Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-09-03

Sandusky. O., Sept. 3.-As temporary
Chairman of the Democratic State
Convention, Mayor Tom L. Johnson of
Cleveland delivered a speech which
was tremendously applauded. He
said:
The principles Of Democracy, always
old. but never obsolete, confront us
today. both in local and national ques-
tions.
One of these national questions re-
lates to trusts. For this evil our adj
versaries advise publicity as the rem
edy. Publicity. That might protect
investors against fraud; but how could
it protect the public against monopoly,
which Is the basis of trusts? Men
| whose incomes have increased but lit
tie or not at all, but whose living ex-
penses have increased enormously
why should they care for publicity?
What Is needed is not examinations Of
the account books of the trusts; 1t Is
the sweeping of monopolies from the
statute books of the people.
The money question also Is national.
And letsme tell you this is no dead is
sue, as some would have us believe.
Dead though it may be in one form,
1t is alive In other and ni6fe radical
forms. so long as Wall Street inter-
ests dictate our financial policies, the
money question cannot die. You know
that | have never accepted the doc
trine commonly known as '16 to IL
| have worked with those who do ac,
cept it, because | have believed, as
believe yet, that the free silver fight
was the first great protest of the
American people against monopoly
the first great struggle here of the
masses against the privileged classes
1t was not free silver that frightened
the plutocratic leaders. What they
feared was free men.
We have in national politics also Tho
vital questions of lf-governmept
Shall we continue to govern distan
colonies from Washington, as distan
provinces were governed by impera
Rome before her fall. and as crown
colonies are governed by the British
Empire today? That question also il
at bottom a monopoly question. Their,
would be no subject colonies If colo
nies could give no monopoly fran
chises.
But national questions are not 70
T us to deal with in this state conyen
ton. Great as Is Ohio in territory an,
| population and wealth, important n
, she is in the slsterhood of states, in
, iluential as her Democracy Is capabl
$ of being in the counsels of the nationa
party, she is not great enough, no
Important enough, nor is her Demo
i cracy influential enough, to warran
this convention in debating nationa
e policies or remodeling national plat
t forms. We have not been elected TO
/. that purpose, The function of reyi
Z ing national platforms belongs wit
( conventions chosen for national pul
h poses Our function, so far as natiol
@ al questions are concerned, begins an
It ends with an unmistakable identlfc,
L ton of the Democratic party of Obi,
y with the Democratic party Of the r,
public. That can be done, IN good fait
:, only by acknowledging the authorit
Z OF the latest national EXPIRE
IL sion of party doctrines c
l. national questions. In my jud
a ment, therefore, this conventlc
y ought to recognize the Kansas Cit
PLATFORM, 1t ought also to pay n
= tribute OF its respect to the great Den
ocrat who has in two national can
l. paigns brilliantly led us against Ii
# Republican party and its allied hos
: or non-partisan monopolsts,