Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-20
DEMOCRATS AND TRUSTS
REPUBLICANS MEETING THE ISSUE
WITH CONVINCING FACTS.
No Record of Any Effort to Restrict
Their Operations During
CIeveland's Terms.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star,

Special DISPATCH TO The Evening Star.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, October 20-At republi-
can national committee headquarters the
trust question is being handled without
gloves. Not only is Senator Hanna making
trusts the principal feature of his speeches,
but 1t is understood that nearly all of the
other speakers, acting under the auspices
OF the national committee are devoting
much attention to trusts.
A good deal of attention is being given to
this subject by the literary bureau of the
republican national committee. The rec
ords of the executive departments at
Washington during the terms of President
Cleveland and the records of various demo-
cratic states as well have been searched for
any evidence that the democratic party has
made effort to restrict the operations Of
trusts, or to enact or enforce antitrust
laws.
Secretary Heath of the republican national
committee suaied TO-DAY that not a trace
of evidence could be found that during the
two terms of President Cleveland any
thing was done In the direction of restrict
ing trust operations.
Mr.. Olney's Position.
"On the contrary" said Secretary Heath
president Cleveland had as Attorney Cen
eral Mr.. Richard Olnel of Massachusetts,
who. according to the New York World of
antitrust law to be unconstitutional and
void
Mr.. Olney further said Quoting the New
York World of date glven), and the World
declared it was quoting from Attorney Cen
eral Olney's annual report, but as all own
ership of property is of itself a monopoly,
and as every business contract trans
action may be viewed as a combination,
which more or less restraints some part or
kind of trade or commerce, any literal ap
NJ q Of ha re
out of the question:
The World declared, and the World this
year is supporting Mr. Bryan, with Mr..
Olney, that accordingly Mr.. Olney con-
Guides that the law, if it is to be consid-
cred as constitutional, must be regarded as
applicable only to those cases-which never
occur-in which the conspiracy of greed
against need backs itself I'D by imposing
some legal disa bility upon others from en-
gaging in the same trade or industry.
The World also said editorially in it's
issue of January 3. 1894: 1.-The simple fac
is that this man Olney. while serving at
Attorney General, is on the other side of
the question in all matters affecting the
trust conspiracies. 1t was an affront to
the people to make him Attorney General.
Ii is disgrace to the administration to
continue linn in Office
Then and Now.
"It is refreshing to note" said Secretary
Heath in a conversation yesterday, that
tdS A>c" 1oih "oIiO DIS idT Dack as 1885
and as late as 1894 praised the Sherman
antitrust law, which was proposed by a
grand cid republican from Ohio and passed
by republican congress, and sharply
President Cleveland's Attorney
General for not inforcing the law, when the
World and other democratic newspapers
now favoring the election of Mr.. Bryan
are parading Mr.. Olney as a great saint,
and one whose influence will do the Bryan
cause much good
The World of August II. 1893. editorially
stated that Richard Oiney, acting as attor-
ney for j. b. Greenhut, president of the
whisky trust, and under indictment for vio-
ating the Sherman antitrust law, declared
in his pleadings that the Sherman anti
gress and is unconstitutional and void, and
hen the World inquiries in the same edi-
oral, is /: not an embarras Sment to have
for Attorney General one who in prose-
cutting trusts. will be confronted with his
that the law under which he
proceeds is unconstitutional and void-one
who, in prosecuting the monopolists, will
De forced - send his own best clients to
iail?
The New York World January 8, 1884,
special telegram from Wash
ngton commencing the attitude of Attor-
ley General Olney, which stated that the
ties to score the democrats on the ground
Of bad faith, and that the antitrust law
which bears Senator Shermans name was
drafted by that able lawyer, ex-senator Ed
nunds of Vermont Ia republican, who had
40 doubt that Its provisions could be en-
forcerced,' and that Mr.. Olney has not
;iven the law fair construction"