The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-01-04
ANTITRUST
Tuage Mcconnell Akgeld's
Fx1end, Gzves HIS Views
on aPoLzcy1ox the Dem
0cx01zc Party.

CHICAGO. Jan. 1-Ex-Judge s. P. McCon-
nell, one Of the Illinois delegates at large
to the national Democratic convention in
1896. delivered an address before the Month
cello club yesterday. which caused a good
deal of talk among local Democrats. par
ticularly in view of the fact that he has
John P. Altgeld. The speaker began by
quoting these declarations OF the club:
I'VE oppose all trusts and monopolies in
order that wealth may not gain undue ad-
vantage and the competition shall be free
and unrestrained among the people.
I'VE oppose the single gold standard, and
favor the restoration Of bimet allism regard
less of the action or desires of any other
nation "
He said in part:
"These two declarations, in my judgment.
are expressive of the great mission of the
Democratic party. I am inclined, however.
to believe that the first includes the second,
and that the war against monopolies and
trusts means war against the single gold
standard If the contest is to De waged intel
ligently and effectively. l am certain, too,
that the first declaration requires and means
hostility to protective tariff laws. In fact,
under the encoura cement and aid of those
laws the first trusts and combinations en-
croaching upon free competition came into
existence, even after all that has been said
against combinations, trusts and monopolles,
l am far from convinced that the body of
the people adequately appreciate the great
peril to their worldly welfare springing from
this vast aggregation of capital, which are
gradually absorbing and controlling the in
dustrial activities of the country.
thousands who voted for Mr.. Mckinley
in 1896 are ready to join in campaign
to be waged against trusts combinations
and monopolies. They only need evidence
that we will fight effectively.
'There is but one plank in the platform
of 1896 which prevents these thousands being
openly and aggressively with us. They do
not believe In the reconciliation of silver
at the ratio Of 16 to 1 Of gold. They regard
it as even less defensible now than two
years ago.
''The question for us to consider is
whether we are showing appreciation of
the relative Importance of issues when we
seem to be willing to run the peril of re-
pea ting the experience of 1886 rather than
to modify our proposition regardng the ratio
between silver and gold. To my mind the
16 to proposition has always savored some
thing of superstition, and 1 have come to
believe that the best friends of bimetallism
are not those who refuse to have it accepted
upon this condition. I should begin to be
skeptical of their value as opponents of
monopoly if they persist that it must be
fought only in connection with these radical
demands for the restoration of silver at the
value it had more than a quarter of a
century ago.
with aggressive declarations in the plat
form of 1900 against trusts and monopolies
and against their great allies and supports
the gold standard and the protective tariff
without insisting on a particular value for
silver in a plan for it's reconciliation, or a
particular plan for revenue tariff and
with this same great leader (Bryan) for its
candidate. the Democratic party will be
assured of success, and the people, through
it's victory, will be assured of the blessings
Of healthy competition, freedom in trade
and honest money!"