The age-herald., 1900-09-18
MR. BRyANS LETTER ACCEPTING
 THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION

Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 1.-The letter of the
 Hon. w. J. Bryan accepting the Democratic
 nomination for President was given out to-
 day, and Is as follows:
 Hon. James D. Richardson, Chairman, and
 Others of the Notification Committee of
 the Democratic National Convention:
 Gentlemen-In accepting the nomination
 rendered by you on behalf of the Demo-
 cratic party, beg to assure you of my ap-
 preciation of the great honor conferred up-
 on me by the delegates in convention as-
 sembled and by the voters who gave in-
 struction to the delegates
 am sensible to the responsibilities which
 rest upon the Chief Executive of so
 great a nation, and realize the far-reaching
 effect of the questions involved in the pres
 ent contest.
 In my letter of acceptance in 1896 made
 the following pledge:
 "So deeply am I impressed with the mag nitude of the power vested by the Consti-
 tuition in the Chief Executive of the nation and with the enormous influence which he can wield for the benefit or injury of the
 people, that I wish to enter the office, if elected, free from any personal desire eX- cept the desire to prove worthy of the con- fidence of my countrymen. Human judg-
 ment is falible enough when unbiased by selfish considerations, and in order that l may not be tempted to use the patronage of the office to advance any personal ambl- tion I hereby announce, with all the em- phasis which words express, my fixed determination not, under any circum- stances, to be a candidate for reelection, in case this campaign results in my elec- tion."
 Further reflection and observation con- strain me to renew this pledge.
 The platform adopted at Kansas City commands my cordial and unqualified ap- proval. It courageousy meets the issues now before the country, and states clearly and without ambiguity the party's posi- ton on every question considered. Adopted by a convention which assembled on the anniversary of the signing of the Declara- ton of Independence, it breathes the spirit of candor, independence and patriotism which characterzes those who, at Philadel- phia in 1776, promulgated the creed of the Republic.
 Having in my notification speech dis
 cussed somewhat at length the paramount issue imperialism, and added some obser- vations on militarism and the Boer war, 1t Is sufficient at this time to review the
 remaining blanks of the platform. Trusts
 The platform very properly gives promi- hence to the trust question. The appalling growth of combinations in restraint Of trade during the present administration, proves conclusively that the Republican party lacks either the desire or the ability to deal with the question effectively. If, as may be fairly assumed from the speeches and conduct of the Republican leaders, that party does not intend to take the peoples side against these organizations, then the weak and qualified condemnation of trusts to be found in the Republican platform is designed to distract attention while industrial despotism is completing its
 work. A private monopoly has always been an outlaw. No defense can be made of an industrial system in which one or a few men can control for their own profit the output or price of any article of merchant disc. Under such system the consumer suffers extorton, the producer of raw ma terial has but one purchaser, and must sell at the arbitrary fixed price; the laborer has but one employer, and is powerless to pro- test against injustice, either in wages or in conditions of labor; the small stockholder is at the mercy of the speculator, while the travelling salesman contributes his salary to the overgrown profits of the trust. Since but @ small proportion of the people can share in the advantages secured by private monopoly, it follows that the remainder of the people are not only excluded from the benefits, but are the helpless victims of every monopoly organized. It is difficult to overestimate the immediate injustice that may be done, or to calculate the ultimate effect of this injustice upon the social and political welfare of the people. Our plat form, after suggesting certain specific remedies, pledges the party to an unceas- ipu arfa nrVata mOnOnOly in nation, state and city. I heartily approve of this promise; if elected, it shall be my earnest and constant endeayor to fulfill the promise in letter and spirit. l will select an Attorney-General who will, without fear or favor, enforce existing laws; l shall recommend such additional legislation as may be necessary to dissolve every private monopoly which does business outside of the State of it's origin; and, If contrary to my belief and hope, constitutional amend ment is found to be necessary, l shall recommend such an amendment as will, without impairing any of the existing rights of the States, empower Congress to protect the people of all the States from injury at the hands of individuals or corporations engaged in interstate commerce.
 The platform accurately describes the | Dingley tariff law, when it condemns is as | a "trust-breeding measure skillfully de- vised to give to the few favors which they | do not deserve, and to place upon the many burdens which they should not pear. Under its operation trusts can plunder the people of the United States, while they successfully compete in foreign markets with manufacturers of other countries. Even those who justify the general policy of protection will find it difficult to defend a tariff which enables trust to exact an exorbitant toll from the citizen
 Corporations in Politics
 The Democratic party makes no war upon honestly acquired wealth; neither does 1t seek to embarrass corporations en- gagged in legitimate business, but it does protest against corporations entering poli- tics, and attempting to assume control of the instrumentalities of government. A
 corporation is not organized for political purposes, and should be compelled to con-
 fine itself to 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
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