The age-herald., 1900-07-06

Such organlZatlQnS are ever an element of strength and safety For the first time fn our history and co-evil with the Philippine conquest has there been a wholesale de- parture from our time honored and ap- proved system of volunteer organization. We denounce it as un-American un-Demo- cratic and un-Republican, and as a sub version of the ancient and fixed principles of free people
 Trusts
 Private monopolies are indensible and intolerable. They destroy competition, con trol the price of all material, and of the finished product, thus robbing both pro- ducer and consumer. They lessen the em- ployment of labor, and arbitrarily fix the terms and conditions thereof and deprive individual energy and small capital of their oportunity for betterment
 They are the most efficient means yet devised for appropriating the fruits of in- dustry to the benefit of the few at the ex- pense of the many, and unless their in satiate greed Is checked all wealth will be aggregated in a few hands and the republic destroyed.
 The dishonest paltering with the trust evil by the Republican party in State and national platforms is conclusive proof of the truth of the charge that the trusts are the legitimate product of Republican poli- cies; that they are fostered by Repub- lican laws and that they are protected by the Republican administration in return for campaign subscription and political SUD- port.
 we pledge the Democratic party to an unceasing warfare in nation, State and city against private monopoly in every form Existing laws against trusts must be en- forced, and more stringent ones must be enacted providing for publicity as to the affairs of corporations engaged in inter- state commerce and requiring all corpora tions to show, before doing business out side of the State in their origin, that they have no water in their stock, and that they have not attempted and are not at- tempting to monopolize any branch of busi- ness or the production of any articles of merchandise, and the whole constitutional power of Congress over interstate com merce. the mails and all modes of inter- state communication shall be exercised by the enactment of comprehensive laws upon the subject of trusts. Tariff laws should be amended by putting the products of trusts upon the free list to prevent monopo- ly under the plea of protection.
 "The failure of the present Republican administration with absolute control of all the branches of the national government to enact any legislation designed to pre- vent or even curtail the absorbing power of trusts and alleged combinations, to enforce the antitrust laws already on the statute books prove the insincerity of the high sounding phrase of the Republican platform.
 Corporations should be protected in all their rights and legitimate interests should be respected, but any attempt by corporations to interfere with the public affairs of the people or to control the SOW ereignty which creates them, should be for bidden under such penalties as will make such attempts impossible.
 "We condemn the Dingley tariff law as a trust-breedng measure, skilfully devised to give the few favors which they do not deserve, and to place upon the many bur dens which they should not bear.
 ''We favor such an enlargement of the scope of the interstate commerce law will enable the commission to protect in- dividuals and communities from discrm- nations, and the public from unjust and unfair transportation rates.
 nanciai Plank
 '.We affirm and endorse the principles of the National Democratic Platform adopted in Chicago in 1896, and we reiter- ate the demand of that platform for an American financial system made by the American people for themselves, which shall restore and maintain a bimetalic price level, and as part of such system the immediate restoration of the free and un- limited coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to l without wait ing for the aid or consent of any other na- ton.
 'We denounce the currency bill enacted in the last session of Congress as step forward in the Republican policy which aims to discredit the sovereign right of the national government to issueall money, whether coin paper; and to bestow upon national banks the power to issue and con- trol the volume of paper money for their own benefit. A permanent national bank currency secured by government bonds must have permanent debt to rest upon, and if the bank currency is to increase with population and business the debt must also increase. The Republican currency scheme is the reform scheme for fastening upon the taxpayers a perpetual and grow ing debt for the benefit of the banks. We are opposed to this private corporation pa per circulated as money, but without legal tender qualities, and demand the retire. ment of the national bank notes as fact as government paper or silver certificates can be substituted for them.
 ectionof U. $. Senators
 we favor an amendment to the Federal Constitution providing for the election of United State Senators by direct vote Of the people, and we favor direct legisla ton wherever practicable.
 I've opposed to government by in- junction; we denounce the black list, and favor arbitration as a means of settling disputes between corporations and thefr employees.
 Tn the interest of American labor and the uplifting of the workingman as the
 
 try, we recommend that Congress create a department of labor, in charge of secre- tary, with a seat in the cabinet, believing that the elevation of the American laborer will bring with it increased production and increased prsperity to our country at home, and to our commerce abroad.
 we proud of the courage and fidelity of the American soldiers and sailors in all our wars; we favor liberal pensions to them and their dependents and we reiterate the position taken in the Chicago platform in 1896 that the fact of enlistment and services shall be deemed conclusive evidence against disease and disability before en- listment
 NicaragUan Canal "We favor the imemdiate construction, ownership and control of the Nicaragua canal by the United States, and we de-.r nounce the insincerity of the plank in the national Republican platform for an Isth- milan canal in the face of the failure of the Republican majority to pass the bill pending in Congress- We condemn the Hay-Pauncefote treaty a surrender of American rights and interests, not to be tolerated by the American people