Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1900-07-12

! evil by the republican party in state and
national platforms is conclusive proof of
| the truth of the charge that trusts are
| the legitimate product of republican pol
| icies, that they are fostered by republic
an laws. and that they are protected by
for campaign subscriptions and political
support.
National Control.
We pledge the democratic party to an
| unceasing warfare in nation, state and
| city against private monopoly in every
| form. Existing laws against trusts must
| be enforced and more stringent ones must
! be enacted providing for publicity as to
the affairs Of corporations engaged in in
| terstate commerce, and requiring all cor
| porations to show, before doing business
they have no water in thar stock anG
| that they have not attempted and are
not attempting to monopolize any branch
| OF business or the production Of any arti-
! Giles of merchandise; and the whole con-
| stitutional power of congress over inter-
state commerce, the mails and all modes
| of Interstate communication shall be eX-
| erctsed by the enactment OF comprehen-
| sive laws upon the subjects of trust. lar
III laws should be amended by putting the
| products of trusts upon the free list to
prevent monopoly under the plea of pro-
| lection.
The failure. of the present admins
over all the branches of the national Sov.
| eminent, to enact any legislation de-
signed to prevent or even curtail the abb
|
binations, or to enforce the antitrust laws
| already on the statute books, proves the
insincerity Of the high-sounding phrases
I of the republican platform.
| Corporations should be protected in all
| their rights and their legitimate inter csts
| should be respected: but any attempt by
corporations to interfere with the public
| AFFAIRS of the people, or to control the SOW
| ereiCnty which creates them, SHOULD be
| forbidden under such penalties as will
make such attempts impossible.
Va ha ole tar Iau
| 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 to
| discrimination and the public from un-
just and unfair transportation rates.
The Financial Plank.
We reafflrm and indorse the principles
| of the national democratic platform adop-
| ed at Chicago in 1896, and we reiterato the
demand of that platform for an American
| financial system, made by the American
people for themselves, which shall re-
| level, and as part of such system, the res
toration OF the free and unlimited coinage
of silver and gold at the present legal IA
| ito of l6 to l, without waiting for the aid
| or consent of any other nation.
National Bank Currency.
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 be-
stow upon national banks the power to
issue and control the volume of paper
money for their own benefit. A permanent
national bank currency secured by SOW
eminent bonds must have a permanent
debt to rest upon, and If the bank curren-
cy is to increase with population and busi-
ness the debt must also increase.
The. republican currency scheme Is
| therefore a scheme for fastening upon the
taxpayers a perpetual and growing debt
for the benefit of the banks. We are OPP
posed to this private corporation paper
circulated as money, but without legal
tender Qualities and demand the retire
ment of the national bank notes as fast as
government paper or silver certificates
can be substituted for them.
We favor an amendment to the federal
constitution providing for the election of
United States senator's by direct vote of
the people, and we favor direct legislation
wherever practicable.
In Behalf of Labor.
We are opposed to government ny in
junction; we denounce the black list and
favor arbitration as a means of settling
disputes between corporations and their
employees.
In the interest Of American labor and
the upbuilding of the workingman as a
cornerstone of the prosperity of our coun-
try, we recommend that congress create
department of labor in charge of
secretary, with a seat in the cbainet, be-
lieving that the elevation of the American
laborer will bring with 1t increased pro-
duction and increased prosperity 10 our
country at home and to our commerce
abroad.
We are proud of the fidelity of the
American soldiers and sailors in all our
wars; we favor liberal pensions to them
and their dependents. and we reiterate
form in 1S96-that the fact of enlistment
and service shall be deemed conclusive
evidence against disease and disability be-
fore enlistement.
The Nicaragua Canal.
We favor the immediate construction,
ownership and control of the Nicaraguan
canal by the United States and we de-
nounce the insincerity of the plank in
the republican national platform for an
isthmian canal in the face of the failure
of the republican majority to pass the
bill pending in congress.
We condemn the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
as a surrender of American rights and
interests, not to be tolerated by the
American people.
Territories and Statehood.
We denounce the failure of the repub-
lican party to carry out it's pledges to
IONA. New Mexico and Oklahoma and we
promise the people of those territories the
statehood and home rule during their con-
ditions as territories. and we afvor home
rule and "a territorial form of government
for Alaska and Porto Rico.
We favor an Intelligent system OF i'm
proving the arid lands of the west stor-
ing the waters for purposes of irrigation
and the holding of such lands for actual
settlers.
We favor the continuance and strict en-
forcement of the Chinese exclusion law
and its application TO the same classes OF
all Asiatic races.
Jefferson said peace, commerce and
honest, friendship with all nations; en-
tangling alliances with none"
We approve this wholesome doctrine,
and earnestly protest against the repub-
lican departure, which has involved us in
so-called world politics, including the
diplomacy of Europe and the intrigue
and land-gra bling OF Asia, and we espe-
cially condemn the ill-concealed republic
an alliance with England, which must
mean discrimination against other friend
ly nations, and which has already stified
the nations voice, while liberty Is being
stified in Africa.
The BOer Republics.
Believing in the principles of se.f-gov-
eminent and rejecting, as did our forefa-
theirs the claim of monarchy, we View
with Indignation the purpose of England
to cverwhelm with force the South Afri-
car republicans. Speaking, as we believe,
for the entire American nation, except the
republican officeholders, and for all free
men everywhere, we extend our sympa-