The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-01
MISSION OF DEMOCRACY
Opposition to Trusts and to the
Gold Standard
AND WAR ON PROTECTION
Judge Mcconnell Objects to Insistence
on the Ratio OF 16 to l, Which He
Calls Superstition-Bryan
the Logical Leader.

Chicago, Dec 31.-ExJudge S. P. Nc
at large to the national democratic
convention in 1896, delivered an address
before the Monticello club to-day, which
caused good deal of talk among local
democrats, particularly in view of the.
fact that he has been a close political
associate of Ex-Governor John p. Att
geld. The speaker began by quoting
these declarations of the club:
1--WE oppose all trusts and monopolies
in order that wealth may not gain un-
due advantage and that competition
shall be free and unrestrained among
the people.
I've oppose the single gold standard
and favor the restora ton of bimetal-
ism, regardless of the action or desire
of any other nation"
He said in part:
"These declarations in my Judgment,
are expressive of the great mission of
the democratic party. | am inclined,
however, to believe that the tirSt in
cludes the second, and that the war
against monopolies and trusts means
war against the single gold standard,
if the contest is to be waged intelligent-s
ly and effectively. | am certain that
the first declaration requires and means
hostility to protective tariff laws. In
fact, under the encoura cement and aid
of these laws. the first trusts and COM
binations encroachng upon free COM
petition We're called into existence.
Even after all that has been said
against combinations trusts and mon
opolies, I am far from convinced that
the body of the people equally appre-s
n hnir pnr15 W
welfare springing from these vast ag-
gregations of capital, which are grad
ually absorbing and controlling the in
dustrial activity of the country.
Thousands who voted for Mckinley
in 1896 are ready to join US in a cam
paign to be waged against trusts, COM
binations and monopolies. They only
needed evidence that we will fight eff
fectively. There is but one plank In
the platform of 1896 which prevents
these thousands being openly with u.s.
They do not believe in the re-monetiza-
tion of silver at the ratio of is to cf
gold. They regard it as even less de-
fensible now than two years ago. The
question for us to consider is whether
We are showing an appreciation of the
relative Importance of issues when we
seem to be willing to run the peril of
repeating the experience of 1896 rather
than to modify our proposition regard
To my mind, the 16 to ! proposition has
always savored something of supersti-
ton and / have come to believe that the
best friends of bimetallism are not
those who refuse to have it except on
this condition. l should begin to be
skeptical of their value as opponents
of monopoly if they persist that it must
be fought only in connection with those
radical demands for the restoration of
silver at the value it had more than a.
quarter of a century ago. With aggres-
sive declarations in the platform of 1900
against trusts and monopolies and
against their allies and supports-the.
gold standard and protective tariff
without insisting on a particular value
for silver in plan for its remonetiza-
tion or a particular schedule for a. rev.,
enue tariff and with the same great
leader, Bryan, for its candidate. the
democratic party will be assured OF
success and the people, through its
victory will be assured of the blessings
of healthy competition, freedom in trade
and honest money