The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-05
A SPECIMEN PLANK.

Until Lemuel Quigg and his associates
choose to tell the country just what the
Republican national platform declared or
was intended to declare on a given prop
csition of course it is not safe to accept
any of the propositions laid down in the
published versions of that document as
authentic With the aid of Gen. Grosvenor
and other responsible members Of the
platform committee of the recent Han
ma convention, however, it viii in time
no doubt be possible to define with seme
accuracy just what the opinions OF the
tons of the day aside from the issue of
Imperialism, toward which it's attitude
is unmistakable.
There is one plank of the published
platform which is so clearly in line with
what all intelligent men have long rec
ognized as the Republican position that
there can be no question whatever raised
regarding it. The published version OF
the platform presents that plank jim these
terms:
I'VE recognize the necessity ana pro-
priety OF the honest operation o. CAPT
tai to meet new business conditions and
especially to extend cur rapidly increaS-
ing foreign trade, but we Condemn all
conspiFac.es and combinations intended to
restrict business, to create monopo1es, TO
limit production, or to control prices and
favor such legislation as will effectively
restrain ard prevent all such abuses. plo-
tect and promote compe lion and secu
the rights OF producers. laborerS and all
-hO nr~cr rod in, ind or nd
meree."
There can be no question raised as to
the origin of such a declaration as We
have here embodied Had the trusts them
selves chosen directly the members of
the committee they could not have pro-
duced anything more to their owr liking
than this. They of course recognize the
necessity and propriety Of the honest OPP
conditions. What, 1t might be asked, are
the new conditions? Yes; it may be ask
ed But who will answer it as it should
be answered? Not the trusts, surely.
But their platform does essay to answer
1t after fashion. The rapid increasing
Of our foreign trade Is evidently one Of
the conditions. But why couple the rap
id extension of our foreign trade with
"conspiracies and combinations intended
TO limit production or to control prices?'
Can it be that the trusts and their rep
resentatives on that committee foresee
the day when they will have the same
cast-iron control of the foreign trade of
the country that they have at this mo
ment of it's domestic trade, and that they
are preparing for the event?
It will be noticed that this plank ia
vors such legislation as will put a stop
to all such abuses-an admission, by the
way, extraordinary in itself. that there
bered that the most vociferous claim ad-
vanced by the imperialist and pro-trust
crowd has been, for months past, that
they have done everything that can be
man antitrust law and the recent fool
proposal for constitutional amendment,
in the way of legislation that can be done,
ard have, moreover, enforced their legis-
lation, so that they are to be regarded
as the only simon-pure antitrust ele-
ment Of American political society.
There will be ample time within the
next few months to make the true mean
ing of this and other provisions Of the I'M
perialist platform plain; but for the pres
ent it is safe to say that in no other par
ticular will the real character of the ex-
listing conspiracy against free institutions
make itself so plain through that plat
form as in the dishonest. lying and mis-
leading declaration which is quoted above.