Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-09-28
Trusts.

Trusts
The platform very properly gives
prominence to the trust question. The
appalling growth of combinations in
restraint Of trade during the present
that the Republican party lacks either
the desire or the ability to deal with
the question effectively. If as may be
fairly assumed from the speeches and
conduct of the Republican leaders, that
party does not intend to take the peo-
pies side against these organizations,
then the weak and qualified condem-
nation of trusts to be found in the Re-
publican platform is designed to dis
tract attention while industrial despot-
ism is completing its work. A private
monopoly has always been an outlaw.
No defense can be made of an indus
trial system In which one, or few
men. can control for their own profit,
the output or price of any article Of
merchandise Under such system the
consumer suffers extortion, the produ-
Ger of raw material has but one pur-
chaser, and must sell at the arbitrary
price fixed; the laborer has but one
employer, and is powerless to protest
against injustice, either in wages or
in conditions of labor; the small stock
holder is at the mercy of the specula-
tor, while the travelling salesman con-
tributes his salary to the overgrown
profits of the trust. Since but a small
proportion Of the people can share in
the advantages secured by private
monopoly, it follows that the remain
der of the people are not only ex-
cluded from the benefits, but are the
helpless victims of every monopoly Or
ganized. 1t is difficult to overestimate
the immediate injustice that may be
done. or to calculate the ultimate eff
feet of this injustice upon the social
and political welfare Of the people.
Our platform, after suggesting certain
specific remedies; pledges the party to
an unceasing warfare against private
monopoly in nation, state and city. l
heartily approve Of this promise; If
elected. it shall be my earnest and con-
slant endeavor to fulfill the promise in
letter and spirit l shall select an at
torney-general who will, without fear
or favor, enforce existing laws; | shall
recommend such additional legislation
as may be necessary to dissolve every
private monopoly which does business
outside of the state of it's origin; and,
IL contrary to my belief and hope, a
constitutional amendment is found to
he necessary, | shall recommend such
an amendment as will, without impair
ing any of the existing rights of the
states, empower Congress to protect
the people of all the states from injury
at the hands of individuals or corpora
tons engaged in interstate commerce.
The platform accurately describes
the Dingley tariff law, when it con-
dennis it as trust breeding measure,
skillfully devised to give to the few
favors which they do not deserve, and
to place upon the many burdens which
they should not bear" Under its OPP
Grafton trusts can plumber the people
of the United States, while they sue
cessfully compete in foreign markets
with manufacturers of other countries.
Even those who justify the general
policy of protection will find 1t dill
cult to defend a tariff which enables
a trust to exact an exorbitant toll
from the citizen.
Corporations in Politics.
The Democratic party makes no war