The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-14

lie welfare shall thereby suffer, the re-
sponsiblity will be his
MIR. Belmont continued: I'VE all
agree that the democratic party should
have for its cornerstone the doctrines
indicated by jefferson. One was the
supremacy of the civil over the mill
tary authority but that does not re-
quire a national democratic convention
to prescribe to- congress the size of
standing army. Another was honest
| friendship with all nations. entangling
| alliances with none but that would
| not justify a national democratic con-
vention indicating to a democratic
president the details of his diplomacy
| to preserve such friendship and avoid
| such alliances. third was honest
| payms, Mt of our debts. sacred preserva-
ton OF the public faith. encouragement
| of agriculture and commerce., but that
does not compel a democratic national
| convention to endeavOr to prevent DEM
| ocrats in any congressional district
from expressing their preference re-
garding the details which will best en-
force the doctrine. 1t will be said that
| jefferson was man of peace So was
| the democracy he founded party of
| peace. excepting when war becomes
| necessary, as it did a year ago. Then
democrats in congress and in the field
upheld the flag Of our country with
their votes and with their lives
Mr.. Belmont INTRODUCED Augustus
Van Wyck by referring to the latter's
canvass for governor. He said Justice
Van Wyck had conducted a campaign
with honor to himself and credit to the
| democracy. Justice Van WyCk was
greeted with great applause. Justice
! Van Wycks references to trusts, the
state canals and the "inadvisability
of an alliance with Great Britain
seemed to attract more attention than
i tt,tt1
were appauded with much show Of
spirit.
John b. stanchfield. responding to
Thomas jefferson" had much diff
Guilty in making himself heard.
After referring to the many evidences
of the superiority of skill and genius
Of the American people, Judge Van
Wyck said:
That a country shall be great com
mercially several things must coexist
within its borders. 1t must have the
necessary natural resources; its people
must be skilful and industrious, enter
prise must be fostered by Just laws and
the spur of free competition, and. final
ly. as the very cornerstone of the whole
structure. the sense of individual honor
must be sustained in full life.
"Of these features there are perhaps
only two not plainly in operation in the
whole circle Of our industries to-day.
| Abundance Of our natural resources
| there is no room to doubt. The skill
= and readiness to labor of our people are
not less evident. The plain American
has never been surpassed as a whole
hearted believer in the gospel of honest
toll Nor, happily, is it open to ques-
ton that our merchants exhibit in all
their dealings as fine a sense of honor
as can be found within the compass of
n the globe.
Commerce one of the civilizers of
the world is a necessary element in the
preservation of the prosperity and the
happiness of our country. 1t must be
fostereG.. nrst, by the freeit competition
between our own people in ali ZONE IN
terprises. securing for them unt,am-
mele1 business intercourse and en-
largeG opportunities for individual ad-
vancemcnt. and, second. by the freest
competition between the internal
freight lines from and to the seaboard,
securing the lowest practical freight
rates to the ocean for all kinds of pro-
ducts.
Il venture to affirm, however. that
something remains to be desired in
these two particulars. | mean in re-
Spect to just laws and the spur to free
competition. The laws are not just
which burden the many to the end that
! favorites may grow fat, as in the case
under our So-Called protective tariff
and when mOnopolies are suffered to
lay their hands on the throat of in
dividual enterprise, the spur of free
competition is blunted if not destroyed
The tariff has been one prolific
source of monopoly. and the mOnstrOus
misuse of the franchise-g giving power
another. Our iron, steel, coal and sugar
trusts may be taken as examples of
what the tariff has brought to pass,
While in the consolidation of our rail
roads, gas companies, electric light
companies, we have illustrations of
what has been and is being accom-
plished under the Legislative power ia
!, bestow valuable rights upon private
[ corporations Into the details of our
existing tariff I shall not enter a t pres
ent. but | shall challenge any of its
t supporters to name q single considera-
t Bile branch of industry over which its
so-called protection has been extended
which is not now controlled by a con-
! federacy of conspirators against com
petition
Judge Van Wyc1 read statement
from the Journal of Commerce relative
to the great growth of trusts and com
binations of capital in the past year
| 1t showed that the immense combina
l tions had increased from 200 in number
l to 1858, and have issued stock to the
= amount of $5,11S, 100000 and bonds ag-
/ gregating STA, 4,3S9.000 This, it further
| stated. is 80 per cent. of the entire
$ manufa cturing in 1890 Judge Van
! Wyck then went on to argue that this
| process of consolidating the various
| branches of business will eventually
make it impossible for an individual tC
| engage in any kind of business with
his own capital
s. He continued: When we are invited
! gentlemen, to find reasons for the con-
t tinued existence of the democratic par
, ty. we can am persuaded, accommo-
date the inquirer out of the easily YER
flied body of facts here called attention
to. l do not go so far as to say that
there are no other questions of large
t significance to which the democratic
| party in the national field ought tc
give it's best thought. There are Other
questions, but if there be not in these
: (of the tariff and of the trusts, witt
! ! their death to free competition and in.
: ! dividual enterprise) ground enough fol
: a successful appeal to an enlightened
peOnle DO1iticll eXDeTience in the Unit.