The evening times., 1900-03-09
CIRCULATION STATEMENT.
FRIDAY. MARCH ?, 1900
Ali for the Trusts.

The speech Of Mr. Foraker of Ohio in the
Senate yesterday, in defence of The Payne
Porto Rican iniquity was interesting chiefly
for its frank exposition of the Republican
party alliance with the trusts. Up TO a
very recent time the organization has
thought it necessary to maintain some pre-
tence of devotion to ideas and principles
strongly fixed in the American popular
mind and faith. Thus. in the campaign of
1896. the st. Louis platform pledged the
party and its candidate to a mild form OF
bimetallism. This was purely a piece OF
hypocrisy, but ii served its purpose and
beyond doubt made the election of Mr.. Nc
Kinley possible 1t is admitted on all
hands that he would have been defeated
if the masses Of Republican voters had
not been assured that neither he nor his
political associates were in favor OF a sin
gle gold standard Then the ST. Louis
platform declared vigorously for civil sery-
ice reform and extension of the merit sys-
ten wherever and whenever possible. Ey
orybody knows now how little credence
should have been given TO these ballot
catchers. The single gold standard is q
fixed fact, or viii be in a day or two, and
irrevocably so for the next five years. The
merit system has been practically destroyed
by President Mckinley. his official and per
sOnal promises and pledges TO the contrary
Notwithstanding
These purposes having been achieved.
the Republican Administration and party
appear to think il no longer necessary to
wear masks. One would suppose that the
intense antagOnism Of the plain people Of
the country to the trusts would render a
political organization about to seek na-
iicnal power again chary of exposing its
relations with those extortiOnate and oB-
pressive combinations. The contrary seems
10 be the case. Although Mr.. Mckinley
when member Of Congress. denounced
the President Of that day for loaning pub
lie money to banks without interest. he
has himself offended in far greater de-
gree. The Treasury scandal in connection
with the Standard Oil Bank in New York
is in startling evidence Of the intimate
connection existing between the Admins
tration and the consolidated financial or
ganizaiion Of the monster monopolies.
The Republican course in connection
with the Porto Rican tariff movement has
been even bolder more open. and
more impudent. Although President
Mckinley, Secretary Root, and the
party leaders in Congress knew
that customs duties could not be levied on
domestic commerce between different parts
Of the United States. because OF a clear
constitutional prohibition. and therefore
proposed free trade for Porto Rico. vet
when The oil, sugar, tobacco. and rum
trusts ordered them to impose Dingleyism
on the island. they Instantly changed
front in seryile obedience to their owners
and masters, and proceeded 20 ignore their
duty and their oaths TO support the Con-
sriJUtion.
The defence of this wickedness present.
ed by Mr.. Foraker. has a sinister signif-
cance in the threat he INDUCED in that
should the Supreme Court of the United
States decide that our insular possessions
are integral parts OF the country
and so entitled to free trade. the policy
Of expansion might have to be revised.
That means, of course, that if the Philip
pines and our other islands cannot be kept
and used for exploitation by the trusts.
and the American people deprived of their
rich and varied productions except upon
the payment of Dingley tribute TO the
protected monopolies. then Hanna. McKin-
ley, Rockefeller, Havemeyer. Spreckles.
OXnard. Duke, and the rest may find it
necessary TO sell or give away our outIy-
ing American territory