The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-07

The following letter from Representative
Brick was read to the convention by Elmer
Crockett, chairman of the district commit
tee:
ST have waited until the last minute to
send this message in the vain hope that I
might come home and make IL unnecessary
/ beg you to tell the convention that moth
ing would keep me from being with them
to-day but the duties they have confided to
my care. To remain here when am need
ed is the highest appreciation / can give
them for the honor they have so graciously
accorded me. / thank you all beyond the
measure of words for your esteem and con-
fidence. Ever remembering that only acts
and deeds worthy of the proud people I
represent can justify their distinguished
favor.
You meet to-day as citizens of g nation,
peerless among the powers or the eartn
and prosperous beyond any people In the
world; yes, more prosperous than ever be-
fore in the history of our own or any other
land. You meet to-day beneath the noating
banner of that party whose life is told IN
the most luminous chapters or American
history whose past is a splendid memory
of national achievement and whose present
is radiant with glory that will shine far
out over the promising years Of the COM
ing century. We stand to-day with every
act an honored jewel and every promise a
pledge redeemed.
Even now while electric wires are car
rying this message with winged speed the
Republican party Is enacting into written
law a financial bill that guarantees to ev-
cry American citizen, be he rich or poor, an
h0nOred name and wealth OF stable mon
ey rich in integrity, every dollar of which
legend Of our faith that honor Is the rock
to which all the vines of hope and JOY
shall cling, and the stars that grace our
flag are grandly bright because they rep
resent an honest government filled with
honest people
Speaking to you 1 need no platform.
My principles are all grounded In our COM
mon faith and the permanent welfare of
our country and it's people. I cannot let
this occasion pass without paying my hum
BILE tribute to the boys who battle for the
flag, the boys who wear the produest uni
form of all the soldiers Of all the world.
They fight the battle in the livery of Ameri-
can freedom and of conquering civilization
with the intelligence of American genius
and with courage born In the American
home and the admiration of the whole
world has to-day placed upon their brow
a laurel wreath of glory; and while We re-
member them let not forget the old boys,
the boys Of 1861, the old heroes with hearts
Of oak and nerves Of steel. They stood for
the Nation in the Nations need pillars or
rock and iron.
"But in the march of war and time black
footprints trail along the road. Many have
fallen, to rise no more in unregarded penu-
ry and many others now travel weak and
weary down the shadowy slope toward that
sunless land of silence and of eternal sleep.
Let us not wait to grieve over the grave of
an injured benefactor with unavailing re-
greet; let a grateful nation help them now.
Lord, God Of hosts, be with us yet; lest
we forget. lest we forget No soldier or
soldiers widow has yet appealed to me in
vain. and all that can say Is my past and
present acts shall stand a hostage for my
future loyalty to the boys.
VIGOROUSLY OPPOSED TO TRUSTS.
There has been for years tendency in
this and other countries among some bust
ness men to combine These combinations
have existed under the administration of
both political parties. Hard times is their
natural and worst enemy. Prosperity,
which has touched us all with joy and en-
ergy, also allows these nefarious enter
prises. 1 desire to condemn them here and
now. I do not wish to speak, however,
in any demagogic terms of deceiving ut
terance. 1t is no compliment to an in
telligent people for any one to talk to their
credulity. The States have jurisdiction
over corporations and their products and
the United States over interstate COM
merce alone. 1t is possible for the trusts
to avoid any act of Congress under the
decisions of the United States Supreme
Court by combining corporations and not
contracting so as TO come under inter-
state commerce. That leaves them under
der the Sherman law and Congress has no
constitutional power to cover the case.
The laws of States often lack harmony
and force to meet the emergency.
Now, I want to talk to you fairly and
honestly. 1 would not knowingly make a
promise had not the power to keep. Men
talk of this great evil, and I say to you 1t
Is a great evil, but no one suggests an hon.
est remedy or national relief. The most
complete and effective remedy is to give
Congress by constitutional authority full
power over corporations. They may then
handle the trusts with plenary power and
an iron hand. Until that is done l am In
favor of each State passing the most strin-
gent laws against trusts, supplementing
and reinforcing the laws of Congress
am in favor of enforcing by all means pos
sible the existing laws.
Destiny has brought to us many bright,
warm isles that gem the Oriental seas, and
with them new peoples, new burdens and
new duties But he who loads the burden
will strengthen the back There Is no
such word as fail in the American 1exi-
con. We will not stop now to add a useless
word. We will not begin now to unwrite
American history. We will not now dis
honor our ancestry. William Mckinley has
raised the flag, the Republican party will
keep il there; and next fall, with that
matchless man of the people, William Nc
Kinley, for leader, we will march with our
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