Arizona republican., 1899-05-27
JUST FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE.

It is said that Boss Croker and Will liam J. Bryan are in accord at least
 on one point, and that is that the den-
 ocratic party should make it's next campaign on the issue of antagonism | to trusts. In his speech at the anti
 trust dinner ct St. Louis Thursday
 night MT. Bryan frothed about trusts.
 While he referred to silver it was
 plain to all that the idea of a campaign
 based on opposition to the trusts was
 uppermost in his mind. "A story has
 been published to the effect that when
 MT. Bryan was in New York recently he had a conference with one of the
 most aggressive and intrepid free sill
 yer leaders of the New Jersey democ-
 racy in 1896. upon the political situa-
 ton, and that it was agreed that some
 of the other influential New Jersey
 democrats should soon be called to-
 gether tc take measures for raising the anti trust banner in that state And in an interview held with Boss Croker
 on the eve of his departure for Europe.
 that worthy, while reiterating his
 opinion that Bryan and his sixteen to
 one idea would not dc at all fer the
 democratic party as a presidential
 nominee and issue for 1900, and re-
 serving as yet his preference as to
 candidate. suggested that opposition
 to trusts would do very well as an
 issue fer the democratic party Now
 there are serious obstacles in that Gi- lection. One is that there is no honest chance to make the question of trusts a political one at al. There is no more reason to connect the republican party with the promotion or cham pionship of trusts than there is to charge the democratic party with it. There has been, as everybody knows, no partnership about this matter a:l all. It is a purely commercial one Democratic and republican capitalists alike have organized and put their money in trusts, and it would be hard to tell which party has done so the 1 more numerous.y when it comes to l counting noses among the individuals | interested in great corporate enter | priseS. MT. Croker himself has been | active in the business, as the records of New Jerseys inoorporations show. William c. Whitney, another demo- cratic leader of national fame, is also 3 great magnate among the trusts Senator James Smith, Jr, Allan L. McDermott, and scores of other influ- ential New Jersey democrats are up to lheir Hecks in corporation business The late Roswell P Flo yer, he last democratic governor Of New York, was one of the irst to take advantage of Delaware's Jew corporation act, and was to have been the president of one of the big 5est of the trusts that have been in by that state, with an au- horized capital of seventeen millions If dollars, which aims to control the business of incandesoent lighting. Mr Flower was also one of the incorpor- Ltors and directors Of the big copper rust just organized under New Jer- ey's law. But it is unnecessary to multiply examples of leading demo- rats who are controlling spirits in 1 rusts, although the list might be in
 extended. Now while it night be cruel for the republicans to eprive the democrats of an issue when he latter are in such desperate need { f one, it is possible that just this ruelty may be perpatrated. The anti ,, rust idea has not yet been patented or exempted. The republicans have ( lst as much right to plant themselves ! pon it as the democrats have, and in Z averal of the states the former party 5 likely to do this very thing If in / ny case the democrats should get the tart, all that the republicans would ave to do would be to say,"We have i C quarrel to wage on that issue. We l re just as much opposed to trusts as ( he democrats are'' C