The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-08-14

piece on the pure white banner of
of christianity. That religion people
do not embrace which comes to them
at the mouth of the cannon, nor will
they buy goods from those who bat
ter down their places Of trade with
the guns Of warships.
This pernicious policy of aggressive
territorial expansion has already given
birth to a young Hercules of discord
and danger in the shape of Congress
sionl absolutism, nurtured by the party
in power and advocated by its pimps,
which, if not the throttled by the
American people will destroy every
vestige of liberty left US.
The Foraker Act hatched in the in
terest of the Republican, party was
passed placing protective duties on the
products of Porto Rico. The major
ity of the Supreme Court of the
United States, in its construction Of
the uniformity excise and duty clause
of the Constitution as between the
states has declared that the powers Of
Congress in it's placing of tariff duties
on its colonies is unlimited; and thus
the bride is taken off the horse and
he is turned loose from the stable free
to roam where he may.
The power of the English Par
lament is given to Congress in it's
management of these kingly acquire
ments: and the Constitution restralns
them not.
If this doctrine be extended to the
inalienable rights of Life, Liberty
and Property as it is likely to be, then
it erects kingdom Of Imperialism
worse than that of kings and emperors:
Danger signals hang out all around
on this phase of this burning issue Of
Imperialism. And the call of duty
whispers loudly to the people of these
United States to have none to represent
them in Congress who would vote to
tear down the banner of the grand old
Constitution for mess Of pottage..
Our fathers never intended that
the inherent rights of the citizens Of
free soil in the protection of their
lives, liberty and property should be
legislated upon by Congress unbri-
died by the limitations of the funda-
mental Law.
When we turn to the Domestic pol
icy of this political Octopus, the same
old party of greed and gain. the Re
publican party, most of which we are
asked by its proteges TO swallow horse
foot and dragons and to digest as
good for the health of the Democratic
party, what do we find as the soothing
medicine prescribed Of US by our
anxious friends:
Trusts. Protective Tariffs to aid
these Trusts. and ship subsidies to
pay off the rich concerns already bloat-
ed with other protectives of protec-
ton!
No right minded man objects to cor
porate organizations in reason and
right, because thereby capital can bet
ter meet the objects of legitimate
trade, but these mammoth monopolies
which engulf the aggregate capital OF
smaller corporations with the object
and effect of sitting competition
and destroying the opportunities of
business and livelihood of thousands
of men and families: should not be
fostered but ought to meet the out
ragged opprobriuna of all right think
ing people.
Our own State. along with other
states, has passed strict Antitrust
laws, but I apprehend when the
States Attorney General comes to ap-
ply it, he will be met with the difficult
question of interstate complication.
If the United States statute called
the Sherman Anti Trust Act is not
found efhcacious enough to destroy this
evil, let the party in power frame a
Constitutional Amendment broad
enough to root Up the evil and sub
NIT it to the people under the ma
chinerv of the Constitution.
But no, that would not suit them,
for their campaign friends are in the
trusts: and more campaign funds Will
be needed. Just before Congress ad-
journs a great fuss is made that Anti
Trust legislation is to be passed, but
it is all fuss.
And yet, this is toe party we are
called upon to embrace! Good LORD
deliver US.
This formation of Trusts to ruin
the interests of trade and aggrandize
the few to the injury of the many,
naturally arose, as its quintessence
and consequence from the favori-
te fundamental doctrine of the
Republican party, a Protective
Tariff for the sake of protec-
ton: as opposed to the Constitutional
principle of equal rights to all and
Special privileges to none: and as op-
posed to the Democratic doctrine Of a
tariff for revenue only.
In this day and time in which we
live. by its workings we behold the
trade anomaly of American Trust goods
selling cheaper abroad than they do at
home.
The Russian can buy American pro-
tected steel for their cruisers cheaper.
than this government of the United
States can for the upbuilding of her
navy.
It can only be remedied by the con-
sumers of the American public de-
manding that raw material of all
kinds shall be placed on the free list
along with all trust goods.
The revision of this robber tariff
and the regulation of these dragon
trusts should be made the rallying
CRY of the Democratic battle of 1904.
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