The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-17
MAKES M'KINLEY THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE
Declares the Welfare of the Country Depends Upon
His Reelection.
Says Disorder, Dishonor and Disaster Would Follow
Democratic Success.

all, for under such circumstances their
act cannot under any conceivable cir
cumstanceS do aught but grave harm.
STABILITY OF GOVERNMENT
THREATENED.
The success of the party representing
the principles embodied in the Kansas
City platform would bring about the de-
struction of all the conditions necessary
to the continuance of our prosperity. It
would also unSettle our whole govern
mental system, and would therefore,
disarrange all the vast and delicate ma
chinery Of our complex industrial life.
Above all, the effect would be ruinous to
our finances If we are to prosper the
currency of this country must be based
upon the gold dollar worth 100 cents.
The stability of our currency has been
greatly increased by the excellent finan-
cial act passed by the last congress. But
no law can secure our finances against
the effect of unwise and disastrous
management in the hands of unfriendly
administrato tors. No party can safely be
intrusted with the management of our
national affairs unless it accepts as axe
1Omatic the truths recognized in all pro-
gressive countries as essential to a
sound and proper system of finance. In
their essence these must be the same for
all great civilized peoples. In different
stages or development, different cOun-
tries race varying economic conditions
but at every stage and under all cir
cumStanceS the most important element
In securing their economic well-being is
SOunQ nnanCe, honest money. SO lQtl-
mate IS the connection between indus
trial prosperity and a sound currency
that the former is jeopardized, not
merely by unsound finance, but by the
very threat of unSound finance. The
business man and the farmer are vita1ly
interested in this question; but no mans
interest is so great as that of the wage
worker. A deprecated currency means
loss and disaster to the business man;
but 1t means grim suffering to the
wage-worker. The capitalist will lose
much of his capital and will suffer
wearing anxiety and the loss of many
his wages must suffer, and see his wife
and children suffer, for the actual ne
cessities of life. The one absolutely vi
tai need of our whole industrial system
is sound money.
TRUST PROBLEM TREATED.
One of the serious problems with
which we are confronted under the con
ditions of our modern industrial civili-
cation is that presented by tn great
business combinations, which are gen
orally known under the name of trusts
The problem is an exceedingly difficult
one and the difficulty is immensely ag-
gravated both by honest but wrong
headed attacks on our whole industrial
system in the effort to remove some of
the evils connected with it, and by the
miSchievOuS advice of men who either
think crookedly or who advance rem
edieS knowing them to be ineffective, but
deeming that they may, by darkening
themselves a
1ouS reputation for wisdom. No good
whatever is subserved by indiscriminate
denunciatiOn of corporations generally,
and of all forms of industrial combina-
ton in particular; and when this public
denunciation is accompanied by private
membership in the great corporations
denounced the effect is, of course, to
give an air of insincerity to the whole
movement. Nevertheless there are real
abuses, and there is ample reason for
striving to remedy these abuses. A
crude or fll-considered effort to remedy
them would either be absolutely without
effect or else would simply do damage
The first thing to do is to find out the
facts; and for this purpose publicity as
to capitalization, profits, and all else of
Importance to the public, is the most
useful measure The mere fact of this
publicity would in itself remedy certain
evils, and, as to the others, it would
in some cases point out the remedies
and would at least enable US to tell
whether or not certain proposed rem
edies would be useful The state acting
in its collective capacity would thus first
find out the facts and then be able to
take such measures as wisdom dictated
Much can be done by taxation. Even
more can be done by regulation, by close
supervision, and the unsparing excis1on
of all unhealthy, destructive and anti
social elements. The separate state gov
ernments can do a great deal; and
where they decline to cooperate the ma
tional government must step in.
OUR RELATIONS WITH THE WORLD
While paying heed to the-necessity of
keeping our house in order at home, the
American people can not, if they wish
to retain their self-respect, refrain from
doing their duty asa great nation in the
world The history of the nation is in
large part the history of the nations
expansion When the first continental
congress met in Liberty hall and the
thirteen original states declared them
selves a nation, the westward limit of
the country was marked by the Allie
gheny mountains. Even during the rev.
olutionary war the work of expansion
went on. Kentucky, Tennessee and the
great Northwest, then known as the Illi-
nois country, We're conquered from our
white and Indian foes during the Revc-
lutionary struggle and were confirmed
to us by the treaty of peace in 1888. Yet
the land thus confirmed was not then
given to us. 1t was held by an alien foe
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