Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-18

to place upon the many burdens which
they should not bear" Under its OPP
Grafton trusts can plumber the people
of the United States, while they sue
cessfuly compete in foreign markets
with manufacturers of other countries.
Even those who justify the general
policy of protection will find 1t diff
cult to defend a tariff which enables
a trust to exact an exorbitant toll
from the citizens.
CORPORATIONS IN POLITICS.
The Democratic party makes no war
upon honestly acquired wealth; neither
does it seek to embarrass corporations
engaged in legitimate business, but II
does protest against corporations en-
tering politics, and attempting TO as
sumo control of the Observation-Disclosures
of government. A corporation is not
organized for political purposes, and
should be compelled to confine itself 10
the business described in It's charter.
Honest corporations, engaged IN an
honest business, will find it to their ad-
vantage to aid in the enactment of such
legislation as will protect them from
the undeserved odium which will be
brought upon them by those corpora
tions which enter the political arena.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
The Republican party has persistent
" refused to comply with the urgent
request of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, for such an enlargement
of the scope of the interstate commerce
law as will enable the commission TO
realize the hopes aroused by its crea-
ton. The Democratic party is pledged
TO legislation which will empower the
commission to protect individuals ana
communities from discrimination, and
the public at large from unjust and I'M
fair transportation rates.
THE FINANCIAL PLANK.
The platform reiterates the demand
contained in the Chicago platform for
an American financial system made by
the American people for themselves.
The purpose of such a system is to re-
store and maintain a bimetallic level or
prices, and in order that there may be
no uncertainty as to the method OF re-
storing bimetallism, the specific declar
alton in favor of free and unlimited
coinage at the existing ratio of 16 to /,
independent of the action OF other ma
lions. is repeated. In 1896 the Republl-
can party recognized the necessity for
bimetallism by pledging the party TO an
earnest effort to secure an information
al agreement for the free coinage OF
silver, and the President. Immediately
after his Inauguration, by authority OF
congress, appointed a commission COM
posed of distinguished citizens to visit
Europe and solicit foreign aid. Secre-
tary Hay, in letter written TO Lore
Aldenham in November, 1898, and af-
forwards published in England, de-
clared that at that time the President
and a majority of his cabinet still be-
Iieved in the great desirability of an
International agreement for the restora-
ton of the double standard, but that
1t did not seem opportune to reopen
the negotiations just then.
The Financial Law Enacted
less than a year ago contains conclud-
ing section declaring that the measure
was not intended to stand In the way
of the restoration of bimetallism,
whenever it could be done by co-opera-
ton with other nations. The platform
submitted to the last Republican con-
vention with the Endorsement of the
administration again suggested the pos
sibility of securing foreign aid in re-
storation of silver.
Now the Republican party, for the
first time, openly abandons it's ad-
vocacy of the double standard and in
dorses the monetary system which ii
has so often and so emphatically con-
demned. The Democratic party, on the
contrary, remains the steadfast advo-
cate of the gold and silver coinage of
the constitution. and is not willing
that other nations shall determine for
us the time and manner of restoring
silver to it's ancient place as a stand
ard money. The ratio of 16 to l is
not only the ratio now existing be-
tween all the gold and silver dollars IN
circulation in this country. ratio
which even the Republican admins
tration has not attempted to change,
but it is the only ratio advocated by
those who are seeking to reopen the
minis. Whether the Senate, now hos
tile to bimetallsm can be changed
during this campaign or the campaign
of 1902 can only be determined after
the votes are counted. but neither the
present nor the future political COM
plexion of Congress has prevented or
should prevent an announcement of
the party's position upon this subject
In unequivocal terms.
The Currency Dill.
which received the sanction Of the Ex-
ecutive and the Republican members
of the House and Senate, justifies the
warning given by the Democratic party
in 1896. 1t was then predicted that the
Republican party would attempt to re-
tire the greenbacks although the party
and its leaders studiously concealed