The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-09

mercial evil known to nv Pperind If o,,r
pledged to an sss-l
INCREASING WARFARE
against private monopoly in every form.
1t deIlalisas the enlargement of existing
laws against trusts, and the enactment
demands. publicity as 10 the affairs of
corporations engaged in interstate COM
merce; AS ; one means to the important
favor such amendments of our tariff laws
as will place the products Of trusts upon
the free list and. thereby prevent monop-
oily unoer the plea of protection. Dur
publican control of all departments of the
government, the trust evil has grown
to It's present overshadowing proportions.
What finger has been lifted for its sup
preston? With its friends again en-
trenched In power, what hope is held
out for the future?
AT this hour, can but allude in brief
words to other needed reforms, to which
the attention of the country is called by
the Democratic platform. Prominent
among these is such enlargement of the
scope OF the interstate commerce law as
will protect the people from unjust trans
portation rates, and individuals from I'M
fair discrimination. AS is well known,
this law has failed to effect the wise pur-
pose for which it was enacted. In fact,
it is now little more than dead letter
upon the statute books. Under we'll con-
sidered amendments, the commission
should be vested with ample power to
prevent injustice both to individuals and
to the public.
Our platform favors the creation OF
ficers shall take rank with other consri-
tutional advisers of the president This
is in the interests of justice, and Will
prove an important step looking TO the
proper recognition and encouragement of
the producers of wealth.
In explicit terms it fayors liberal pen
sions to our soldiers and sailors and to
those dependent upon them.
With equal justice 1t reiterates the de-
mandS of former Democratic platform
for bimetallism; the restoration of silver
to It's proper function in our monetery
system.
For the protection of the home laborer
1t demands the enforcement of the Chi
nese exclusion act.
And In the interest Of an enlarged COM
merce, it favors the immediate construc-
ton of the
NICARAGUAN CANAL.
This. however. with the provision that
II snail remain forever under the exclu-
slve ownership and control of the United
states The pending Hay-Pauncefote
treaty Is condemned as a surrender of
american rights, not to be tolerated by
the American people. In the construc-
tlon and conrtol of this great work, there
can canaa De no concession of right to any Eu-
ropean power. Commercial interest and
national safety in time of war, alike de-
mand its permanent ownership by our
government
A question is yet to be discussed. to
which all of these are Of secondary i'm
portance. 1t is soIemhly declared by our
platform to be Of
PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
Questions of domestic power, however
important, may be but questions of the
hour-that of Imperialism is for time. In
the presence of this stupendous ISSUE
others seem but as the dust in the bal
ance- In no sense paFtering with words,
u IL, is the supreme question of republic or
1miRire: Ihe words Of the eminent Re-
publican senator, Mr.. .Hoar, challenge at
tentlon: Il believe that perseverance in
thls policy will be the abandonment of
the principles upon which our government
Is founded, that it will change our gov
efehH m into an empire, that our methods
OF legislation, diplomacy, of adminfstra-
t1on must hereafter be tn Sc which belong
TO empires, and not those which belong
to republics"
Upon every phase of our foreign policy,
the language of the Democratic platform
Is TOO clear to admit of misconsruction
IL faVorS trade expansion by all peaceful
and lawful means We believe that lib
efty, as Welf as the constitution, follows
the nag. Democrats, in common with
many Republicans, oppose the Porto Rican
law as violation of the constitution. and
a Migrant breach of good faith toward
dependent people. It imposes govern
ment without the consent o. the gov rned.
- IN conTlct with that provision of the
constitution which declares that: Duties.
Imports and excuses shall be uniform
throughout the United States'' Believing
IN tnat This constitutional provision applies
20 every part Of the United States we con-
denn the tariff taxation imposed by a Re
| publican congress upon the HELPLESS and
distressed people of Porto Rico Such
i lslaatl o., solely by greed-is
lnqeed the harbinger of evil to the re-
pubic. The attempt to
COLLECT -TTNJTTSp TAyEo
with one hand, and, with the other to
| return them in part to a plundered peo-
J pie, is utterly without constitutional war
rant RAJ or justification. We give our earn
S SSt assent TO the declaration: Our plain
outy is to abolish all custom tariffs be-
tween the United States and Porto Rico.
/ and give her products acce s to our mark.
cts. NO party exigency or pressure
/ SSouIo JUSTIFY departure by the president
from the plain pathway of duty he had
! mere SO clearly indicated The law imnos-
I P3s tarin duties upon the people of Porto
! Rico is palpable violation of the conS+i
ton, and fragrant breach of tha nSoi1e, - )
| faith of the ation Gu
| The Democratic platform condemns +bo
Roney pursued by the present administra.
tlon toward the Philippine islands. This
| polcy-inspired by the great snirit NJ
coInmercial1Sm-ha embroiled orr poI,
ernment IN an unnecessary war. sacri.
! nced valuable lives and placed fine Ame~-
! lean republic In deadly antagonism to on,
former allies in their efforts to secure
Inear liberties. For the first time in our
d,seoty we are boldly confronted with the
questlon OF 1mperialism-the Spirit OF
| the Empire" 'pAtA' u
OTHER QUESTIONS SECONDARY.
This is indeed the supreme question T.
Wmch all others are of secondary imnor
| lance. Before We break irreyocablv viii
! the past and abandon the doctrines of the
1athers II is well that we deliberate upon
| the consequences of a nermanent De
parture from the settled governments,
i poIlcy OF more than century. The sue
] oWs the empire. Shall the CLOSING hour
of the century witness the American peo.
! pie abandoning the sure nathwaV IN
Whlch past generations have formed pros.
! perlty and happiness, and, embarkine
upon that of aggression and CONQUEST
| against which we are warned nv the
wrecks that lie along the entire path.
Nay th OF history Standing out against
the new policy of conquest, with all thai
1t involves of European complication. arr
| the warnings of the founders of the re-
Pupllc. Out OF fashion, as 1t may apear
quote the last words of Washington to
the oncoming generations of his country.
men: The great luie of conduct for MS II
regard to foreign nations is in EXTENDING
| our commercial relations to have witt
| them as little political connection as nos.
sible." 1t was the author of the Declare
ton of Independence who sad: "Our frs
and fundamental maxim should be never
| to eptangle ourselves in the bro:ls Of
J Europe" Is it not well to ponder these
| warnings before permanently embarkins
upon an untried pathway, beset with for.
eign jealousies, complications and an
| tagonisms?
TERRITORIAL EXPANSION.
The Democratic party has never peer
the advocate of wise territorial expansion
! 1t was in control of the government
during forty years of the first half of tn
present century. During that period new
states were admitted into the fedora
| Union. and our western border EXTENDED
beyond the Mississippi. Out of the Louis
| lana country-acquired under the frs
! Democratic administration-hav beer
carved fourteen magnificent states. Tn.