The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-05
Circulation Statement.



Today is the last one Of campaign
which for all practical purposes closed
with the great popular demonstrations
in honor of the Tribune Of the People in
New York and Chicago. and the effort Of
the Hanna agents in the latter city to get
ing Republican employers to coerce their
Democratic clerks. statesmen. and labor
ers to march in it. We need not here
stop to discuss that drilling, fizzling
failure.
Weary and unwilling thousands tramp
ed through .Ae rain and mud ostensibly
in support of cause they detested. The
same thousands turned out at night to
shout for Mr.. Bryan at one Of the hun
bred and fifty Democratic meetings held
in the metropolis Saturday night, or
marched again in one Of the antitrust
torchlight professions that made chilly
evening bright and cheerful.
But shouting, spe!lbinding, and fire.
works are now a thing of the past. There
is but one day left before American vot-
ers must render their decision concern
ing the fate of their country and its in
situations in the high court of last re-
sort-at the polls They might well spend
this last day in sober and serious thought
upon the solemn issues of the election,
and their duty as citizens in view OF the
same.
Honest voters will reflect that this may
be their last opportunity to take part in
a free, popular election. They will re-
member that a continuation of the mon
ster and monstrous trusts in power over
the nation might result in marked
changes relative TO the liberties, rights.
and privileges of the common people. The
forms CT republican government of course
would be adhered to, but its spirit would
be destroyed. AS during the present Ad-
ministration, there would be a President
in the White House; but not an indepen-
dent Chief Magistrate, responsible only to
like Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, or
Lincoln, He would sit, as the present one
does, merely as the executive agent OF
an oligarchy of plutccrats and monopol-
lists, exercising autocratic authority over
him and over the country through Hanna
or some other like managing delegate.
All American voters by this time know
what the trusts are, what they have done
to destroy small merchants. manufactur-
ers, traders, middlemen Of all kinds. and
to reduce our farmers and workingmen to
economic slavery. The reelection OF Will
liam Mckinley on Tuesday, with trust
Congress at his back, would involve new
grant to the trusts Of unbridled power.
and license to loot taxpayers and labor.
It would mean trust immunity from prose-
cution by the Federal authorities for vio-
lation of the public law: because under
another Hanna-McKinley Administration
the trusts would dictate the appointment
of Attorneys General, as they have hither-
to. and Senate having majority Of
trust agents would confirm them.
With trust President and a trust Con-
gress the magnates OF monopoly would be
able to carry out their final design upon
our popular institutions. Under such con-
ditions 1t is VIGOROUSLY their purpose to
secure legislation which would make the
Supreme Court a bench OF nineteen instead
of nine judges. and pack 1t with trust at
torneys who could be depended upon to in
terpret the Constitution in any way Or
dered by the magnates OF the oligarchy.
Upon this scheme the trusts and their ad-
ministration coparceners hopefully rely, in
the event of success at the polls. to keep
Porto Rico and the Philippines from the
protection Of the Constitution and open
to exploitation and plumber by the trusts
and their favorites for all time.
A trust victory this week would settle
the question of large standing army per-
manently. Within the next four years the
military establishment would be raised to
a basis OF one hundred or one hundred and
nifty thousand men. As Senator Hawley,
Republican Chairman OF the Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs, puts It: I'VE
need large army to back municipal au-
thority." In other words, I'VE need large
army" garrisoned in forts commanding
the streets of our manufacturing towns,
10 prevent any active protests on the part
Of labor, when the great contemplated re-
duction OF wages to the European level is
attempted. The trusts also want q big
army for employment in enforcing Force
bill. which. they expect. will give them
control Of Southern States. like Georgia.
South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana.
On Tuesday then. American voters Will
decide whether monopoly, bribery. cor
ruption, a demolished Constitution, and
bayonet rule are to replace the institu-
lions Of the fathers. or the latter are to
be maintained. and the trusts themselves
rendered harmless, or crushed. IL that
cannot be done. The choice is completely
within the power Of the people. Which
will they have!
Time for HANNAH Roorback.