The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-27
Democracy and the rrns.s

Democracy and the Trusts.
Mr.. Bryan OF late has switched of o.
his paramount issue OF Imperialism and
has been digging into the trusts as
though the Democratic party was the
only and born enemy OF them. Is this
uue2 Decidedly not The Democrats
had an opportunity last June In the
house Of representatives to show
their colors and give some
earnest demonstration of their
professions in respec, TO trusts, bu,
they made a mos. isnom,nious record.
At the las; session OF Congress. on June
!. 1900. there came up for vote before
the house OF representatives joint
resolution providing that there be sub
nitted 10 the legislatures OF the VARIOUS
states a proposed amendment 10 the
constitution of the United staes, which.
ratified by the legislatures OF the proper
proportion of the states. would become
part OF such constitution. 1t read rs
follows:
Section /. All powers conferred by this
article shall extend 10 the several states,
the territories, the District OF Columbia
and all territory unde: the sovereientv o.
and subject TO the Jurisdiction OF the
United States
Section 2 Congress shall have power to
define. prohibit. or dissolve trusts, nonop-
o!es. or combinations, whethe, existing
In the form OF . corporation or otherwise.
The several states may continue 10 ere--
cist SUCH power IN any manner not IL con-
aIct with the laws Of the United States
Section Z Congress shall have power TO
enforce the provisions OF this article by
appropriate legislation. ~ =
On this resolution there were cast l5I
yeas. Of which $50 were Republicans,
and lae nays, Of which leo were Demo
Gratis and Populis;s- The resolution
failed. owing to the fact that 1t required
tro-thlrds vote. The failure 10 adopt
plainly rests with the Democracy.
l; is the same old party OF hypocrisy
tia; COW goes waiting abou, the coun-
tn that the Republican party is re-
spons!ble FOR all the trusts and desires
10 pe-petuaie them The members o:
the party In Congress were not honest.
They did not want the trusts wiped ont,
but played game to keep ,her, in poli-
tics during the campaign l: was the
same Bryan played toward the Paris
treaty. he worked for its ratification
fo- the purpose Of having an alleged
monster to inveigh against A. l.as:
that is the position he places himself in
by trying 10 squirm out OF his response
billy In that matter.
But there WAS another occasion when
thu Democratic party had q chance to
scorch the octopus they talk 50 much
about. William J. Bryan himself was
q member OF Congress az the time. We
refer TO the pendency OF the Wilson bill
that cid so much TO cripple the indus
tries OF the country. Congressman Lit.
;lefeld. OF Maine. in speaking on the
joint resolution quoted above. last June.
called attention 10 the acton OF the
Democracy during that period. IIe
said:
There was tariff bin that instead OF de
strorinS the, sugar trust ENCOURAGED II.
And where was William J. Bryan, Colonel
Bran. the Great, He was a member o.
the ways and Means committee that re-
ported the Wilson bill that had a preferen.
iial tariff perpetuating the sugar Trust un-
der these circumstances Now our Demo
cratic friends say. Oh. le, US suspend the
lam J. Bryan with his "sIruple Eltle bill"
IN 1891? Let William J. Bryan take thar
and explain Il in some OF these speeches
that he Is about to make throughout The
country. Let him answer that when ne
discusses The question Of trusts william
J. Bryan introduced IN the Fiity-second
Congress bill III r. SD and another III,
r. 500 providing for placing trus,-raade
articles upon the free list. II was the
session when the Wilson bill was passcI.
What did William Jennings BRYAN do
with those bills? He had them very
promptly referred 10 the ways and means
committee. o! which our Democratic
friends had the control Where are those
bills: They never were resurrectei un;Il
dug them UP two or three DAYS ago, en-
numbered BY the dust BY. which they were
referred to the Democratic ccrnrnlitec But
now they stand here AID say that 1 "sdn-
pie little blu would DO the whole bus!nass
Where was your simple little blIC' then.
il will NOT do 10 say that you did not have
this trust in mind. because In isSS, as
shall chow you IN a Few moments, The
Democracy spent good deal of f,:ne In
TeS;!SaIluS the sugar tr1Ist. and the tai
md OF the Wilson bill had \ provision In
relation 10 trusts. So the Democracy TSss
thinking about Il. but The more they
thought about Il the more they fIrnosh,
they would not bother the sugar trust, Nj,
HaveFneyer being the head o! II. u do not
suppose he contributes any;h!nr 20 the
campaign fund OF the Democracy. !; would