The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-17

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
Just now IL seems hard 10 guess what bat
tie cry our friends, the Democratic party,
will adopt in the 1900 political fight. Will It,
be anti-gold standard, antitrust, anti
expansion. anti-tariff or a combined trust
OF all four? Suppose 1t will make no diff
ference what the anti is, we will see the
anti and stay in. 1 don't believe they can
win on a bluff. / think this years great
volume Of business. the increased number
of people employed and at better wages.
settles the first and last anti l believe l
am more liberal than w. ]. Bryan and other
OF their leaders. for 1 do not believe any
political party favors trusts as We under
stand trusts. i will admit, as a Republican,
that trusts can be formed somewhat easier
under a Republican administration than a
Democratic. and why? Because there Is no
use for a trust or combination to advance
prices and control the output OF an article
unless you have a market for the article.
Only a short time back IL would have been
impossible and folly 10 do so, II possible, for
half the factories were closed and there was
no market for what was made; hence no
need for combination. In one way you can
kill trusts; that is. stop the demand. When
you see trusts forming and strikes plenty
YOU will ind the business OF the country
booming. Not that we can't have business
without trusts and strikes. but we certainly
cannot have trusts and strikes unless We
AVE business going on. and going hard at
that. If the Republican party Is TO blame
Tor trusts and strikes, you must also give
the same party credit for the great volume
of business being done to-day and for the
increased amount of labor employed. / fail
to see, though, where Mr.. Bryan ever men
tons the amount OF business doing; he
never shows up the difference in our ex-
ports and our imports. the increase of cir
culation per capita. the gold increase in this
country. etc. Let foreigners read one Of his
speeches and they would think we were
about ready TO wind up the affairs Of this
country and quit. He lays great stress on
the number OF commercial travellers that
have lost their jobs on account of trusts.
Some have done so. / will admit, and regret,
but not as many as under the last Demo-
cratic administration / speak OF this be-
cause he claims the present administration
caused these men TO lose their situations.
For one commercial traveller. i believe the
party that can. with an empty treasury,
prosecute a foreign war, more than double
the business OF the country, and have plenty
OF money worth 100 cents 10 the dollar, is
perfectly able and will make laws sufficient
20 protect the people. one and all, against
all combinations OF capital. The best anti
trust law ever made was in the Mckinley
tariff law. and IL was killed by the Demo-
Democratic Senate. when the Republican
lower house passed IL in the Dingley law.
If you don't believe this, read the Mckinley
bill and then the Wilson bill.
/ believe there are to-day more CONNER
cial travellers employed counting those out
on account OF trusts than eighteen months
ago. / also believe the combinations OF
trusts will never reach 10 the extent that
some fear. There IL too much money seek
Ing investment in this ountry for these
trusts 10 prove q success. Still. i may be
wrong, and am certainly ready al any and
all times 10 do anything that will better my
or my fellow-friends condition. Just now
! am for the gold standard. the present tariff
law. against trusts, and i believe IN keeping
al the territory we have and all we can get.
Indianapolis. July l6. w. II. n.