The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-05-28

Deoples being held down by the bayo-
net and robbed by the carpetbaggers
but foreshadows the fate of our coun-
try unless the people are aroused to
our danger. The unjust and cruel
war of subsection now seing carried
on in the Philippines should be ended
at once, with definite and specific dec
larations to the natives as to the lnten-
tions of this country to aid them IN
the establishment of a free government
OF their own choice, under protector
ate by the United States. -
That we reaffirm and endorse the cor
related sections of the Kansas City
platofrm upon the subjects OF trusts
and imperialism as follows:
Private monopolies are indefensible
and intolerable. They destroy compe-
tion, control the prices of material
and of the finished products, thus rob-
bing both producer and consumer.
They lessen the employment OF labor
and arbitrarily fix the terms and con-
dit;ons thereof, and deprive Individual
energy and small capital Of their op-
portunity for betterment. They are
the most efficient means devised for
appropriating the fruits Of industry
for the benefit of the few at the ex-
pense of the many, and unless their
insatiate greed is checked all wealth
will be aggregated in a few hands and
the republic destroyed. The dlshon-
est paltefing with the trusts evil by
the Republican party in State and ma
tional platforms conclusive proof Of
the truth of the charges that trusts
are the Legitimate products of Repub-
lican policies, that they are fostered
by Republican laws and that they are
protected by Reublican administration
in return for campaign subscriptions
and political support. We pledge the
Democratic party to an unceaslng
warfare in nation, State and city
against private monopoly IN every
form
Existing laws against trusts must
be.enforced and more stringent ones
must be enacted providing for public
ity as to affairs of corporations engag-
ed in interstate commerce and requlr-
ing all corporations to show, before
doing business outside Of the State OF
their origin, that they have no water
in thier stock and that they have not
and are not attempting to
any branch cf business or
the production of any article of mer-
chandise, and the whole constitutional
power of congress over Interstate
commerce shall be exercised by the
enactment OF comprehensive laws upon
the subject of trusts. Tariff laws
should be amended by putting the
products of trusts upon the free list, to
prevent monopoly under the plea Of
proection.
We are opposed to private monopoly
IN every form, and view with appre-
hension the Increasing power and dis
regard of the interest Of the people by
the combination of corporations, es-
pecially of those chartered by other
States. It is the duty Of the general
assembly of this State to pass more
stringent laws for the control OF all cor
porations, domestic and foreign, and
for the prevention of all trusts and
combinations between corporations
carrying on competatiye business.
We claim the right on the part Of the
State to control all corporations,
whether domestic or foreign, engaged
in business within her borders. We
deny that congress has any legitimate
power to regulate corporations except
as they may be engaged in foreign or
interstate commerce; and demand that
the national government confne itself
in bestowing corporate existence to
such agencies as are required to exer-
else such functions as the constitution
specifically confers upon the United
States. We are unalterably opposed
to any amendment Of the federal con-
stitution lookin to any enlargement OF
the powers of congress in relation to
the regulation of contract by citizens
of the State, or in relation to the cor
porations, and we demand that laws
be enacted further restricting the
power of the federal courts to interfere
with the internal affairs and admins
tration of justice in the State. We
condemn the Dingley tariff law as a
trust breeding measure skillfuiiy de-
vised to give the few favors which
they do not deserve, and to place upon
the many burdens which they should
not bear.
We reaffrm our belief in a tariff for
revenue only, and that taxation should
be SO regulated as to meet the needs
of an honest and economical govern
ment. We condemn all class legisla-
ton, such as the ship subsidy bill,
which we believe to be rich mans
raid on the public Golfer, and we also
condemn all sectional leislgation, such
as the Crumpacker bill, which we be-
lieve to be intended to arouse section
al aninosities.
We hold with the United States su-
preme court that the declaration Of in
dependence is the spirit of our gov
ernment, of which the constitution is
the form and letter.
We declare again, that all govern
ment Instituted among men derive
their just powers from the consent OF
the governed; that any government
not based upon the consent of the gov
erned is tyranny, and that to impose
upon any people the government OF
force is to substitute a method Of i'm
perialism for those of republic. We
hold that the constitution follows the
400 and denounce the doctrine that