The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-08-14
Democratic plans of Campaign.

Mr. Bryan has made II plain that the
Democratic campaign this year viii be
addressed to the weak spots in the Nc
Kinley administration end TO the evils
and scandals that have been developed by
Republican legislation and policy. or
course. the partys attitude toward silver
coinage remains unchanged. but IT seems
make its fight chiefly on the more vul-
nerable points in the adversary's defenscs
Mr.. Bryan's analysis of imperialism at
Indianapolis the other day will. no doubt,
be accepted as the keynote in that re-
spect. II was a very strong presentation
OF the Democratic view Of the matter
and has enough material IN II TO equip
severa. thousand stump orators OF the
average class with three months sup
ply OF thought
When fl comes to the trusts. concern
Ing which Mr.. Bryan will no doubt take
early occasion to set the pace Of discus
sion and attack. there is much to be
said on their behalf and the Republican
orators may safely be relied upon TO say
it-and more; but, in answer to the claim
upon which the trusts rest their case-the
claim that the worthy multitude are now
getting their coal oil, beef. sugar, &c,
cheaper than they ever did before-th ere
is another side Of the question which the
Democrats can exploit with serious eff
feet They can retort. for example, that
II - IL;
value to those thousands who have been
deprived OF their means Of livelihood bv
the great capitalistic combinations. and
that the Individual would rather live IN
der system enabling him TO pay nigh
prices than under one which does not
enable him to pay any prices at all. SIM
gularly enough, Republican organ, the
Detroit Tribune, Of August 10. furnishes q
very significant illustration Of this nypo h
esis:
The Page Fence Company, of Adrian, has made
a good fight against the trusts and outside OF trust
circles a general sympathy will be felt for IL in
It's temporary embarrassment Its history Illus
rates the difficulty Of continued and effective oppo-
sition to the modern form Of industrial combna-
ton. When its directors refused TO allow the con-
to be absorbed by the fence trust, it had not
only this trust but allied trusts to fight in the
struggle to maintain its place In business The
wire that formed the raw material on which the
factory operated was advanced in price more than
100 per cent. 1t courageousy set about the estab-
lishment OF rolling and wire mills to supply its
own needs, and the large demands on its capital
created by this extension of its business is as
signed as the cause of its present embarrassment
Because OF its very courageousness the company de-
serves a prosperity that will speedily result in
freeing It from the control OF the receiyership into
which its affairs passed on Wednesday"
We find this concern rated in Brad
streets as having an invested capital of
$4,000 and enjoying the very highest
credit. Let us suppose that il employed
1000 persons-a moderate assumption-and
then consider what the men thus thrown
out of employment are likely to think of
the trust system which gives them cheap
food, &c, but takes away the livelihood
through which they are enabled to buy.
1t is quite safe to say that they. and
tnOuSdluS VI OlNtiS WHO, IKE tnem, nave
teen driven out of business by the trusts
will refuse TO be comforted by the thought
that coal oil is cheaper than IT was ten
years ago. To the man who is out of
work and out OF money, the market re-
ports make no appeal whatever
The New York Sun and Republican or
gars of that stamp are busiiy engaged in
shouting against the ''fifty-cent dollar"
and daring Bryan to answer them; but if
the Indianapolis declaration Is to be re-
sarded as an advance notice OF the Dem
/ oeratic plan Of campaign, Mr. McKinley's
| newspapers and spell-binders will soon
| have TO abandon that expedient for a
very different one They will find their
hands full enough of Cuban, Porto Rico
and Filipino problems, to say nothing OF
the trust controversy, which will be
opened IN due time