The Indianapolis journal., 1902-10-28
A. E. STEVENSON TALKS
TELLS TAMMANYITEs PROTECTION
is A BREEDER OF TRUSTS.
w. II. Hearst Also Discusses the Trust
Question-An Ovation to the Hon.
"Bill" Devery.

NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-At Democratic
mass meeting tonight in Madison-square
Garden Adlai K. Stevenson, David B. Hill,
Senator James K. Jones, Congressman
Griggs of Georgia, Bird s. Coler. Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor, w. r.
Hearst and Congressman Sulzer of New
York were among the speakers. Senator
Jones presided.
Mr.. Hearst, who was the first speaker of
the evening. devoted himself to the trust
question, which, he said, was the great
issue of this campaign. He declared that
the Republican party as a political insti-
tuition is under so mary obligations to the
trusts that lit will never legislate against
them or even enforce against them the
laws which already exist"
Former Vice President Adlai Z. Steven
son said in part:
Existing conditions challenge the atten-
ton of all thoughtful men. These condi-
tions are confined to no particular section,
but exist throughout the length and
breadth of our country. Notwithstanding
our boasted prosperity and the individual
fortunes that have suddenly been acquired
the sad fact remains that to the mass of
the people this oft-repeated boast of pros
perity Is but mockery. Ii is that of the
favored few. To the mass conditions have
seldom been more exacting; rarely less
hopeful than at this moment"
for all manner of alleged shortcomings.
Here are few sentences from his speech:
Republican success in November means
an Endorsement of subsidies, a departure
from the honest and economical expendi-
lures of the early days of the Republic,
and the adoption of a policy that foreshad-
ows untold evils to our country.
Republican triumph means an indorse-
ment of our treatment of Cuba, the con-
dition of whose people to-day is sad one
indeed.
now demand attention. The real meaning
of protection Is now we'll understood.
Under the high tariff-virtually prohibitory
dao5 IN many any instancesmthe manufaeturer in
track. Colossal fortunes have suddenly
been acquired. The American people un-
derstand now, as never before, that pro-
ing the favored few-means the robbery of
the many. High protection Is odious class
legislation.
BY combinations of capital unknown to
our earlier days. against public policy
and in many instances in direct violation
of State laws-the small dealer has been
driven from the field. The field being clear
competition destroyed-the managers of
the various trusts fix prices to the con-
sumer at their own pleasure. Is 1T pos
sible that the people are Indifferent to this
growing evil? 1t virtually destroys COM
petition-the life of trade In no small
degree 1t usurps the functions of govern
ment.
lis there no remedy? Are we to remain
in the clutches of giant combinations of
capital? Are the all-powerful trusts to
have absolute sway in all departments of
business, their voice only to be potent in
the mart? Is there in this free land no
longer opportunity in the world of trade
for the young man whose only capital is
his integrity and his brain?
With few exceptions the trust is the
logical result-the offspring-of our exclu-
sive tariff laws. The rule is general The
trusts followed close in the wake of the
Dingley tariff, which made the existence
of trusts POSSIBLE. AS a step In the right
direction, let all trust-made goods be
placed on the free list.
I'm my judgment the tariff is the SUI
preme issue in this campaign. No prophet
is needed to tell that there will be no re-
adjustment or revision by the party now in
power"
At the conclusion of Mr. Stevenson S
speech diversion was created by the en-
trance of w. s. Devery, who received a
great ovation.