The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-06-26
A Document of Denunciation, Of
ferins No Improvement.
MEANINGLESS MONEY PLANK
Protection AssaIed and Return to Free
Trade Calamity Proposed.

convention lacks in frankneSS and d1-
rectness, as compared with recent pro-
nouncements of the party, it makes
ND in shrewdness-if it be shrewd for
political leadership to deal in vagu3
and indefinite terms-to be construed
as suits the fancy of the interpreter.
and to be carried out, should respon-
sibility come to the leadership pro
mitigating il, in accordance with its
own sweet will. BY equivocation the
issue upon which Democratic leader
ship has staked its political fortunes
and it's reputation for economic wis
dom, is slurred over. The leadership
which finds it necessary to repudiate
its immediate past in order to ingra-
tate itself into the good will of the
public, has made a bad start on
campaign. Changing. or attempting to
change, the issue, does not vindicate
the wisdom of leaders who confess, by
silence upon those questions which
they insisted were essential only two
years ago, that they were everlastingly
wrong on the main question in 1895,
1898 and 1900.
A Document of Denunciation.
The platform of the Indiana Democ
racy for 1902 is not declaration OF
principles upon which it proposes to
better conditions, but series of COM
plants concerning Republican admin
istration. The mere fact that the lead
ership of the Indiana Democracy is
not suited with the present situation
of affairs will hardly be considered
sufficient proof of the ability of that
leadership to improve conditions il
entrusted with responsibility. Denun-
citation and condemnation, divorced
from any definite program which prom
Uses improvement, do not invite the
approval of men of sound judgment.
Yet here are excerpts which indicate
the character of the Democratic state
platform of 1902:
Plank 1--we denounce"; plank p
1--WE denounce"; plank 1--WE de-
nounce"; plank 5-"We oppose
we are also opposed and we are
also opposed; plank Eve condemn
and denounce"; plank S-"We de
plore"; plank live deplore
We denounce";; plank 1--we de.
nounce"; plank 1--we oppose;
plank 19-"The vicious and cool pros
titution, etc *merits condemna-
ton; plank Cove call attention
to the reckless and dangerous"
etc.; plank Give condemn"
The Positive PIanks.
In all this chaff of negation are to
be found few grains of affirmation.
The positive announcements of the
Democratic state platform are in favor
of: Legislation for the suppression OF
trusts; tariff for revenue only; addi
tional power for the interstate com
merce commission immediate ass1r
ances of independence to Filipino in
surrectionists: liberal ensions to sol.
diers and sailors; construction of an
isthmian canal; election of senators by
popular vote; changes in the rules OF
the house of representatives.
The lamp of experience. as a ia.
nous American orator once suggested.
Is the best illuminant for the path OK
the future. The present pronounce
ments of Democratic leadership must
be taken in connection with the recent
performances of Democratic leader
ship. A glance at the record is in
order.
Antitrust Legislation.
Every law against trusts now on the
statute books of the nation is Repub-
lican law. Despite the fact that the
Democratic platform of 1892 declared
against the trust evil. the succeeding
Democratic administration not only re-
fused to enact additional legislation.
with both houses of congress Demo
cratic, but neglected to enforce,
through Democratic president and
then IN existence. A year ago propo-
sitiop was brought before the house
of representatives looking to the
amendment of the constitution so as
to give congress the power to regulate
trusts. 1t failed to secure the neces-
Democratic opposition. Yet Represen-
tative McDermott of New Jersey, a
leader in the movement for a reorgan-
feed Democracy, declared in a recent
speech that there is no power In the
president aud none In the attorney
general to suppress monopoly" nor
can there be, he said, until just such
an amendment as was proposed by the
Republicans in the last congress has
become Incorporated with the constitu-
ton. Denying the Democratic theory
that he is without power. President
Roosevelt has instituted proceedings
against the trusts through the courts.
He has succeeded in breaking up a
great railroad pool, and is now attack
ing the beef trust, with indications
that he will be successful.
A Fake Panacea Offered.
Democratic leadership lodges the
question now, as it did when charged
with responsibility for national legis-
lation, by proposing as it's remedy
tariff for revenue" This while there
is yet fresh in the memories of the
people the last trial of this specific.
The only Democratic tariff law OF
which the present generation knows
anything killed almost everything else
but the trusts. But with failures of
legitimate business enterprises as
plentiful as blackberries in midsum-
mer, no trust went to the WALL The
industrial crash which followed the
overthrow of protection as the night