The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-16
BRYAN B,II TE.RLl [
ARRAlGNS TRUSTS.
Fourteen Thousand Peo-
pie Heard His Address.
FE Ar M0N0P0LIES.
Presidential Aspirant Declares That
Americanism Is in Danger.
5FOSTERED BY REPUBLICANS
Cites the Great Combinations Of Capi-
tai Under III IcKinlcy's Administra-
tion-Webster Davis Chal-
lenees II is Accusers to
Bring Proofs Of
Charges.
FosTERED BY REPUBLICANS
nv Associated Press.)

(By Associated Press.)
ST. LOUIS, MO-, September l5.-Hon.
w. J. Bryan spoke here tonight under the
auspices of the National Democratic Com
mittee of Commercial Travellers. The hall
is said to seat fourteen thousand people.
Not only was every seat occupied, but
every available foot Of Standing room was
also covered.
Mr.. Bryan came here from East ST.
Louis, and was escorted across the Mis-
sissippi by committee of the commercial
travellers, who met him in the Illinois city.
The meeting at the Coliseum was pre-
sided over by ]. M. Jump, president OF the
Commercial Travellers Committee, and the
time previous to Mr.. Bryans arrival was
filled by other speakers. The first of these
was Hon John Lee, Democratic candidate
for Lieutenant-Governor, of this city, him
self q commercial traveller and by Hon.
Webster Davis. Mr. Davis took occasion
to reply to the recent charge that he had
received favors from President Kruger Tor
taking position in favor Of the Demo-
cratic ticket in the present campaign lie
said that he had gone to South Africa TO
visit personal friend of his, who was
Consul there. He then said:
IT have been accused Of an infamous
crime by men I do not know, and who,
have no doubt, are getting big pay for
what they are doing. | challenge them
to produce a single letter that have ever
written or to bring forward any legltl-
mate proof to substantiate their charges
Mr.. Davis said that since he had taken
his position, his crippled brother. who had
held the place of assistant postmaster al
Kansas City, had been deprived Of his
position.
Mr.. Bryan received an ovation when he
appeared on the stage. He read his speech
from manuscript, and the entire document
was well received.
BRYAN SPEAKS.
Mr. Bryan said in part:
The lament of David over Absalom is
one OF the most pathetic passaS!-s of the
Old Testament. The fact that the son
was in rebellion against civil as we'll as
parental authority did not shake the
fathers affection, and the anxious que
ry. "Is the young man, Absaiom, safe?
fingers in the memory of al who study
the life Of the great Hebrew King. And
vet the interest which David felt in his
son, Absalon, has its parellel in the more
than 10. G00YO families which make UP the
American people,
1t is TO this parental devotion, so uni
yersally recognizes that 1 desire to appeal
on this occasion.
I would call the attention of every
father and mother to present political and
industrial conditions. 1 would ask them ia
analize these conditions Investigate their
causes and their tendencies. I would
press upon than this question:: "Is the
young man, Absalom, safe?' Are you
satisfied with the possibilities and prob
abilities which now open before your
SON?
Is he safe when foreign or domestic
financers are allowed to determine the
monetery system under which he lives?
Is he safe when national banks con-
troll the volume of money with which he
does business?
Is he safe when the bond-holding class
determines the size of the national debt
upon which he must help to pay interest?
Is he safe when by means of taxes
laid almost entirely upon consumption he
is compelled to contribute according to his
wants ra ther than according to his pos
sessions?
Is he safe when corporate interests in
f1uenoe as they do to-day the selection of
these who are to represent him dn the
Senate of the United States?
If he is a wage-earneT. and you do
not know how soon he may be, even if he
is not now, is he safe when he is liable
to bar deprived OF trial by jury, through
the system known as government by in
Junction?
Is he safe, If a laboring man, when he
is denied this protection by arbitration and
compelled to submit to such hours and
terms as a corporate employer may pro-
pose?
But desire to call special attention
to the growth of the trusts, and to ask
you whether your son is safe under the
reign of private monopoly? If you can
not leave him fortune, you can leave
him something more valuable than
money, viz: the freedom to employ mis-
own brain and his own hands for the adj
-vancement of his own welfare. When
there is industrial independence, each cit
izen ISIS stimulated to earnest endeavor by
the hope of being able to profit by his
own genius. his own energy, his own in
dustry and lis own virtue. But when
private monopoly reaches it's full de-
velopment ach branch of industry will be
controlled by one, or a few men, and the
fruits of monopoly, like the divine rights
of rule, will be within the posses
sion of few from generation to genera
ton, while the real producers of wealth
will be condemned to perpetual clerkship
or servitude. When private monopoly
reaches its full development, your son will
buy the finished product at the price
which monopoly fixes: he will sell raw
material at the price which monopoly
fixes; and, if he works for Wages. he will
work for such compensation and upon
such conditions as monopoly may deter
mine,
Charles r. Flint, of the Rubber Goods
Manufacturing Company. in a speech d.
5livsred in Boston on the 18th of May, 1899, 8
outlined the trust programme with great
frankness In speaking of the advanta ges
to be derived from the trust system he
said:
It has been fntimated that under the
trust system the travelling salesman will
not be needed. When every retail mer-
chant must buy all goods OF one class
from single company, the work can be
done by SAMPLES, and no travelling men
will be needed.
Mr.. Bryan stated that during the four
Years OF McKinley's administration twen-