The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-09-07
A uOISE DIVIDED.

notifies Who would have thought few
years ago that there would be such
turn round in the politics Of Kentucky
MS that the louisville Courier-Journal
would be supporting the regular Demo
cratic ticket while the Louisville Dispatch
would be leading q boiling movement?
Who would have supposed that the Louis
willie Courier-Journal would be standing
FOR party regularity and the Louisville
Dispatch proclaiming that there came
time every now and then when the honest
man was compelled by conscience TO
break away from the party organization
and refuse to be whipped into measures
by the party lash?
Yet that is the condition in Kentucky
to-day. and more than that the Dispatch
IS now taking issue with Hon. William j.
BRYAN on his latest proposition to amend
the Constitution Of the United States so
as 20 require a license from the National
Government to any corporation engaged
I'm interstate trade. The Dispatch says
that there are many individuals and cor
poratlons doing business I'm more than
one state which are. in no sense. trusts
to which such plan would be hard
shin If il were not constructed with great
care and adds that until Mr.. Bryan has
elaborated the idea 1t IS unable 10 see
the practicabnlty and value Of the sug-
gestion.
With this as an Introduction. our Louis
willie contemporary. which had up 20 this
time been in thorough accord with every
suggestion that had emanated from Mr..
Bryan. proceeds 10 discus the trust ques-
ton. and proclaims as boldly as ever
THE Times did that consolidation is the
order of the day. and is necessary TO the
conduct of great enterprises. "All the
manufactures and trusts" it says, "are
now conducted on a larger scale than
ever before Larger capital IS required
10 embark in any branch Of industry or
commerce than ever before Considerable
concentration Of capital is absolutely es-
sential 10 carry on the business Of the
country"
As If that were not enough # says that
"the concentration and combination of
capital and industrial efforts result from
the natural evolution of industry"
This is Times doctrine through and
through. II is what we have preached
day IN and day out and has been the
basis of almost every article that we
have ever written on the subject OF
trusts.
Again our contemporary says: "F'ro-
gress is constructive rather than destruc-
tive. The Democratic party must be
progressive party. There are industrial
conditions which cannot be ignored
Here is more Times doctrine. The anu-
trust people say ON the one hand that
the great bulk of business i'm this country
is now carried on by the trusts. and then
turn around and say that in order to im-
prove conditions the trusts must be de-
stroved. We say that to destroy the
trusts that IS TO say the great corpora
tions of the country. were to destroy the
great industries of the country and para
I'VE trade No party can take such a pc
sitlon and hope to gain the support Of the
people
once more our free silver contemporary
I'm Louisville says that what the Demo-
cratic party should set out 70 do is 10
reform the tariff to withdraw the tariff
protection which now sustains so many
trusts. and adhere strictly TO the good
old Democratic principle of equal rights
to all special privileges to none"
Up TO this point our contemporary has
preached tho doctrine Of The Times
through and through, and up TO this
point The Times and the Louisville Dis
patch stand on the same platform. But
the conclusion at which our Louisville
contemporary arrives is as far from the
poslticn held 10y The Times as the east
is from the west The Dispatch is not
willing 10 stop right here and let this
question be regulated by the natural
laws OF trade, but after having preached
the soundest sort Of Democracy winds it
all up by saying strange TO relate, that
all natural mouopoies should be owned
and controlled by the government. In
short, our contemporary reasons from
Democratic principles TO Socialistic con-
clusions a process that is wholly radically
illogical.
And yet we must say that the Dispatch
is more logical than Mr.. Bryan is Mr.
BRYAN wants to destroy states rights
and yet give the country only partial con-
troll of the corporations. The Dispatch
saws that If Socialism IS a good thing
the more Of II the better. and that com
plete Socialism is better than halfway
measures There IS no middle ground
between Democracy and Socialism.