Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-08-06
~pEMocRAcY's TRIPLETs.


The Democratic party. or at least
Congressman Griggs. chairman of its
congressional committee, has announ.
ced three issues upon which that
party will conduct this years cam
paign. They are antitrust, anti-im.
perialism and anti-tariff.
These three issues are selected be-
cause the party has nothing better to
offer. Notwithstanding Mr.. Bryan's
assertion that the money question
would be an issue until it is settled
and settled right" 1t will not cut any
figure in future campaigns. II Mr..
Bryan himself could be squelched as
effectually as the money question Is
squelched there would be joy in the
party rs a whole. But he hobs up
like a jac~k-in.the-box where and when
he is not wanted, much to the dis
may of those who would like to pull
the party together again.
But what show has Democracy on
these alleged new issues? They are
bogies which will be made as hideous
as possible to brighten the timid and
ignorant. Now, as ever, the party's
position is dishonest and inconsistent.
Take the question of trusts. There
are bad trusts and harmless trusts.
The party cannot modest those that
are working no injury to the country
and it has never lifted its hand or
voice to control tbs evil trusts when
1t had the power to do so. The only
legislation enacted to regulate them
was passed by a Republican congress
and 1t was supposed at the time that
the law was made as drastic as posi-.
BILE without infringing upon the con
s%titutional rights of individuals and
corporations, and even now it is not
the necessity for doing something to
restrain them that is giving Presi.
dent Roosevelt and others In high au-
thority the greatest concern; that
point is conceded. Re question is how
to draft a law that will meet the re.
quirements and at the same time
stand the test of any court. The
greatest statesmen and lawyers In this
country concede that 1t is no easy
matter.
II is true that in several states Of
the Union demagogues or incompe-
tents have drafted laws to suppress
trusts and they have been passed by
legislatures with a hurrah only to be
knocked out at the first test in court.
This may have served a temporary
purpose in gratifying some political
ambition but resulted in no perma-
nent good to the people OF those
states. In some instances the legis-
lation was a positive injury.
The Democratic party, which never
sees an object until after having pass
ed 1t, would have the people believe
that 1t is the enemy Of trusts. u
clothed with power and in the pos
session OF the offices II would Issue
a hurry call for its leaders and imme-
diately take steps to hedge, as 1t did
on the tariff.
AS to imperialism 1t cannot win a
vote on that issue. Thousands OF
Democrats all over the country stand
by the president. congress and tho
army in the retention and conduct
of affairs in the Philippines. Though
there may have been some cruelties
practiced in the Islands, the people
are not such purists that they are
going to condemn their sons and
brothers and friends unfortunately.
The American people will stand by
their soldiers wherever they are and
under all circumstances, because they
have faith that as a whole they Will