Arizona silver belt., 1900-07-12

monopoly under the plea of protec- ton.
 The failure of the present republi- can administration, with an absolute control over all the branches of na- tional government, to enact any con stitution designed to prevent or even curtail the absorbing power of trusts and illegal combinations. or to enforce the antitrust laws already on 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 interests should be respected, but any attempt by corporations to interfere with the public affairs of the people, or to control the sovereignty which created them, should be forbidden un- der such penalties as will make such attempts impossible.
 CONDEMN THE DINGLEY TARIFF.
 We condemn the Dingley taritr law as a truSt-breeding measure, skillfully devised to give the few fayors which they do not deserve, and to place upon the many burdens which they should not bear.
 INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW.
 We favor such an enlargement of the scope of the Interstate Commerce Law as will enable the commission to protect individuals and communities from discrimination, and the public from unjust and unfair transportation rates.
 FREE COINAGE AT l6 TO l.
 We reafiirm and endorse the prin- ciples of the national democratic plat form adopted at Chicago in 1896 and we reiterate the demand of that plat form for an American financial system made by the American people for themselves which shall restore and maintain a bimetallic price level, and as part of such system, the immediate restoration of the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the pres ent legal ratio of 16 to l, without waiting for the aid or consent of any other nation.
 DENOUNCE THE CURRENCY BILL.
 We denounce the Currency bill en- acted at the last session of congress as step forward in the republican policy which aims to discredit the sovereign right of the national gov ernment to issue all money, whether -cOin or paper. and to bestOw upon na- tional banks the power to issue and control the volume of paper money for their own benefit. A permanent na- tional bank currency, secured by gov ernment bonds, must have perma- nent debt to rest upon, and if the bank currency is to increase with popula- tion and business, the debt must also increase.
 "The republican currency scheme is therefore q scheme for fastening upon the taxpayers perpetual and grow ing debt for the benefit of the banks. We are opposed to this private corpor- ation paper circulated as money, but without legal tender qualities and de- mand the retirement of national bank notes so that the government paper of silver certificates can be substituted for them.
 ELECTION OF SENAT0RBY THE PEOPLE.
 We favor an amendment to the federal constitution providing for the election of United States senators by direct vote of the people, and we favor direct legislation wherever practicable.
 FAVOR DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
 We are opposed to government by injun ctiOn: we denounce the blacklist and favor arbitration as a means of settling disputes between corporations and their employees. In the interest of American labor and their upbuilding of the workingman and the corner stone of prosperity of our country, we recommend that congress establish a Department of Labor in charge of q secretary with seat in the Cabinet, believing that the elevation of the American laborer will bring with it increased production and increased prosperity to our country at home and to our commerce abroad.
 PENSIONS.
 We are proud of the courage and fidelity of the American soldiers and sailors in all our wars. We favor lib eral pensions to them and their depen- dents, and we reiterate the position taken in the Chicago platform of 1896, that the fact of enlistment and ser vice shall be deemed conclusive evi- dence against disease and disability before enlistment.
 NICARAGUA CANAL.
 We favor the immediate construc- tion, ownership and control of the Nicaragua Canal by the United States and we denounce the insincerity of ', the plank of the Republican national