The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-03

Mayor Johnson was made chairman
and addressed the convention, saying
in part:
THE principles of Democracy. always
old, but never obsolete, confront us to-
day, both in local and in national ques-
tions. One of these national questions
relates to trusts. For this evil our ad-
versaries advise publicity. as the rem
edy. PUBLICITY That might protect in
vestors against fraud, but how could it
protect the public against monopoly.
which is the basis of trusts? Men
whose incomes have increased but little
or not at all, but whose living expenses
have increased enormously, why should
they care for publicity? What is needed
is not examinations of the account
books of the trusts; it is the sweeping
of monopolies from the statute books
of the people.
THE money question is also national
And let me tell you this is no dead is
sue. as some would have us believe.
is alive in other more radical forms. So
long as Wall street interests dictate our
financial policies, the money question
cannot die. You know that I have
never accepted the doctrine commonly
known as .16 to L. / have worked with
those who do not accept it. because
have believed, as I believe yet, that the
free silver fight was the first great
struggle here of the masses against the
privileged classes. 1t was not free sill
yer that frightened the plutocratic lead
ers. What they feared was free men
I'VE have in national politics also the
vital questions of elf-government. Shall
we continue to govern distant colonies
from Washington, as distant provinces
We're governed by imperial Rome before
her fall. and as crown colonies are gov
erned by the British empire today?
That question also Is at the bottom a
monopoly question. There would be no
subject colonies if colonies could give
no monopoly franchises.
fav
US to deal with in this state convention
Great as is Ohio in territory and popu-
latiOn and wealth, important as she is
in the sisterhood of states, influential
as her Democracy is capable of being
in the counsels of the national party
she is not great enough, nor important
enough, nor is her Democracy inf1uen-
tial enough to warrant a convention
indicating national policies or remodel
ing national platforms. We have not
been elected for that purpose. The func-
ton of revising national platforms be-
longs with conventions chosen for ma
tional purposes. Our function so far
as national questions are concerned, be-
gins and ends with an unmistakable
Identification of the Democratic party
of Ohio with the Democratic party of
the republic. That can be done in good
faith only by acknowledging the author
ity of the latest national expression of
party doctrine ON national questions. In
my Judgment, therefore, this conven-
platform. 1t ought also to pay the
tribute of its respect to the great Demo-
crat who has in two national cam
paigns brilliantly led us against the Re
publican party and it's allied hosts of
non partisan monopolists"
The platform adopted had this to say
on national affairs:
In state convention assembled we,
the Democrats of Ohio, hereby acknowl-
edge and declare our continued alleg-
lance to the Democratic party of the
nation and in national issues reaffirm
and endorse the principles laid down in
its last national platform adopted at
Kansas City and fully and ably repre-
sented in the presidential campaign of
1900 by William j. Bryan. Regarding
those principles as opposed to imperial
ism and colonialism. as opposed to gov
ernment by injunction, as opposed to
trusts and trust-fostering tariffs, as op-
posed to financial monopoly, and as
opposed to all other legalized monopolies
and privileges, we condemn every effort
to repudiate or ignore them"
The remainder of the report is chiefly
occupied with matters of state interest
coming out strongly for home cover u
ment" by municipalities and declaring
for the election of United States sem
ators by direct vote of the people