People's voice., 1900-07-12

ness outside of the state of their origin,
that they have no water in their stock,
and that they have not attempted, and !
are not attempting, to monopolize any
branch OF business OF the production Of
any articles of merchandise, and the
whole constitutional power Of congress
over interstate commerce, the mails and
all modes of interstate communication
shall be exercised by the enactment of
comprehensive laws upon the subject of
trusts. Tariff laws should be amended
by putting the products of trusts upon
the free list to prevent monopoly under
the plea of protection.
The failure Of the present administra-
ton, with an absolute control over all
the branches of the national govern
ment, to enact any legislation designed
to prevent or even curtail the absorbing
power of trusts and illegal combinations,
or to enforce antitrust laws already OH
the statute books, proves the insincerity
of the high-sounding phrases of the
Republican platform.
Corporations should be protected in all
their rights and their legitimate interest
should be respected, but any attempt by
corporations to interfere with the public
agairs of the people or to control the
sovereignty which creates them should
be forbidden under such penalties as will
make such attempts impossible.
We condemn the Dingley tariff law as
a trust-breeding measure skillfully de-
vised to give the few favors which they
do not deserve and to place upon the
many burdens which they should not
bear. We favor such an enlargement
of the scope Of the interstate commerce
law as will enable the commission to
protect individuals and communities
from determinations and the public
from unjust and unfair transportation
rates.
FINANCIAL. PLANK.
We reaffirm and indorse the principles
of the national Democratic platform
adopted at Chicago in 1896, and we re-
iterate the demand of tina; platform for
an American financial system, made by
the American people for themselves,
which shall restore and maintain a BIZ
metallic price level, and as part of such
system the immediate restoration of the
free and unlimited coinage of silver and
gold at the present legal ratio Of I6 to
without waiting for the aid or consent
Of any other nation.
We denounce the currency bill enacted
at the last session of congress as a step
forward in the Republican policy which
aims to discredit the sovereign right Of
the national government to issue all
money whatever, coin or paper, and to
bestow upon national banks the power
to issue and control the volume of paper
money for their own benefit.
NATIONAL. BANK CURRENCY.
A permanent national bank currency
secured by government bonds must
have permanent debt to rest upon, and
if the bank currency is to increase with
population and business the debt must
also increase. The Republican currency
scheme is, therefore, scheme for fast
ening upon the taxpayers a perpetual
and growing debt for the benefit Of the
banks. We are opposed to this private
corporation paper circulated as money,
but without legal tender qualities, and
demand the retirement of the national
bank notes as fast as government paper
or silver certificates can be substituted
for them.
We favor an amendment to the fed
eral constitution providing for the cleo
ton of United States senators by direct
vote of the people, and we favor direct
legislation where practicable.
FOR LABOR.
We are opposed to government by in
junction; we denounce the blacklist and
favor arbitration as means of settling
disputes between corporations and their
employees.
In the interest of American labor and
the upbuilding of the workingman, as
the cornerstone of the prosperity of our
country, we recommend that congress
create department of labor in charge
Of a secretary with a seat IN the cabinet,