The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-08

imperious will. Monarchy never loved a
republic the breath Of one is death to
the other. Personal liberty never sits
at the feet of a king. The proud old
tvrant by force of her strength has taken
the little weaklings by the throat and
struggle as they may she but redoubles
the strength of her clutch, while the other
great powers stand by with cowardly in
difference and witness the unequal strug-
gle If it was our duty before heaven
TO interfere on behalf Of the Cubans,
people whose independence had never
been recognized, how much more i'm
Fortunate is the duty urging us to inter-
fere in behalf of our two little sister re-
publics whose existence is threatened
with extinction by mere force OF might.
Should not the strong nations command
England to take her hands off from these
little infants until, by arbitration or other
pacific means, it shall be determined that
she is right in her aggression?
THE recent vicit Of the ENJOYS OF the
South Africanders to the President OF
this republic was as amusing as 1t was
distressing. Had they but known that
Hanna is the power behind the throne
of the American government, that he Is
united by ties of common interests with
the very mine owners in London who
precipitated the war upon their unfor-
tunate people they would have appreciated
how absolutely absurd, how hopelessly
useless their mission would be. Had
they realized that while there is no ex-
press compact between England and the
present administration the ties of sympa-
thy are so strong as to answer the same
purpose. For my part l would say to this
great brutal giant, Lower your lance
and let the savage warfare cease until
the nations may ascertain whether it is
justified. If, in honor, you are right you
may proceed, but if in honor you are
wrong. then in the strength that God
gave us we. shall defend the weak"
THE TRUSTS.
"Was it sarcasnror hypocrisy that in
spired the pen that wrote the plank in the
platform of the Republican party recent
~ adopted, in which they pledge lcsisla"
ton to effectually restrain and prevent
conspiracies and combinations intended
to restrict business, to create monopolies,
to limit production or TO control prices?
in what plight shall the promise be
read? Four years they have had tODtrol
OF the government in all It's branches ard
departments. Three Congresses have
convened and dissolved since their farty
obtained dominion in government, and yet
though the opportunities have been
ample, not one sen 1ence OF remedial leg
islation has been passed. On the contra
ny, everysopen proof has conclusively es-
tablished their identity and connection
with the very interests and abuses which
they promise to abate. Encouraged fos-
tered and nurtured by Mr.. Mckinley and
his satellites, the great trust octopus has
fattened and grown and expanded until it
has taken within its clutch all of the
principal industries of our country. In
dependent producers have been crushed
out competition destroyed, opportuni-
ties for labor restricted, production limit
ed and the prices of the necessaries of
life ARBITRARILY inceased. Four years ago,
seduced by the gentle sophistry of the
Republican party 10000 travelling sales
men lent zeal, intelligence and energy
to the support of their cause. Today
great armies of them walk the streets
seeking employment while their old en-
ployes have been coerced into trust COM
binations or driven off from the face of
the earth.
the enemy of these monstrous combina-
tons of capital and power? AS preposter-
GUS as it is nonsensical when viewed
in the light OF recent events. Ask the Off
GERS of the Capital City Bank in New
York whether they stand in awe of Nc
Kinley and his vassal congress-? This is
the bank of the Standard Oil trust, to
which were diverted without interest the
funds which of right should have been
deposited in the national treasury. They
admit the inquiry but assembling grope
and stumble in search of a cure. They
ask us how the wrong may be righted
and we answer that it may be done in
divers way when the disposition exists.
Put upon the free list and exempt from
tariff taxation every article of manufac-
ture, the producers of which are united
in trust organization. Throw competi-
tion open to the world and they will soon
come to their senses. Enact federal laws,
prohibiting corporations except transpor-
tation companies. from doing business be-
yond the borders of the State under
whose laws they were organized and the
backbone of the monster is broken. These
are suggestions used by way of illustra-
tlons. But l assert that the party that
lido IhC HOAcob pun pOSS " iClOl III InSot
abuses will not fail of sufficient remedy.
REPUBLICAN. PLATFORM.
Their platform is only plea in con-
fession and avoidance. 1t is post NOR
tenn upon the record of their administra-
ton. They pledge nothing for the future
which they could not have done in the
past.
PORTO RICAN TARIFF.
eve are taught by the party in power
that a prohibitory tariff is imposed for
the purpose of protecting home industries
and the American laborer. Porto Rico
is made a part of our possessions by an
nexaton. to which its people assented.
Already plan of government has been
adopted and is now in force. They are as
much part OF us as are the people of any
territory in our domain. And yet, in
consistent as it is, the Republican Con-
gress imposes tariff restrictions upon the
IYt-t fan- So ~.