The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-09-15
AMBITION OF THE FEW.

Ever since the formation OF Our gov
eminent, two tendencies have been ap-
parent and operative in every general
election that the country has had. In
fact, they developed in the convention
which formed the constitution, and in
that convention was laid the foundation
for the existence Of the political parties
which have in turn directed the admin
istration of public affairs since that day.
One of these tendencies, and it is
tendency inherent in every society and
under every form of government, is the
endeavor on the part of the few to con-
troll the government and to so direct
legislation and the administration of
public affairs as to secure to themselves
and to their class special privileges and
economic advantages through govern
mental intervention. The other is the
effort OF the common people at self-pre-
servation, politically and economically.
This was the issue in the memorable
campaign of one hundred years ago
which resulted in the election of Thorn
as Jefferson. The federal party of that
day stood for the same principles and
tendencies in government that Hanna
ism represents at the present time
Jefferson, the author of the Declaration
of Independence, represented, and in
his administration Of public affairs de-
veloped and formulated, the principles
of just and equal laws, fairly and eff
GENTLY administered, with equality of
privilege and of opportunity to all men.
The party lines formed thus early
have continued, though not with idcn-
tity of name, to the present day. In
1880 Jackson represented the same prin-
ciples contended for by Jefferson, and
SO did Lincoln in 1860. The slave
holding aristocracy of the south, with
out relinquishing the name of democra-
cy, to which it was in no wise historic
ally entitled, had adopted all the vicious
principles of the old federal party. Their
trust was in the power of wealth and in
privilege, with force in the background,
as is that of the Republican party today.
Lincoln, on the other hand, represented
the principles of Jefferson and the aspi-
rations and conscience of the common
people, as we believe that our valiant
leader, w. ]. Bryan, does at the present
time. Our political and economic sit
uation at this moment verifes this his
torical resume. Let us look at the actual
conditions that confront the American
people, and it is easy to determine what
the real issues are in this campaign.
Notwithstanding the fact that ours is
the greatest, the most populous, the
most intelligent, the most powerful and
the wealthiest civilized country in the
world, its entire industry has, with the
aid and through the operation of class
legislation, passed into the control OF
comparatively handful of men. The
enumeration of the trusts controlling
our industries, which is given in the
Minneapolis Journal Almanac, on
pages 127 to 1877, covers every form Of
American industrial enterprise, and
shows that their domination is COM
pletc. The capitalization of the trusts
that had been formed before the present
Exceeded hsen ooooGooo' an ana many
January. With the power Of such wealth
exempt from taxation, with the mon
opoly OF patents and the control o.
transportation facilities, with tariff