The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-14

:delphia, but actions count much more
than words in this world, and here is
the action up 10 date:
There las never been but one Repub-
lican in the United States who lifted
his finger against the trusts. That
man was the Hon. Frank S. Monnett,
late Republican attorney general of
Ohio. who, taking the party at its word,
nroceeded to make war on the Stand
ard Oil trust, whereupon the Republic
an marty at the first opportunity re-
+irad him to the shades of private life
md have been heaping abuse upon his
hood eyer since. The Hon. John J.
Lentz Of Ohio is one of the ablest and
most promising members of congress.
He &c n fiery orator. a splenS5d rough
o,d tumble. catch as catch can debat-
or He has his full Quantum of cour-
900 strikes from the shoulder, is al
1vays ready to speak for the people and
J., q DANGEROUS customer to tackle on
the floor of the house, as General
Charles Henry Grosvenor mouthpiece
of rho administration, found out, to his
sorrow in the closing days OF congress.
General Grosvenor made some hypO-
c,itical remarks which Lentz did not
relisb on the bogus trust constitutional
omendment then before the house.
While General Grosvenor is, ike Joe
Ragstock, tough, devilish tough,
Ientz tanned his hide in a most ap-
moved fashion that day. Lentz's entire
snpech should be circulated as cam
naign document. Whether or not 1t
will be do not know. l here quote as
much Of it as l have room for, ana 1t IS
decidedly good campaign stun.
Good Democrat.
IL Lentz gets what he deserves, he
will be returned to congress from the
CAPITAL district of Ohio by at least
10000 majority. 1t would be a well
deserved compliment and tribute to
this splendid young Democrat, who Is
as faithful to the people as the needle
TO the pole. In SHINING General Gros'
venor Mr.. Lentz spoke in part as fol-
lows
''AIr. Speaker, it was exceedingly
pleasant to hear the gentleman from
Ohio Mr.. Grosvenorl apologize for the
third time for the treatment that the
Republican party has given Attorney
General Monnett. Mr.. Monnett prose-
cuted one trust vigorously, honestly,
beyond the temptation of a bride OF
100000, beyond the browbeating or
the press of the state, beyond the cold
shoulder of every leader in the Repub-
lican party. He stood incorruptible, he
stood unyielding, on the Republican
state platform Of 1895 against trusts,
q platform more radical than that
adopted in the state Of Ohio a few
weeks ago by the Republicans and
more radical against trusts than the
platform will be which they will adopt
at Philadelphia in two weeks.
"But l propose to let Mr.. Monnett
speak for himself as to how he has
been treated in the state Of Ohio.
send to the clerk, to be read from the
desk, an interview given on the 10Th
Of May by Mr.. Monnett, as reported in
the Columbus Citizen and reproduced
in the Lancaster Democrat, telling
what he thinks of the Republican party
and its course in that state, not only
with reference to himself. but particu-
larly with reference to the trusts"
The clerk read as follows:
PUNISHMENT FOR REPUBLICAN PARTY
SEEMS CERTAIN, SAYS MONNETT, WHO
THINKS IT is LIKELY TO BE GIVEN BY
THE PEOPLE THIS FALL.
Ex-Attorney General Frank 5. Monnett has re-
turned from Toledo and says that he was not
present at the conference Of Silver Republicans
and antitrust leaders. Mr.. Monnett, however,
saws that he met Mr.. Charles Towne and had q
very pleasant chat with him and also with others
who were there attending the conference.
Answering the question regarding his position
on the trust question during the coming cam
paign, Mr. Monnett said that he was the Ohio
member of the National Antitrust association and
as such would do his duty to the organization.
There will be no compromise with the trusts.
They are a social, commercial and political evil,
with which there can be no compromise. fancy
that there will be a great effort to win votes
from party on this question the coming cam
paign. ! do not see how we escape punish
ment either When party breaks its pledges, it
is usually punished by the people. At the ma
tional convention at st. Louis when President
Mckinley was nominated, Senator Thurston, who
presided as chairman of that meeting, declared
that the American people will return the Repub-
lican party to power because they know that its
administration will mean the protection of the
public from all unlawful combinations aud I'M
just ex2ctions OF aggregated capital
''He went further and declared that the party
must do this to retain the confidence OF the
American people.
THE platform of the Republican party in Ohio
strongly condemned the trusts and their unlawful
methods. was elected as the attorney general OF
Ohio on such a platform, and as the officer OF the
state and the representative Of the party carried
out as best | could, the platform OF the party.
Yet | was not supported in this by many OF the
leaders, and the party organs criticised me for
doing just what the platform of my party pledged
me to do. Newspapers of the state, about ITO OF
them, printed paid articles criticisng my actions,
and they, too party newspapers
This is not all. The legislature which has
just adjourned killed the Russell bill and the
maximum freight bill, and that, too, by almost
q strict party vote. Will not the people punish
the party for such actions upon the part of its
servants2 The party such is not in sympathy
with such methods Although the Russell bill
was bill No. 10, it was side tracked by the trust
lobbyists and held back until near the adjourn
ment, and then, over the protest of some Of the
best men Of the party and almost all Of the Demo-
cratic members, it defeated. This was a re-
pudiation of the party platform and the sentiment
OF the party
81 cannot believe that We will escane nunish-