The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-21
Mr.. BRYAN ON fonopoIy.

Some time ago. in a speech defending
the trusts. Mr. Hanna declared that they
were useful institutions. necessary and
desirable product OF business evolution;
and he added that questions concerning
their existence, operation, and effects had
no place in politics, and did not properly
concern anyone except the persons in
terested in the private nonopolies whose
cause he was defending. How different
this view Of political leader who is hi n
self a trust magnate is from that OF a
true leader of the people. may be seen in
the following words in Mr.. Bryan's letter
of acceptance:
Since but small proportion Of the people
can share in the advantages secured by private
monopoly il follows that the remainder Of the
people are not only excluded from the benefits,
but the helpless victims OF eYe.y monopoly
organized
If we accept the, Bryan rather than the
Hanna doctrlne. it becomes plain that
there is something about trusts and M
nopolies which it is the business of peo-
pie other than the proprietary of such
institutions TO look into and TO do some
thing about If all men, saving a few
millionaires. are damaged in ipdepsnd-
ence or pocket unnecessarily by trusts
and monopoiies. there is evident :eascn
why the many should consider hsw long
they Will be content to be opprssse1 and
eaten up by the few.
The Republican Vice Presidential can
didate has declared that what we want
is TO first get a. the facts" regerti:ns
the trusts, and NJ would have the Amer
lean masses who are suffering from tie
vast brood OF such yultures hatched
b under trust Administrator to delegate
the fact-finding power to that same Ad-
rinistration for another four years. Per
haps it is true that the people are not in
i. possession OF all the facts on this ques-
ton; but that need not occasion delay,
since they know enough, and more than
enough. to furnish grounds for immediate
and drastic action.
They know that, since the trusts began
TO monopolize industry and transporta-
, ton, the small manufacturer, merchant,
and trader have all but disappeared, and
with them the intelligent and enterpris-
ing class of commercial travellers. They
know that thousands OF men who were
selves. have been ruined by the cruel ami
Irresistible power of the trusts. and are
now in the employ of the latter as wage
earners. subject TO dismissal at a mo-
ments notice. And they also know that
the monopolization OF industries and
mercantile business by the trusts places
those organizations in a position to die
tate the price of raw material to the pro-
Queer. because practically he has but one
customer. and 10 dictate the wage of the
skilled laborer because he has but one
Mace at which to sell his skill and labor
Thus a system OF hopeless &c nomsc
slavery is established. Under il a wild
coat in a pit is as helpless against the
man who has him there TO tame through
hunger. as the wage Garner and the
robbed public are against the lords of
private monopoly.
II has been hard work to educate the
American people to the point OF realizing
their danger from these cormorant com
b;pations of capital with heartless greed
and criminal politicians. But they are
beginning TO see 1t in its true proportions
Ttey have had object lessons enough, God
knows The spectacle presented by the
Hanna Mckinley Administration. in its
open and unblushing subserviency to the
trusts. alone ought to be sufficient. Our
voters cannot have seen two typical trust
lawyers, nominated by the trusts. occu-
plying In succession the Office Of Attorney
General OF the United States without
drawing their own conclusions. They can
MT have pondered over Mr.. McKinley's
departure from our plain duty to Porto
Rico" and the violation Of the Constitu-
tion which followed at the command Of
the trusts. without alarm and resentment
Aad they cannot reflect upon the millions
contributed by the trusts. which are be-
: ing used in the effort TO re-elect Mr.. Nc
Kinley. without believing that protection
more trust legislation. and more trust
lawyers on the Supreme Court bench are