Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-10-18
! DISTINGUISHES CONVERT 70 BRYAN,
Frank S, Monnett, former Attorney Genl Of
Ohio, tells awful truths.

In our last issue we stated that Frank S.
Monnett, former Attorney General Of Ohio,
had left his party and would support Mr..
Bryan He made his first speech in Column
bus, Ohio, on Friday last, and made a
terrible accusation against the President
and Attorney General Griggs. He said in
part:
st became my privilege and duty to in
stitute upward Of twenty-four suits against
these combinations, monopolies and trusts,
as your sworn officer of the law, calling
upon the highest courts oil the State to
eiectrocute these law violators that pillage
YOUR sugar bowl, your oil can, your tobacco
pouch, exact your excessive freight and
telephone charges, and to protect you in
your rights of private property under the
Constitution and laws of the State We
labored to accomplish this, as it was our
duty to do. We were badgered and oh
structed by Republican leaders, United
States Senators, political bosses and sub
sidized press. One hundred and ten news
papers accepted Standard Oil money 20
cultivate public sentiment wrongfully in
their favor and against the prosecutors
s..fhe monopolists sent the briber with
his seductioDs Of gold and with his prom
ises of positions and salaries and procured
the leading Governmental officials to defend
them; and last, but not least, driven from
pillar to post, they came into court and
with uplifted hands swore that they did
not and could answer the interrogatories or
produce their books, for if they did it
would subject their corporations to civil
death for violating the law Of their creation,
and, lastly, that it would criminate the
college fostering, church erecting, cam
paign contributing moDopolists. like
experience was encountered against the
Salt Trust at Pomeroy, Ohio; the same
dodge and skulking from the avenging law
was adopted there. y
THE SHERMAN ANTITRUST LAW.
Mr.. Monnett then went into the subject
of Federal legislation against trusts, and
discussed the Sherman Antitrust law lie
dwelt specially upon the evils OF combl-
nations in restraint of trade. /" he referred
to the decision of the Supreme Court sus-
tanning the constitutionality of the Sher-
man law, and continued:
ssWe nominated President from Ono,
who promised the people in fair phrases
that he would enforce the antitrust laws Of
the United States, including the Sherman
Antitrust act How has he enforced it? lie
went to New Jersey, the State OF the trust
breeding grounds, the cesspool and the spawn
of all these Illegal combinations, and placed
at the head of the Attorney Generals Depart
ment. John w Griggs, who has under hin
seyenty-six District Attorneys, scattered
throughout the various States OF the Union,
the duty of each and every one Of which Is
to enforce this antitrust act, and, accord
ing to his official report, May 20, 1900 to
Congress, out of thirteen suits Instituted
under this law, three have been begun
under his administration, one in the case OF
the United States VS.. Anderson, begun june
7, 1899, decided against the Government,
on the ground Of want OF jurisdiction.
The second one was the United States Coal
Dealers Association, decided January %,
1898; the third, United States Us. G. and o.
Fuel Company, not yet decided.
ssThis is the magnificent record of the
present National Administration and the
complete notification of the most import
ant law upon the statute books upon this
subject since the beginning of our Govern
ment. =
M'KINLEY AND GRIGGs AssAILED.
In conclusion, Mr. Monnett said: i be
lieye that William Mckinley and John w.
GTiggs, his Attorney General, and his exec
utive officers, have wilfully, purposely and
knowingly paralyzed the executive arm Of
this Government for the last four years and
prevented the enforcement Of the common
law and the statute law, both criminally
and eiyilly against these law yiolators.
And the hour has now come, the only time
we will have for the next four years as
voters, to legally and constitutionally smite
them for their hypocrisy and to resent this
violation of official duty, and we should
vote against every elector that is pledged
on the Republican ticket to perpetuate this
great wrong in our Republic.
William J. Bryan may not accomplish
all that we expect or all that we hope for
in this behalf, but believe him to be thor
oughly honest, sincere and determined
man. and while l do not agree with him in
all that he advocates, yet | am forced to
take ono side or the other on this great
preston which for the masses is the para
mount issue, and in the name of patriotism
and for the sake Of our Republicans to pre-
vent the threatened danger that Senator
John Sherman and the other NestOrs in the
councils Of our Government have so graph
ically propesied, and which firmly believe
viii come to pass, if not checked pro-
pose to cast my vote for that fearless, up
right champion of the people, William J..
RI.van ,,