Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-07-12

prpssion at home. IL means the strong
arm which has ever been fatal to free
institutions. 1t is what millions of
our citizens have fed from in Europe.
1t will impose uEon our peace-l loving
people large standing army and I'm
necessary burden Of taxation and con-
slant menace TO their liberties. A
small standing army and well.disci-
plined State militia'are amply sufficient
in time of peace. This Republic has
no place for vast military service and
CONSUMPTION. When the nation is in
danger, the volunteer soldier is his
country IS best defender.
The National Guard of the United
States should ever be cherished In the
patriotic hearts of free people. Such
organizations are ever an element of
strength and safety. For the first time
IN our history and oueval with the
Philippine conquest has there been a
wholesale departure from our time
honored and approved system of yolun-
teer organization. We denounce it as
un. American, un-Democratic and un-
Republican, and as subversion OF
ancient and fixed principles Of free
people. &
Private monopolies are indefensible
and intolerable. They destroy compe-
tition, control the price Of all material
and of the finished product, thus rob-
hing both producer and consumer.
They lossen the employment of labor
and arbitrarily fix the terms aud condi-
tions thereof and deprive individual
energy and small capital Of their oppor.
tunity for betterment. E
They are the most eilioIent means yet
devised for approprinting the fruits of
industry to the benefit OF the few at
the expense of the many, and unless
their insatiate greed Is checked all
wealth will be aggregated in few
bands, and the Republic destroyed.
The dishonest paltering with the trust
evil by the Republican party in State
and national platforms lie conclusive
proof of the truth OF the charge that
trusts are the legitimate product OF
Republican policies, that they are
fostered by Republican laws, and that
they are protected by the Republican
administration in return for camraigu
subscriptions aud political support.
We pledge the Democratic party to
an upceasing warfare in nation, State
and city against private monopoly in
every form. Existing laws against
trusts must be enforced and more strin-
gent ones must be enacted providing
for publicity as to the affairs of corpora
tions engaged in interstate commerce
and requiring all corporations to show.
before doing business outside Of the
State of their origin, that they have no
water 10 their stock, and that they have
not attempted and are not attempting
to monopolize any branch Of business
or the production Of any articles of
merchandise, .and the whole consitu-
tional power Of Congress over inter
state commerce, the mails and all
modes Of Interstate communication,
shall be exercised by the enactment
of comprehensive laws upon the subject
of trusts. Tariff laws should be
amended by putting the products of
trusts upon the free list to prevent
monopoly under the plea Of protection.
1.-THE failure Of the present Republican
administration, with an absolute con-
troll over all the branches Of the ma
tional government, to enact any legis-
latiop designed to prevent or even our
tail the absorbing power OF trusts and
illegal combinations or to enforce the
anti-trus laws already on statute books
proves the insincerity of the high
sounding phrases of the Republican
platform.
Corporations should bs protected in
all their rights and their legitimate in
terests should be respected, but any at
tempt by corporations to interfere with
the public affairs Of the People or to
control the sovereignty which creates
them should be forbidden under such
penalties as will make such attempts
| impossible.
We condemn the Dingley tariff law
as trust breeding measure, skillfully
| devised to give the few favors which
| they do not desire 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 pro-
tect individuals and communities from
Determinations and the public from:
unjust and unfair transportation rates.
We reaffirm and indorse the principles
of the National Democratic platform
adopted at Chicago in 1896 and we re-
iterate the demand Of that platform for
an American financial system made by
the American people for themselves
which shall restore and maintain a
bimetallic price level, and as part Of
such system the immediate restoration
of the fee and unlimited coinage of
silver and gold at the present legal
ratio of l6 10 /, without waiting for
the consent of any Other nation.
We denounce the Currency bill en-
acted at the last session Of Congress as a
step forward in the Republican policy
which aims to discredit the sovereign
rigt OF the national government TO ISSUE
all money, whether coin or paper, and
to bestow upon national hanks the
power to issue and control the volume
of paper money for their own benefit.
A permanent national bank currency,
secured by government bonds, must
have permanent debt to rest upon,
aud If the bank currency is TO increase
with population and business the debt
must also increase. The Republican
currency scheme is therefore scheme
for fastening upon the taxpayers a
perpetual and growing debt.
We are opposed to this private cor
poration paper circulated as money. but
without legal tender qualities, and de-
mand the retirement OF the national
bank notes as fast AS this government
paper or silver certificates can be sub
stituted for them.
We favor an amendment to the Fed
eral legislation providing for the cleo
tion of United States Senators by
direct vote of the people, and we favor
direct legislation wherever practicable.
We are opposed to government by
injunction; we dsnounce the black list
and favor arbitration ms means of set
Ting disputes between corporations and
their employees.
In the interest of American labor
| and the unliftinp of the worlxinpnan