Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-20
Letter Of the Democratic Candidate
for Presidenr Given Out.
THE TRUSTS AND FINANCES LEAD.
Imperialism Briefly Touched Upon,
But Declared to Be the Most Impor-
tant of All lssues-Renews Silver
Pledge.

"
was given out yesterday. 1t is as fol
lows:
Hon. James d. Richardson, Chairman
n Others of the Notification
Committee of the Democratic Ma
tional Convention:
Gentlemen:-ln accepting the nom
nation rendered by you on behalf OF
the democratic party, l beg to assure
you OF my appreciation of the great
honor conferred upon me by the dele
gates in convention assembled, and by
the voters who gave instruction to the
delegates.
am sensible of the responsibilities
which rest upon the chief magistrate
OF SO great a nation, and realize tho
1~ar-reaching effect of the questions IT,
Volved in the present contest.
In my letter of acceptance of 1898.
l made the following pledge:
SO deeply am 1 impressed with the
magnitude of the power vested by the
constitution in the chief executive of
the nation and with the enormous in
fuence which he can yield for the
benefit or injury of the people, that |
wish to enter the office, if elected,
free from any personal desire, except
the desire to prove worthy of the
confidence of my countrymen. HUI
man Judgment is fallible enough when
unbiased by selfish considerations,
and, IN order thai | may not be Tempt
ed to use the patronage of the office
70 advance any personal ambition,
hereby announce, with all the EN-.
pnasls winch words a express, my
liked determination not, under any
81 circumstances fn ho n = J.: - r.
reelection, in case this campaisa re.
suits in my election"
Further reflection and observation
9constrain me to renew this pledge.
The platform adopted at Kansas
Clty commands my cordial and un-
quallhed approval. 1t courageously
meets n issues now before the ccun-
Try, M states clearly and without
ambiguity the party's position on ev-
cry question considered. Adopted by
"a convention which assembled on the
anniversary of the signing of the
Declarat1on of Independence. it
preathes the spirit of candor, indie.
pendence and patriotism which char
acterlzes those who, at Philadelphia
an I776, promulgated the creed Of the
Republic.
Having in my notification speech.
discussed somewhat at length the
paramount issue, imperialism, and
added some observations on militar-
Ism and b Boer war. it is sufficient
at This time to review the remaining
planks of the platform.
Trusts.
The platform very properly gives
prominence to the trust question.
The appalling growth of combinations
N restraint of trade during the pres
n administration, proves conclusive
~ 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 repub-
Acan leaders, that party does not in.
tend to take the peoples side against
these organizations, then the weak
and qualified condemnation of trusts
TO be found in the republican plat
form IS designed to distract attention
while industrial despotism is CONFLICT
ing Its work. A private monopoly has
always been an outlaw. No defense
can be made of an industrial system
IN which one, or a few men, can coz
troll for their own profit, the output
or price of any article of merchandise.
Under such a system the consumer
sufers extortion, the producer OF raw
material a but one purchaser, and
must sell at the arbitrary price fixed:
the laborer has but one employer, and
is powerless to protest against injus-
lice, either in wages or in conditions
of labor; the small stakeholder is at
the mercy of the speculator, while the
travelling salesman contributes his
salary TO the oyergrown profits OF
he trust. Since but a small propor.
ton of the people can share in the
advantages secured by private mon
opoly, it follows that the remainder OF
the, people who are not only excluded
from the benefits, but ere the helpless
victims Of every monopoly organized.
1t is difficult to overestimaue the i'm.
mediate injustice that may be done, or
to calculate the ultimate effect Of Ills
injustice upon the social and political
welfare of the people. Our platform,
after suggesting certain specific rene
dies, pledges the party to an unceas-
ing warfare against private monopoly
in nation, state and city. I heartily
approve Of this promise; if elected, it
shall be my earnest and constant en-.
deavor to fulfill the promise in letter
and spirit. I shall select an attorney.
general who will, without fear or IA,
vor, enforce existing laws; shall
recommend such additional leg.sa,
tion as may be necessary to dissolve
every private monopoly which does
business outside of the state Of its
region; and, if contrary to my belle.
and hope, a constitutional amendment
is found to be necessary, l shall rec.
ommend such an amendment as will,
without impairing n of the existing
rights of the states, empower Con
gress to protect the people of all the
states from injury at the hands of i'll
dividuals or corporations engaged in
Interstate commerce.
The platform accurately describes
the Dingley tariff law. when it con
dennis it as a trust breeding meas
ure, skillfully devised to give 70 the
few favors which they do not deserve.
and to place upon the many burdens
which they should not bear" Under
its operation trusts can iunder the
a. q = ClzI-- Il go