Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-10-26
DOWN ON TRUSTS.
Frank S. Monnett, Of Ohio, Speaks
for Bryan.
Former Republican Attorney Gea-
eral Charges Capitalists with
Controlling the Nations
Chief Executive.


Chief Executive.
Frank S. Monnett. for four years
republican attorney general of Ohio
and who has achieved national repu-
tation ON account of his vigorous war
fare on trusts, made ringing speech
at nonpartisan meeting of laboring
men at Columbus on the night of Fri
day, October IL, concluding with
public announcement that he would
vote for Bryan this fall and advising
all of his republican friends to do the
same. Mr.. Monnett confined his adj
dress wholly to trusts. He reviewed
the prosecutions against various
trusts, combinations and monopoies:
which he had undertaken while at
torney general of the state. In this
connection he said:
cit became my privilege and duty to In
stitute upward of "a suits against these
combinations. monopolies and trusts as
your sworn officer of the law, calling upon
the highest courts of the state to electro
cute these law violators that pillage your
sugar bowl, your oil can, your tobacco
pouch, exact excessive freight and tele-
phone charges and to protect you in your
rights of private property under the con-
stttution and laws of the state. We Ia
bored to accomplish this, as it was
duty to do.
Obstructed by Republicans.
1--WE were badgered and DISTRACTED by
republican leaders, United States senators,
political bosses and a subsidized press. The
monopolies sent the briber with his seduc-
lions of gold and with his promises OF Do.
sitions and salaries and procured the lead
| ing governmental officials to defend them,
and last, but not least, driven from pillar
| to post, they came into court and with
uplifted hands sworethat they did not and
could not answer the interrogatories or
produce their books, for if they did 1t would
subject their corporations to civil death
| for violating the law of their creation.
| and lastly, that it would criminate the col
lege-fostering, church-erecting, campaign
contributing monopolists.
"a like experience was encountered
| against the salt trust at Pomeroy, o. The
same dodge and skulking from the aveng.
| ing law was adopted there"
| Points to McKinley's Record.
| Mr. Monnett then went into the subject
| of federal legislation against trusts and
| discussed the Sherman antitrust law.
| He dwelt especially on the "evi1s of COM
| binations in restraint of trade" Contin.
| uing, he said:
| 1--WE nominated a president from Ohio,
| who promised the people in fair phrases
| that he would enforce the antitrust laws
| of the United States including the Sher-
| man antitrust act. How has he enforced
! it? He went to New Jersey, the state of
the trust-breeding grounds, the cesspool
| and the spawn of all these illegal COM
| binations, and placed at the head of the
| attorney generals department John w.
Griggs, who has under him rs district at
| torneys scattered throughout the various
states of the union. the duty of each and
| every one of which is to enforce this anti
| trust act, and according to his official re.
port May %, 1900, to congress out of 13 suits
| instituted under this law three have been
| begun under his administration, and one
of these is not yet decided.
| Declares Law Is Nullihed.
s"This is the magnificent record of the
present national administration and the
complete notification of the most impor-
tant law upon the statute books upon this
| subject since the beginning of our govern
| ment.
1.-THE trusts utterly failed in defeating
| the Sherman antitrust act; they were
completely routed by the judiciary in the
final test In the supreme court, and they
| have now begun the dangerous policy OF
paralyzing the executive arm by means
| that are so palpable that he who runs may
read, and none but the most Skeptical can
fail to be convinced.
81 believe that William Mckinley and
John w. Griggs. his attorney general. and
| his executive officers have willfully, pur-
posely and knowingly paralyzed the ex-
ecutive arm of this government for the
last four years and prevented the enforce
| ment of the common law and the statute
| law, both criminally and cfvflly. against
come and the only time we will have fol
| the next four years as voters to legally and
| conStitutiOnally Smite them for this hypoc-
risy, to resent this violation of official
duty, and we should vote against every
elector that is pledged on the republican
ticket to perpetuate this great wrong il
our republic.
Urges Support of Bryan.
William J. Bryan may not accomplish
all that we expect or all that we hope fol
| in this behalf, but believe him to be thor
oughly honest, sincere and determined
man, and while do not agree with him
in all that he advocates, yet am forced t.
take one side or the other on this great
question which for the masses is the para.
| mount issue.
| sake of our republic and to prevent thu
threatened danger that Senator John Sher
| man and the other NeStorS in the coun
ellis of our government have so graphically
| prophesied, and which firmly believe will
| come to pass if not checked, / propose tt
| cast my vote for that fearless, upright
champion of the people, William ]. Bryan
The shadow OF Imperialism.
Every official Indication from th%
war department. casts before it tn.
shadow of impending imperialism
The signs cannot be ignored, for the,
| are black and somber and forbidding il
their proportions. The Endorsement O.
imperialism, of foreign conquest, is tn,
Endorsement of militarism. It is bu
a short step from present conditions tt
the assumption of military burden.