The San Francisco call., 1899-10-25
TRUSTS AND CURRENCY REFORM

c ENATOR ALLISON in opening the Repub-
lican campaign in Iowa notably strong in
- his declarations concerning the action likely TO
be taken by the Republicans OF Congress this winter
IL dealing with questions OF currency reform and the
regulation OF trusts those two issues having been
given considerable importance in the campaign by
the Democrats who have charged the Republican
party with being favorable and with playing
fast and loose with the financial issue. These mat
ters are OF concern TO the whole nation and it is
therefore gratifying that the Senator spoke OF them
rather than OF some local question, for no Senator
can speak for Repubcanism with more authority
than Allison.
"The Republican party" said he, "has not hesi-
tated to deal with the question OF trusts in the past
and will not shrink from dealing with it now" He
went on to point out that the has been raised
by the natural evolution OF our economic life and
that the solution OF its problems requires the highest
abilities and the best purposes OF earnest students
At present il is and cannot be made party ques
ton since all parties agreed that trusts should
be subject to regulation for the purpose Of prevent
ing such evils as may develop in them but no party
as yet has formulated any definite plan or policy OF
regulation Congress- said he, and the various State
legislatures will after full debate legisate in such
way as TO minimize if not wholly eradicate the per
nicious features OF such combinations, and to that
end the best men OF DOtn parties shOuiQ ana QOuDt
less will work together.
The currency question is a party question and
Senator Allison confirmed the expectations OF those
who look to the Republican majority In Congress
to assure currency reform at the coming session
Upon that point he said:
at is the purpose OF the Republican party which
has constantly sustained our system Of sound money
based upon the gold standard to continue to nain-
tain ital OF it. whether silver or paper-at parity
with and convertible directly indirectly into gold
at the will OF the holder and it will be maintained in
the future, not by the voice OF party but by the voice
OF the American people, and the laws upon our
statute books upon this subject will be invigorated
and strengthened to maintain it and preserve it. and to
make impossible for any Secretary of the Treasury
or any President by his fiat and without positive
affirmative legislation OF Congress to force upon the
people in some hour OF temporary depression or of
national slumber the deprecated standard OF silver
money, or place any OF our money premium OF
discount"
1t is to be noted that Congressman Henderson,
who will be the Speaker OF the House, in recent
speech has taken exactly the ground of Senator Ali
son on both these issues. There should be abso-
lutey no party politics. he said "on the trust oues
ton. The party person who attempts to make
political capital out Ct it is neither wise nor fair The
party that does it is controlled by dernagogues and
/ the person who does it is demagogae." Concern
ing the financial question he said ~ predict that
Republican Congress will legislate at the coming
session to increase the confidence OF the peo-
pie establish firmly the gold standard of the civil
lied world and let the people know that all their
obligations will be discharged on safe, firm basis >