trust testified
that the Sugar Trust made 1t its bust
hobb W CUntEiUuLe " campaign anu
when asked to which one it contributed re-
piled that 1t depended upon circumstances
ITO which fund do you contribute in Mas
sachusetts.' was asked.
ITO the Republican fund.-"
ITO which fund In New York; TO the |
Democratic fund" To which fund In New |
Jerseyl' and the man said. Well. I will have
10 look at the books. That 10 doubtful State |
CONTINUED laughter and applauseI. |
Now that Is almost literal reproduction OF |
the testimony of one great corporation on the |
subject OF campaign contributions. 1 don't |
mean TO say that that remedy. will be a COM
plete one, but | believe that when you |
prevent a corporation from contributing |
to campaign. funds that you take a step |
In the right direction toward better legisla-
tion. Because some corporations are COM
PEELED TO contribute. they are black mailed into
and such law would protect
. corporation that did not want to
anu also prevent corporation
from contributing that did want to contrib
ute. II the people are in earnest, they can do t
and you never could do anything in this
until the people are In earnest
and when the American people understand
whatnthe monopoly question means believe
that there will be no power. political financial
or otherwise to prevent the people from taking
possession OF every branch OF Govern ment. from
President to the Supreme Court. and making
the Government responsible to the peoples |
will" lCheers and applausel.
Mr.. CoCKRAN's REPLY.
Mr.. Cochran was greeted with q thunderous
burst OF applause as he IN counted the platform.
He said:
Just one moment while express my COM
plete concurrence in much that Mr.. Bryan has |
said. and my great satisfaction that he has |
taken the platform for the purpose Of restoring |
this debate to its natural limits
II there be a monopoly that Expresses, I |
believe thatthere is no constitutional llmita- |
ton. there is no provision OF government. |
thereT'is no power on earth against
thass people redressinR wrong |
whom II becomes wrong. The question to |
which I think the attention OF these confer |
onces should be directed is whether this one |
exists. and whore it s.
said yesterday that we have been suffering |
through every portion OF this discussion from |
that dangerous intox cation Of phrases which |
seem to be sufficient to sustain magnificent |
periods. and when all is over. none OF us quite |
know what We have been talking about, |
Now who is hurt and where has this octo- |
pus got possession OF somebody On whom is |
It actipg2 Where is its lair am free to con-
fess that when you call an aggregation OF cap |
ttal. combination. a hydra headed monster, |
an octopus. 1t doesn't cast any light upon 1t |
shat iumines my pathway. l can understand |
how the.use OF those phrases can have some |
effect. as nothing frghtsns people 40 much as
incomprehensible noises. Laughter and ap-
plausel. Let noise be heard here now that |
mono OF us understand ana we will all be going
out OF the window. tApplausel,
Now men can be nut to Intellectual
and physical flight by the terrifying
noises Of SOUND. What is that we hear?
Are pot we doing pretty well? Well we have
had here representatives OF labor organizations
who have been telling us that wages ara higher
to-day than they ever have been. Certainly
they do not seem to suffer We are told that 1t
is not the dollar that We want. but We want the |
man. Well. what is the purpose OF the dollar
except to improve the condition OF the man
tlaughterl.
y am told that God made man il one |
thing. a man-madc man is another. that the
God-made man is the very attribute
OF divinity and the man made man seems to
have got away from his Creator and to