The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-29
THE TRUSTS ARE
ABOVE THE LAW
Opinion Of Attorney General
Griggs Causes e Stir IN Re-
publican Camp.

Washington, March 81 -Whew !!
such rumpus has not taken place
during the present administration as
is now raging around the head OF
Attorney General Griggs. It's all
about letter that Griggs wrote
about trusts, containing opinions that
the remainder of the administration
are afraid to stand for Some cf his
fellow members Of the cabinet have
said few things to Griggs. but it is
understood that their remarks will be
entirely forgotten when Mr. McKin-
ley returns and empties the vials of
his wrath on him. Some of the ad-
miDistration hangers on say that
Griggs was buncoed into writing
the letter by his correspondent, who
asked for the information, stating
that he was republican and that
be would not have written it had he
supposed it would be published. Of
course, everybody knew that the
administration was not unfriendly to
the trusts. with which Boss Hanna
has such close business relations, but,
in defereuce to voters who do not
share in the profits of the trusts. it
has been understood by those who
are close 70 the throne that an anti
trust plank was TO be inserted in the
next republican platform. meaning
less of course, to head off the demo
cratic claim that the republicans are
responsible for all the trusts Nj.
Griggs must have known this. Yet,
he wrote as follows, to a correspond
ent unknown to him personally, con
cerning trusts "As matter OF fact,
all of the companies which you
refer to as now organizing for the
purpose of securing complete or
partial monopoly of different branches
of manufacture, are similar to the
sugar combination, and are not
within the Jurisdiction Of the Federal
courts If amenabie to any law
they are amenable to the laws Of the
respective states" But the following
was the gem of the letter "With
reference to these large combinations
of capital, which are now forming,
my own judgment is that the danger
is not 80 much to the community at
large as it is to the people who are
induced to put their money into the
purchase of the stock" There is
nothing in this situation to make
democrats mad, but a prominent
republican, after number of funprinta-
BILE thisgs, said "The attorney
general has gratuitously made the
announcement that the government
is powerless to prevent or regulate
the formation of combinations Of
capital TO control the manufacture Of
the aecessaries of life, and he winds
up this remarkable statement with q
Alppant remark about the danger of
Investing in trust stocks. Mr Griggs
is in fair way to become a second
BurchaEd to the republican party :"
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, who
never minces words when he express.
es an opinion, said Of Col. Bryan's
refusal to attend the Belmont Jeffer
son banquet "Bryan made the bit
of his career when he refused to
attend the Belmont $40 dinner Not
one of the crowd would ever vote
the democratic ticket anyhow. Bry-
ans position brings him closer to
the people. Consorting with rene,
gades would estrange them from him.
He will certainly be renominated in
1900. The Chicago platform will be
reaffrmed, and the democracy will
win !"
The heavy price of American life
and blood paid for our new victories
over the Filipinos in the heavy fight.
ing Of the last three days, in conse-
quence of the movement of Gen. Otis
against Aguinaldo, adds interests to
this plain talk from Senator Mason,
"s pronounced change of sentiment
among men with whom talk Sub
stantial business men who three
months ago were red hot for expau.
sion, now say they have had enough
of it. | ask them how about the
pestige of their country. and they say
they care little about prestige derived
from conquering such men, but that
the taxes resulting are what they fear
The idea of calling those Filipinos
rebels as some of our newspapers
persist in doing is unjust They
wanted independence from the start
and they said SO They will always
hate US and nothing is to gained by
conqueriDg them. Even if we do
overcome them, they will turn around
and poison our people. have just
learned from the surgeon generals
Office that 81 per cent of our men