The Globe-republican., 1902-09-11
ACCEPTING THE ISSUE
DEMOCRATS ARE ASKED TO DE-
FINE 1T CLEARLY.
They Have No Trust Remedy to Pro-
pose Outside of the Worthless and
Destructive One of Smashing Protec-
ton in Order to Smash the Com
bines.

The Boston Herald recently began
an editorial with the following words:
1T may be claimed an open ques-
ton as to whether the Republican par
ty really accepts the trust issue as be-
fore the American people in the cleo
ton contests of the present year.
Now the Boston Herald is one of
our very contem poraries, having the
ability to analyze and expose nonsense
when it SO desires, and to state its con-
clus1onS-the sentence quoted to the
contrary withstanding-in clear
and vigorous American, and so in or
der to start the subject, as they say in
debating societies. we respectfully ask
our contemporary to state what is the
trust issue?" We ask in good faith
for we do not know
Now we hope that our contemporary
will not be fippant and evade the
question with the remark that the
trust issue is 1.-The removal of the pro-
tective duties under which trusts
thrive" because it knows as we'll as
We do that the tariff has nothing to do
with trusts Many Democrats do not
know that, but the Boston Herald does
because it is an able journal. 1t de-
sires the removal of protective duties,
and, like many other political journals
sometimes condescends to play upon
popular prejudice to promote what it
| deems a beneficient end But in a
heart-to-heart talk it would disdain
such foolishness and we ask it to state
the real trust issue-confessing that
we cannot ourselves do it-because we
| are sure that if the thing can be done
| anywhere it is in the Office of the Bos-
| ton Herald. Now, to help matters
along. we will ourselves be as definite
| as we can by saying that by the
/ trusts we all mean the consolidation
of industries, financial and commercial
| enterprises which is going on through
| out the world, in free trade and pro-
| tested countries alike, and upon the
| high seas. out of the reach of any
| tariff. AM movement in opposition TIC
| this consolidation must be either to
| prevent break up these consolida
| lions to regulate and control them
| If it is proposed to smash the trusts
how does the Herald propose to pro
| ceed? If it is proposed not to pre-
| vent or abolish, but to regulate, what
| are the things now being done by
| trusts which should be prevented, and
how, under the national and state con
| stitutions, can it be done? We do not
care to hear about the publicity
remedy Doubtless we must have
light to see work, but the wcrl
will still remain to be done
/ An issue would be raised by
proposal that Congress shall enact E
constitutional law which shall abolish
or restrain the trusts without injurins
general business. Any one can propose
such law Have the Democrats pro
posed any? If SO, there may be al
issue which do not know of
If it is not believed that under tkt
constitution congress can pass any eff
fective law issue could be raised
by proposing constitutional amend
ment- The Republicans have done
that and every Democrat voted agains
| it and defeated it. 1t must therefor,
be assumed that the Democrats op
| pose giving congress unOueStiOned an
thority. If that be the case the onl,
national issue which can be made is il
respect to some law either forbidden:
| consolidation prohibiting consoli
| dated management from doing certain
things Will the Herald kindly in
form what the Democratic part,
proposes and the Republicans oppose
SO that we may understand what tn.
trust issue is?-San Francisco Chron
icle.