The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-05-31
BRYAN'S VOICE
AGAINST TRUSTS.
Great Gathering of Anti-Mo.
nopolists in St. Louis.

The mammoth Democratic ant;
trust banquet was held in St Louis
Mo on May 25th and was partici
<pated in by 1,445 banqueters.
The table of honor was placed O
raised platform at the rorth side q
the arena and at it were seated Hon
W j Bryan, ex Governor John P
Altgeld, 0. P q Belmont, M. C
Wetmore, Harry B. Eawes, presi
dent of the Jefferson club, unde
whose auspices the dinner was given
hon Champ Clark, Hon David A
DeArmond and number of otbe,
prominent Democrats.
Tbe dinner was concluded at S
O'Clock. It was strictly a love feast
BY the time the tables were cleared
the 5000 seats Of the amphitheatre
were filled with spectators represent
ing the society of St Louis, and the
speaking began. The first speaker
OF the evening was Harry B Hawes,
president of the Jefferson club, who
delivered the address of welcome
President Hawes was followed by
Hon Champ Clark of Missouri, who
presented the State and district ban,
Ders in the name of the State commit
tee Mr. Clark was greeted with a
tremendous ovation
"Trusts and Democracy" occupied
Col NJ. G. Wetmore of St Louis but
a few minutes His remarks were
greeted with cheers
He was followed by Hon. David
b. DeAFmond of Missouri, who spoke
upon "trusts and its parents -
A FLATTERING RECEPTION
The applause which me. Mr..
Bryan was of the most fattering
description The cheers drowned
the music which struck up "Hold
the Fort" as be advanced to the
front of the rostrum.
Mr. Bryan spoke as follows:
"An actor who visited Nebraska
recently. upon learning from a Re.
publican that confidence had been
restored. remarked tnat be had ex
amined Webster's dictionary to learn
what confidence meant and found
confidence defined az trust and
then be understood that confidence
had been really restored.
"More trusts have been formed
1uring the last two years than exist.
ID at the beginning of the present
administration, and the nominal cap
talization of trusts now in existence
approaches, if i. does not equal in
the worlds total supply of
,old and silver.
"The influence Of these trusts has
'ecome SO enormous that the people,
without respect to party, are asking
hemselvea how the evil can be rene
led.
"Ihe purpose of the trusts is to
oDtrol the product of some article of
,erchandise, and the methods en-
loyed are, first, the union of all
adividual factories under ~one man
cement or in one corporation, and, !;
econd, Che crushing out of new :,
vals. a. monopoly, when once ..
omplete, not only dictates terms to :
'ose who buy the product, but it ,, ,
so dictates terms to those who sell
e raw material and to those who
rnish the labor If the trusts are
emitted to continue we shall find .
industrial aristocracy growing up
the United States which will prove
destructive of our ideals as a land.
aristocracy would
"rhe principle of monopoly is in. T
mpatible with our institutions. -
ans necessities compel him to :, -
come purchaser. and where there -;
but one seller the purchaser is p
mpletely at the mercy of the seller =, ~
here there is competition between of
oducers, the purchase. is sure 10 !,
tain what he wants at reasonable =, -
ice When competition is elimi-
ted the price is controlled not by n
'son, but by the greed of the one q,
10 possesses the monopoly. tb
has been said that the power ~, ~
tax is a power to destroy. 4 %
nopoly possesses the power 70 tax; n:
can levy such assessments as it
Il upon the purchaser, and we can O.,
more afford to permit such n, ~
1er 10 be exercised by private n,
ividuals than to use the machinery -
taxation in order to enrich himself ~
he expense of his fellows: ~.
CAN BE REGULATED tre
The government would be guilty rel
gross neglect if it permitted an tur
lVldual to secure monopoly even wo
hout legislative assistance, but it zat
till more cuIpable, if by legislative to