The age-herald., 1900-10-07
GREAT DEMOCRATIC GATHERING AT
 THE HOME OF THOMAS 4. HENDRICKS
tcontinued From Ninth Page.)

------~----~---------- there is a geyser that reminds me of the Republican party. Periodically it spouts forth hot water, but, as soon as it stops spouting, all the water runs back to the same hole out of which it came. The Re- publicans may spout against trusts peril odically. but, as soon as the spouting is over, they all run back to the trusts Their apparent hostility is like a tin sword con test on the stage. In fact, they are one and the same thing. If Tightening would strike one 1t would kill both.
 Trusts and Prices
 While the Republican platform mildly condemns trusts, many prominent Repub- lican leaders openly argue that trusts arc really beneficial. They contend that by combination products are made and fur nished cheaper to the people. But is that true? Conceding that they make their goods cheaper, do they actually sell them cheaper? Is 1t human nature to do so? Have the trust magnates any better qual- ity of human nature than that possessed by others? Isn't it human nature, when you have monopoly, to wield that mo- nopoly for your own benefit and not for the benefit of others? The way to solve this question is to ask yourselves if you have been benefited by trusts? Does not it require more of human toll and the pro- ducts of human toll to purchase trust goods than it did in 1896?
 The Democratic campaign book states and 1t cannot be contradicted, that you nave to give per cent more of wheat to buy a stove than in 1S96 20 bushels more of corn to buy a wagon, 20 bushels more or corn to buy a copper kettle, twice as much corn to buy a coil of rope, 40 per cent more grain to buy a blow, 75 per cent more grain to buy a hoe, a rake, or a shovel, 40 per cent more for glass, 40 per cent more of corn for sugar, from 40 to cent for nd hardware
 Trusts and Their Prosperity
 IT you will but balance accounts in your own case, you will see that the trusts ave robbed you out of your share of whatever increase there may have been m the prosperity about which the Repub- hcans boast so In their platform. The in crease Tn the production of gold in the world has advanced prices all over the world, but the Republican party is not due any credit. What has the Republican ad- vance of prices in Japan, for instance?
 MT. Mckinley boasts in his letter of acceptance about the increased volume of money 1n this country and cites 1t as an ev-dence of prosperity, forgetting that in so doing he confesses the Democratic ar gument made in 1896 on the currency ques- tloh and dumbfounds his own followers who contended that a rise in values was not to be desired
 But while values of products outside of the trusts have advanced about 23 per cent, trusts products have increased on an average about double that percentage Do you not see that by having to pay the trusts this increased price, which is double what your stuff has increased, that you are robbed out of the benefits of the in- crease In price of your own products?
 Prices and Wages
 The faboring classes are especially at the mercy of the trusts, for while wages are actually being reduced in many localities the products of the trusts are actually be- Ing increased and the laborer has to pay out of his decreased wages the increased price of the trust products
 From those unfriendly to labor emanates the joke about the full dinner pail You oont hear any such talk from the labor Ing classes themselves. Considering the natural wealth of our country and the favorable conditions that surround the production of wealth. the laboring classes should have something more than barely enough to eat. How much better and hap pier citizens they would be if they had thelr own homes and could better clothe and educate their children.
 "If the Republicans should be continued Tn power, what is going to prevent this state or affairs from becoming more and more aggravated? What is going to stop the lowering of the price of things outside Of the trusts and of wages and of the raising of the prices of things in the trust.
 Banks With Government Functions
 "The Republicans admit even with the increased gold supply that is not suffic- lent to keep pace with the increase of business and population. Desiring to have a monopoly of money as well as everything else and to husband power in the few they have created the national bank trust to supply the admitted deficiency of gold money.
 ''The Democrats agree with the Republi. cans that gold alone is not sufficient for the money supply and, therefore, contend for bimetallism at the present ratio of 16 to l. which the Republicans, though in power, have not only allowed to stand, but are now actually ooining whatever sil- yer Is coined at that ratio
 "The difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is this: That one wants to supply the admitted deficiency in the stream of money by letting the stream be filled from two sources from the gold and the silver mines, as has always been the case from the beginning of time: the other the Republican party wants to put the supply of the deficiency in the hands of few national bankers. who can issue and withdraw it at their will.
 ADangerous Power
 "The great danger of the Republican plan is this: That. !nasmuch as the amount of money in a country as 1t in- creases or dminishes either puts up or down prices, it is a dangerous power to put into the hands of any set of men the power to increase or diminish the volume of currency.
 How much safer to let the supply be regulated by nature. How much fairer to let nature, not man, be the arbiter of the obligations of debts, public and private to let nature be the fixer of prices instead of those who are interested in running prices up or down to suit their gambling contracts on the exchanges.
 There are three influences which oper- ate powerfully on prices: First the supply and demand of q thing itself; secondly the volume of money in a country; thirdly, the gambling on the exchanges in prices.
 Noobj ectlon 10 National Banks as Such
 "The Democrats don't oppose the national banks as such. but oppose national banks being vested with functions of government. tn power to issue money, which the gov ernment alone should issue.