The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-23

of his fortune, would be source of such
continual and endless vexation as no peo-
pie could support
AN income tax would be a premium
on perjury and an embargo on thrift.
Mr.. Bryan's talk for an income tax, I
fear. intended for those who never have,
and who never expect to save any of
their earnings. Taxation should De on
property and not on income If l have
the same kind of property, and Of equal
value as my Feighbor, and by care man
age nina better than he does his,
should have my reward. That is placing
a premium on thrift and an embargo
on shiftlessness.
''Mr. Bryan says we exalt the dollar
above the man because We oppose free
silver. He claims that all of Us, except
the gold Democrats voted for free silver
in 1896 wonder if Bryan really thinks
the Republicans voted against the gold
standard in the last campaign. If he
does let him cherish that illusion; it will
do no harm; that question is settled.
Even Bryan has quit arguing for free sill
yer, because, as he says, there is no tomb
deep enough to bury a righteous cause.
II he contents himself with that state
ment throughout the coming campaign
our only answer shall be, if free silver
is not dead, it sleepeth and it will prob
ably take a Gabriel's horn to arouse it.
Mr. Bryan charges that the Republi-
can party is fostering trusts. I would
ask what has he or his party ever done
against trusts? What did the Democrat
ic party do when in power TO break Up
the trusts? What measure did Bryan
propose or advocate when he was in
congress against trusts? He tells US now
what should be done. I answer what
did he do or attempt to do when he was
In position to act? Trusts were organized
several years ago in this country; they
were regarded as dangerous, and legisla-
ton was begun against them. The first
eanti- trust law was enacted by the Kan
sas legislature in 1899 I framed and pre-
sented the bill; the legislature that passed
It was well nigh unanimously Republi-
can Shortly thereafter many other states
and congress as well passed similar laws.
Congress was Republican when the anti
trust bill was passed. If it wa not suf
fcent Bryan ought to have had 1t
amended while he was in congress. Pros
ecutions were begun under these laws,
and il drove the trusts to change their
organizations from trusts to single cor
porations, so that now, what are COM
monty called trusts are, in fact private
corporations.
''Mr. Bryan has suggested a remedy
that evidently comes from the Populistic
side of the man; it is, that before any
corporation SHAH be permitted to do
business outside of the state granting the
charter, it shall first obtain a license
from the federal government. If that
was the law no newspaper could leave
Brooklyn for any other state, until a fed
eraI commission should give its consent.
Every corporation would be confined to
the state granting the charter until con-
sent fthe federal government was OBJ
tanned. I have said heretofore, that
Bryan proposes remedies like a Populist.
Such q remedy as he proposes would
place the larger part of the business of
this country directly in the hands of the
federal government which means the
party in power. This would vastly multi
ply the Richard Crokers in the United
States. This would give a national ad-
ministration a greater power to perpetu-
ate itself than does the Goebel law to
perpetuate a state administration in Ken
lucky. OF all the remedies suggested,
publicity seems to me the most feasible.
Publicity would protect the public which
buys the product of the corporation and
the investor who buys it's stock. Ny
opinion is, that no corporation, however
large, can very long operate successfully
against the basic law of commerce,
which is competition. But the preventive
that will stop greed from attempting
such a wrong is, publicity.
Every reason argued against an in
ouisition into the private affairs of the
individual such as an income tax, would
make. applies just the other way respect
ing corporations The corporation has no
natural rights. It is a creature of law,
it has special privileges, it permits COM
binations Of capital. It's every act should
be done in the broadlight of day. First
its capital stock should not be wateredi
its assets and liabilities should be made
public at frequent intervals; its expenses
should be made known, and its income as
well. Do this and the basic law of com
merce, competition having full play, viii
| assert itself. The corporation could not
sell for an unreasonable price, for thai
would invite competition, and the fall ii
price would soon follow.
Mr.. Bryan says that our acquisition
and retention of the Philippine Islands Is
! in violation Of the Declaration of hide
/ pendence and that it will bring an army
| of Afalays under the American flag II
! competition with American labor, anC
/ that this is another way the Republican.
/ have of exaIting the dollar above the
man. All this and more. too, has beer
/ said Of every acquisition OF territory tha-
! has ever beer. acquired. There Is no more
( reason for supposing that the Filipino
| viii ever be able TO compete with tht
! American working man in the future
than did the Aborigines Of the northwes
| compete with American labor after JEFF
! ferson bought Louisiana. Nor was th'
! Declare ion of independence any mor'
violated in the acquisition OF the Philip
pine archipelago than when the grea
author OF that Declaration acquired al
/ empire beyond the Mississippi. Bryan
! has shifted his position on the question
Of EXPANSION. He stood against cur tax
! ing Puerto Rico as he has stood agains
our annexation Of Hawaii But now D.
claims that there IS a vast difference be
/ tween expansion and Imperialism and &C
/ c,Ises Us of trying 70 hide behind tn
word expansion Mr. Bryan, Il seems
does not fully understand the meanin,
/ - .~--,,,-s,-, F7xnausi1gi is not alone IN