New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-02
THE WESTERN TACTICS.

Tho b,meto,Iists are in favor OF Bryan, OF
course But their talk and his betrays desire
70 shirk the monetary question in the campaign
hoforo tho people. using it chiefly as chain
ond handouts 10 prevent the party getting away
trom tbom. Having forcibly seized the Demo
cratic marty in 1896 the bmetallc conspiracy
intends to keep party and organization anu ~
use them rs It pleases The great Issue OF I'D 10
Is inst the thing TO shut Eastern Democrats anu
all the old leaders OF the party out OF all sIiaie
in It's control Then the management can shape
ifs campaign as 1t may see ut, forcing o'he'
issues TO the front If they are thought hkey ~
secure more popular support. There Is no. 'acA'
ing evidence that this is the nlatured purpose
aItreld's speech before the Bimetallic League
disclosed clearly the tendency OF his schemes
and his reception indicated general approval
Altgeld evidently calculates that the country
can be swept by fierce attack on trusts' IL
does not matter in the least TO him tnat rus's
have practically ceased to exist, so that almost
ovorv sentence he uttered about their muitlph-
cotion and their mower was an impudent false
hood rho average voter he calculates, will not
oooso IN sunnose that the industrial consolda-
tlons. now so rapidly multiplying are essen
tally evasions Of antitrust laws, ana IN Ill ~
spects as obnoxious TO public interests as tue
,ruot organizations and as hostile to the intent
of antitrust laws. To give dog pad nanio
is an opportunity for advantage which no uenid.
rooue will overlook. The fact tnat the sie"'
corporations recently formed have necessary
conditions Of their existence when sepala'o
them widely from the trusts, for when III sonlo
coses they are substituted, will be ignored as
far ms possible by those whose purpose 10 ho'
the public welfare, but seiflsh ad'an.aso'
Whatever objections exist TO these corpora'ion''
thev are nj least entitled to be judged 1or Wna'
they are. and not buried under odlum as II tney
wore something else But TO Altgeld ana MS as
soc,ates II makes not the slightest difference
whether the charges are true or false II only
they catch votes.
II will he observed that the Tammany Han
dinner which Mr.. Bryan did not attend as II
was not loyal to silver, started this crusade
against trusts as a means OF avoioin2 the
monetary issue. When Van Wyck opened nre'
much as Altgeld does, 1t was unders'oou 'n',.
tho now issue was expected to overshadow all
others so far that the National Convention
woud with enthusiasm admit all ah'l-uuo'
Democrats, whether silver Democrats OF hot.
The Western bimetalfists now meet tnls tac'icii
device by attacking trusts as bitterly as any
bodv can, but meanwhile insisting upon tne
nlatform of 1896. When the delegates are Try
inc IN got into the Convention the 10-to-l dogiha
will be held the test of loyalty to the party AIel
the platform and ticket have been frameu anu
tbo committee formed which Will nave charSe
of the campaign. then the cry against trustS " III
he made loud enough in the States not IanaticHi
about oliver 10 drown everything else. IL may
&c we'll be recognized that the long neaueu poh'
,,oions who manage the silver conspiracy are
ou-are of their weakness on that issue IN states
necessary TO an election. They want success
and care little Oh what pretence " may NC
gained
Noithor Altreld nor Van Wyck nor anybody
olse has vet tried TO suggest any pracucal rem
edv for the evils they denounce. Aitgeiu as
.or,s tbot tho National law has proved lmpo-
-. +horch II has I'm fact driven the trusts out
If business He asserts that STATE laws arc
noverless. because the United States Judges
hold them unconstitutional, but offers not nih'
NJ the kind of law which would not DC set asi'e
ON that ground and would restrict the power Vi
combinations This Is the true Democrauc way
of dealing with new problems. Violent rhe'oie'
unrestrained by regard for truth, Is eApecteu W
win votes. Afterward absolute failure 10 w
ANYTHING will be excused, as absolute failure 10
,o,do,ote about trusts in the last Democratic
Congress was excused. because time was lack
inc or other subjects had precedence, or on some
other plea. But the voters in this case, as III
others are going to inquire of rival candidates,
"\yhat are YOU going to do about it,! They VIII
insist upon having some definite mode OF treat,
mont proposed which they can judge ana ABOUT
r,hich they can cast their votes 1t Is sale 10
,rodict that the Democratic party VIII nave
none TO offer