Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1900-10-18
TRUSTS

The important point to remember Is
that all existing trusts are the creation
of state governments, not in any case
of the federal government. Democra-
cy's time honored claim is. and always
has been, state sovereignty-the right
of each state to enact such laws as it
wills, as within it's own borders, with
out any interference from the federal
government, and it is an open ques-
tion whether the federal government
can forbid any state the right to give
lSSal existence to corporate bodies
known as trusts. There was one COM
bination which the federal government
was able to reach, because it came un>
der the head of Interstate Commerce"
namely, that of the railway companies.
That combination has been destroyed
under federal legislation, given effect
to by the decisions of the United States
supreme court, that same high court
of justice in the land which Mr.. Bryan
declares must be discontinued
Trusts as now met with have come
into existence during the last six or
eight years, and in every case by state
creation. Did the Democratic govern
ment of Mr.. Cleveland do anything to
control them? The most active agita-
tion against trusts has been during the
last two years. During these two years
the Republican government has been
occupied with many great national and
international questions. Nevertheless,
during the last session or congress the
Republicans endeavored to pass a con-
stitutional amendment to make possi-
BILE federal legislation for the regula-
tion of trusts, and that effort was de-
feated by the Democrats. This is a
truth beyond contradiction, and con-
victs the Democracy of the grOssest in
consistency, if not of worse offense.
AS the matter stands today both par
ties have promised legislation on this
subject. The pledge of the Republican
party is backed by the attempt made in
the last congress, as already stated
The pledge of the Democracy is brand
ed by their action in defeating the eff
fort so made. This ISSUE" then, as
against the Republican administration,
is another makeshift, outcry conceived
in untruth and signifying only the dire
necessities of a party without con-
science and hungry for the spoils of
office
1HeSe luTee are LU6 Culel ISSUES OH
which Democracy is demanding the
control of the government. Indeed,
they are the only reasons CD they pre-
sent why an administration which has
brought the largest measure of pros
perity to the country ever known in
it's history should be turned out in ia
vor of men without any record in gov
ernment, reasons" which are false
pretenses on their face.
Every thinking man knows that Mr..
Bryan's talk about a desire on the part
of President Mckinley to become a
dictator and emperor" is the stupid
est nonsense. Politicians said this OF
the martyred president, Abraham Lin
coin, when, after the war, he had
100000 men at his command, for there
always have been and always will be
politicians who will villify the most
righteous.
Today, with population Of 7S,000,
900, there is in existence a United
States army of about $4,000 men, chief
ly volunteers on limited term of SER
vice-men of stock not made for mil
itary despotisms. Such talk is an in
suit to the intelligence of the Ameri-
can people and dishonors the men who
utter it.