Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-07-11

/ approved system of volunteer organiza-
tion. We denounce it as un-American,
un-Democratic and un-Republican, and
as subyersion of the ancient and fixed
principles of n free people.
TRUSTS.
Private monoplies are indefensible
and intolerable They destroy compei-
Ition. control the price of all material
and of the finished product, thus rob
bling both consumer and producer.
They lessen the employment of labor
and arbitrarily fix terms and condi-
Itions thereof, deprive individual ener-
gy and small capital of their opportun-
ity for betterment.
They are the most efficient means
yet devised for appropriating the fruits
of industry for the benefit of the few
at the expense of the many, and unless
their insatiate greed is checked all
wealth will be aggregated in few
hands and the Republic destroyed.
! The dishonest paltering with the
trust evil by the Republican party in
state and national platforms is con-
elusive proof of the truth of the
charge that trusts are the legitimate
product of Republican policies, that
they are fostered by the Republican
administration in return for campaign
subscriptions and political support
NATIONAL CONTROL.
We pledge the Democratic party to
an unceasing warfare in nation, state
and city against private monopoly in
every form. Existing laws against
trusts must he enforced, and more
stringent ones must be enacted pro-
viding for the affairs of corporations
engaged in interstate commerce and
requiring all corporations to show,
before doing business outside of the
state of their origin, that they
have no water in their stock. and that
they have not attempted, and are not
attempting, TO monopoliZe any branch
of business or the production of mer-
chandise. and the whole constitution
al power of congress over interstate
commerce. the mails and all modes of
Interstate communication shall be eX-
ercised by the enactment of compre-
hensive laws upon the subject OF trusts.
Tariff laws should be amended by
putting the products of the trusts
upon the free list to prevent monopoly
under the plea OF protection.
The failure of the present admins
tratiOn, with the absolute control over
all the branches of the national gov
lernment to enact Legislation designed
eminent to enact any legislation de-
signed to prevent or even curtail the
absorbing power of trusts and illegal
combinations. or TO enforce the anti
trus; laws already on the statute
books, proves the insincerity of the
Understanding phrases of the Repub-
lican platform.
Corporations should be protected in
jan their rights and their legitimate in
tereSt should be respected, but anv
attempt by corporations to interfere
with the public affairs of the people
or to control the sovereignty which
creates them should be forbidden
under such penalties as Will make such
attempts impossible.
We condemn the Dingley tariff law
as trust-breeding measure skillfully
devised to give the few favors which
they do not deserve and to place upon
the many burdens which they should
not bear. We favor such an enlarge
ment of the scope of the interstate
commerce law as will enable the COM
mission to protect individuals and
communities from determinations and
the pubic from UNJUST and unfair
| transportation rates.
FINANCIAL PLANK.
We re-affirm and endorse the prin-
clples of the national Democratic plat
form adopted at Chicago in 1895. and
we relterate the demand of the plat
form for an American financial svs-
tern. made by the American DeoDle
for themselves, which shall restore and
maintain n bimetallic price level. and
as part of such system the immediate
restoration of the free and unlimited
coinage of silver and gold at the pres
ent legal ratio of 16 to 1 without wait
ing for the aid or consent of any 9th
err outside nation.
! We denOunce the currency hill on
acted at the last session of congress
as a step forward in the Republican
policy which aims TO discredit the
sovereign right of the national gov
eminent to issue all money whatever.
coin or paper, and to bestow upon ma
tlonal banks the power to issue and
control the volume of paper money
for their own benefit.
NATIONAL BANK CURRENCY.
"A permanent national bank currency
secured by government bonds must
have permanent debt to rest upon.
apd II the bank currency is to in
crease with population and business
the debt must increase The Republic
an scheme as, therefore, a scheme for
Fastening upon the taxpayers a per-
petual and growing debt for the bene-
mt of the banks. We are opposed to
this private corporation paper circu-
lated as money, but without legal ten
der qualities, and demand the retire
ment of the national bank notes as
fast as government paper or silver
certlhcates can be substituted for them.
We favor an amendment to the fed
eral constitution providing for the
/ election of United States Senator's by
| direct vote of the people, and favor
direct Legislation wherever practic.
able.
= FOR LABOR.
: We are opposed to government by
5 injunction; we denounce the blacklist
and favor arbitration as a means of
t settling disputes between corporations
and their employees.
In the interest of American labor
| and upbuilding of the workingman, as
the cornerstone of prosperity of our
: country, we recommend that congress
) create department of labor in charge
OF secretary with seat in the cab
met. believing that the elevation of the