The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-06-07
BRYAN
DENOUNCED THE TRUSTS
Spoke at St Louis 20 Over 5000 People And
Aroused Great Enthusiasm.
BATTLE OF 1900 NOW ON.

The antitrust" banquet at st. Louis
last Thursday was a great success and
many prominent Democrats throughout
the nation were present. Over $500
people Were seated when the speaking
began. TOT. w. ]. Bryan was greeted
with the most fiattering applause while
being introduced, and the cheers
drowned the music of band as he ad
vanced to the front OF the rostrum.
He spoke as follows:
An actor who visited Nebraska recent
ly upon learning from a Republican
that confidence had been restored, re-
marked that he had examined Web
ster's dictionary to learn what 'confi-
dence" meant, and found confdencede
fined as trust" and then he under
stood that confidence had been really
restored.
More trusts have been formed dur
ing the last two years than existed at
the beginning of the present administra-
ton, and the nominal capitalization OF
the trusts now in existence approaches,
il it does not equal in amount, the
worlds total supply of gold aud silver.
The influence Of these trusts has become
so 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 merchan-
disc, and the methods employed are,
first the union Of all individual facto-
ries under one Management or in one
corporation, and second, the crushing
out OF new rivals. a monopoly, when
once complete,not only dictates to those
who buy the product, but it also die
tates to those who sell the raw material
and to those who furnish the labor. If
trusts be permitted to continue we
shall find an industrial aristocracy
growing up in the United States which
will prove as destructive of our ideals
as landed aristocracy wonld
The principle of monopoly is incom-
patible with our Constitution. Mans
necessities compel him 10 become a
purchaser, and where there Is but one
seller the purchaser is complete al the
mercy of the seller. Where there Is
competition between producers,the pur-
chaser is sure to obtain what he wants
at "A reasonable price. When COMPETE
ton is eliminated, the price is control
led, not by reason, but by the greed Of
the one who POSSESSES the monopoly.
1t has been said that the power to tax
is power To destroy. A monopoly pos
session the power to tax and levy such
assessments as it will upon the purchas-
er, and We can no more afford to per-
init such power to be exercised by PR
vate individuals than we could afford
to authorize private individual to use
the machinery of taxation in order to
enrich himself at the expense of his
fellows.
The Government would be guilty OF
gross neglect if 1t permitted an individ-
ual to secure a monopoly, even without
legislative assistance, but it is still more
culpable il legislative act it furnishes
the means by which a monopoly is Sc
cured. The corporation is the means
now employed by those who seek to Sc
cure monopoly. Since the corpora
ton is a fictitious person, created by
law, the power that creates can regulate
restrain or annihilate. To say that the
Government is impOtent to prevent
the organizations of trusts is to say
that il has called into existence fctit
iOus person, and that the fictitious per
son created has become greater thar
the creator.
One of the difficulties which has been
encountered in opposing trusts is thai
the trust hides behind the Federal Con
stitutiOn when attacked by State legisla
ton and shields itself behind its Stat,
charter when attacked in the Fedora
courts. No remedy will be complete
that is not co-extensive with the Fed
eral Government. Ii the extinguish
ment of trusts is lift to State Legislation
the public at large will be victimized al
long as a single State will furnish rob