Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-19

wages was never in our history as high
as now.
Passing over, for the moment. the
events associated with the war, let me
refer briefly to other legislation Of the
past four years.
We passed a national bankrupt act, q
measure rendered essential by four years
OF democratic rule, n under its bene1-
cent provisions, thousands of honest men
who were engulfed in disaster because
of the blight Of the democratic policy,
are again enabled to transact business
and share the blessings Of republican
prosperity.
For half a century the Hawaiian
Islands, a menace to the long line of
coast which skirts our Pacific slope, have
been knocking for admission as part Of
our territory, and during that period the
publicly expressed opinion Of both politi-
cal parties favored their annexation.
-Four times have they been occupied by
European powers, and as aften have we
compelled their abandonment because it
was essential that they should never be
occupied by any foreign power. Finally,
after years of mtsgOvernment by native
rulers, the gallant descendants of Ameri-
a merchants Inc missionaries made
proffer again of these valuable possess
sions to this country, ASKING only to come
under our flag and dominion. A demo-
cratic president ~repudiated the offer, and
sought to assist in restoring the former
corrupt n oppressive ruler. 1t was left
for this administration to make them a
part of American territory. They are on
the way to u lands in the southern
seas; every instinct of self-protection
should have prompted our quick accept
ance of their sovereignty, and yet they
were acquired in spite of the bitter OPP
position of almost every democrat in con-
gress.
During the last administration an offer
of settlement was made to the Pacific
railroads which would ha~ brought us
AZ million dollars out of the 70 million
dollars due us in principal and interest.
President Mckinley, refusing to consider
as binding h former offer, ana acting
within the authority of congress collect
ed every dollar of both principal and in
terest due from the Union Pacific COM
pany, and the principal of the debt due
from the Kansas Pacific. We saved more
than 20 millions of dollars over the offer
of settlement made by Mr.. Cleveland, and
ave collected all of the principal and
most of the interest due us. Thus was
this transaction closed, n has since
been followed by a settlement of the debt
of the Central Pacific railroad, calling for
every dollar of principal and interest Of
the debt, amounting to So millions. More
than 35 years ago a republican admins
tration lent the credit of the country to
the building of the great iron band that
was to link together the east and the
west, lent it not in times Of peace but
when our country was in the throes Of
civil war. The area to be penetrated
was then unsettled and unknown. 1t is
now a great empire, rich, prosperous and
which made the highway possible, has
been returned to them in overlooking
measure.
AS TO TRUSTS.
Whenever a republican administration
is in power there is constant talk of
trusts. The reason isn't far to seek. Ag-
~gregations and combinations of capital
find their only encouragement in prosper
GUS days and widening commerce. Demo-
cratic administration in this country has
universally meant industrial s%tagnation
and commercial depression, when capital
seeks a hiding place instead of invest
ment. The republican party has always
maintained that any combination having
for it's purpose the cOrnering of a market
or the raising or controlling of the price
of the nc cessaries of life was unlawful
and should be punished, and a commits
sion appointed by the president under act
of congress has made careful investiga-
ton and will soon present a full report
Of the best method of dealing with this
intricate question. We shall meet it in
some efficient way and, as a party, shall
have the courage to protect every class
of our citizens. There was never a bet
ter tim to deal with it than now, hen
there isn't in this broad land a man will
ing to work who doesn't find employment
at fair wages, and when the clamor of
, the agitator who seeks the conf1scation
and not regulation, falls on dead ears and
finds no response from the artisans in
our busy workshops.
The campaign four years ago was
fought on the currency question. The
populistic democracy insisted that the
United States alone should embark on the
free coinage of silver at the ratio of is to
other nation. The republican party in
sisted that the question of bimetallism
vas international, and that until it
should be settled under agreement with
the leading commercial nations of the
world, gold should continue to be the
standard of value in these United States.
Upon that issue we ~triumphed. In ac-
cordance with the pledge of the party an
honest effort was made to reach some
international solution of the question.
I The effort failed of accomplishment. The
mints of the countries of Europe We're
open for the coinage of gold alone. The
vast discoveries of Alaska, South Africa,
and our own country, have furnished a
steadily increasing volume of gold, and.
with the recent European action, have
demonstrated that the question is one
calling for international action by all the
great countries of the world, and, if ever
entered into, must be by such concurrent
action of the leading commercial nations
as shall secure permanence of relative
value to the two metals. Meanwhile we
follow the path of safety. AS we grow
year by year more firmly established as
a creditor nation, the question concerns
us less and other countries more. No. i'm
pairment of national credit can be con-
templated by an honorable nation. We
have made advances enough; this coun-
try can better afford than any other to
enter upon the contest for commercial
supremacy with gold as it's standard, and
for us the time has come to give fair
notice to the world that we, too, max