The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-18
col. w. j. BRYAN IN HIS OFFICIAL
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE At
TACKS COMBINES
PRIVATE MONOPOLY An OUTLAW
CALLS IMPERIALISM THE PARA
MOUNT ISSUE, But PASSES 1T BY
FOR REASONS EXPLAINED
NO ENEMY TO CORPORATIONS
They Are Supposed 20 Confne
Themselves to the Business for
Which They Were Organized
The Financial Plank.


LINCOLN, Neb.., Sept 1Z-Hon. James
D. Richardson, Chairman, and Others of
the Notification Committee of the Demo-
cratic National Convention-Gentl
In accepting the nomtna ton rendered by
you, on behalf of the Democratic party,
/ beg to assure you of my appreciation of
the great honor conferred upon me by
the delegates in convention assembled,
and by the voters who gave instruction
to the delegates.
am sensible of the responsibilities
which rest upon the chief magistrate of
so great a nation, and realize the far
reaching effect of the questions involved
in the present contest
In my letter of acceptance of 1896 1
made the following pledge:
so deeply am l impressed with the
magnitude of the power vested by the
Constitution in the chief executive of the
nation, and with the enormous influence
which he can yield for the benefit or in
jury of the people, that wish to enter
the Office, if elected, free from any per
sonal DESIRE except the desire to prove
worthy of the confidence of my country
men. Human judgment is falible enough
When unbiased by selfish 'considera tions,
and III order that L may not be tempted
TO use the patronage of the office to ad-
vance my personal ambition l hereby
announce with all the emphasis which
words can express my fixed determina
ton not, under any circumstances. to he
TO be candidate for reelection In case
thls campaign results in my election"
turlner reflection and observation con-
strain me 10 renew this pledge.
Inc platform adopted at Kansas CITY
commands my cordial and unqualified an.
provaL 1t courageously meets the issues
now before the country, and states clear
~ and without ambiguity the party's DO
sluon on every question considered
ADOPTED by a convention which assem-
pied on the anniversary of the signing of
thefz declaration of Independence, it
preathes the spirit of candor independ
ence- and patriotism which eharaeterized
those who, at Philadelphia in 1776, pro-
mulgated the creed of the republic
Having in-ny notification speech dis
cussed somewhat at length the par
amount issue, imperialism, and added
some some oesefEal1 lions on militarism and the
boer war 1t is sufficient at this time to
form. pi''-
TRUSTS.
/ The platform very properlv gives
prominence to the trust question The.
appalling growth of combinations IN
restraint of trade during the present adj
mlnlstration proves conclusiye,v
that the Republican party lacks either
the desire or the ability to deal with
the question effectively. If, as NAV be
fairly assumed from the speeches and
conduct OF the Republican leaders that
party does not intend to take the peo-
pies side against these organizations
tnen the weak and qualified condemna-
uon Oh trusts to be found in the Re
publican platform is designed to dis
tract attention while Industrial despot-
ism Is completing its work A private
monopoly has always been an outlaw
No defense can be made of an indus
trial system in which one, or few
the output or price of any article of
merchandise. Under such system the
consumer suffers eXtCrtion, the producer
of raw material has but one pur-
. chaser, and must sell at the arbit ary
price fixed; the laborer has but one
employer, and is powerless to protest
against injustice, either in wages or
in conditions Of labor; the small stock
holder is at the mercy Of the specula-
tor, while the travelling saIesman co.,
tributes his salary to the overgrown
profits of the trust. Since but a small
proportion of the people can share in
the advantages secured by private
monopoly, 1t follows that the remain
der of the people are not only ex-
Guided from the benefits but are the
helpless victims of every monopoly or
ganized. 1t is difficult to overestima;e
the immediate injustice that NAV he
done, or to calculate the ultimate ef-
feet of this injustice upon the social
and political welfare of the people
Our platform, after suggesting certain
specific remedies, pledges the party to
an unceasing warfare against priva te
in ne cfof
heartily approve of this promise: if
elected, it shall be my earnest and con-
slant endeavor to fulfill the promise In
= letter and spirit shall select an at
torney general who will, without fear
or favor, enforce existing laws; / shall
recommend such additional legislation as
may be necessary to dissolve every pri-
fs vate monopoly which does business out
side Of the state of it's origin; and if
contrary tc my belief and hope a con-
stitutonal amendment is found to be
necessary, I shall recommend such an
amendment as will, without impairing
any Of the existing rights of the states
empower congress to Protect the people
Of all the states from injury at the hands
of individuals OR corporations engaged
in interstate commerce.
The platform accurately describes the
Dingley tariff law when it condemns 1t
as a trust breeding measure, skillfully
devised to give to the few favors which
they do not deserve, and to place upon
the many burdens which they should not
bear Under its operation trusts can
plunder the people of the United States,
while they successfully compete in for
eign markets with manufacturers of other
countries Even those who justify the
general policy Of protection will find it
difficult to defend a tariff which enables
trust to exact an excrbitant toll from
the citizen.
CORPORATIONS IN POLITICS.
The Democratic party makes no war
npon honestly acquired wealth; neithe~
: does it seek to embarrass- corporations
engaged In legitimate business, but it
does protest against corporations enter
ing politics, and attempting to assume,
control of the instrumentalities of gov
ernment A corporation is not organ
tied for political purposes, and should
be compelled to confine itself to the bust
ness described in its charter. Honest
corporations, engaged in honest business.
will find it to their advantage to aid in
the enactment of such legislation as viii
fhaTY1 from the undeserved odiI1u7