Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-18
NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT,

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What is the use of waiting longer?
Why not proceed to reorganize the
peoples party now, while there is time
to get in shape for the coming cam
paign?
The two factions, the midroaders
and the fusionists, no longer have any
cause for s, anding apart and glover
ing at each other. It would be diff
cult to find prominent fusionist that
believes in fusion any more. All that
is needed to unite the two factions is
FOR some one to get up meeting be-
tween the officials of each faction.
From every part of the country where
there are any remnants of the once
promising party comes the cry, "Let
us get together.' 1t is the same cry
as is sounded in the democratic party,
but there is a vast difference in the
prospects of getting together there.
The democrats have to try to fuse two
elements of their party that are radio
ally opposed to each other on almost
every vital question in the platform.
The populists are all agreed on the
platform; the only cause of their drift
ing apart was difference of policy
that has now disappeared.
What is the use of waiting to see
what either of the old parties may see
at to do? The chances of their doing
anything satisfactory to the believers
in the Omaha platform are so infnites-
finally small as to merit no notice.
There are perhaps some who have
lingering hope that Roosevelt may do
something to settle the trust question.
Without in the least questioning his
sincerity or ability, We cannot see any
cause for hope in that direction any
longer. Roosevelt believes in the
present system of individualism and
combinations of capital, but expects
to be able by legislation to keep the
com binatious from exercising the mo-
nopoIistic power that combination
gives them. He believes that the leg.
islation passed at the last session of
congress is sufficient for this purpose.
He forgets that as long as these COM
lbinations have the power of exercis-
ing monopoly they will use every
endeavor to circumvent restrictive
laws. Worse still, such laws give
them an added incentive for taking q!
hand in the selection of officials to ex-
ecute the laws. Roosevelt may feel
shat he can execute those laws, but he
cannot hold his place for more than q
few years at the best. The monopo-
list will strain every nerve to put in
his place man whom they can con-
troll.
TIE Sherman antitrust law has been
on 5he statute books for thirteen years,
and trusts have grown more rapidly
and become more insolent during that
period than in all the preceding years
OF the existence of our nation, because
the officials did not want to enforce
the law.
The Sherman law may have caused
the destruction of the merger of rail-
noads, bAt the officials of the big mer-
ger in Question openly announce that
they will work in harmony, with or
without a legal merger. There will be
no competition because the ownership
of the roads is in the same hands as
1t was during the existence of the mer-
ger.
These big combinations exercise q
political power that is tremendous.
They are always active, while the pee-
pie take decided hand in the politi-
cal game at intervals when something
of vital Importance to them has hap
pened to awake them from their leth-
.argy. Our only hope for permanently
settling these questions is to educate
the people to independent action and
await, the time for q great popular up
:heaval, and then end the power of the
greatest combinations by nationaliz-
ing the industry and thus remove the
cause for the political activity in that
line.
Roosevelt may be reelected, but the
trusts will look after the selection of !
congressman. Wherever q man Is |
nominated who suits them they will |
support him, be he democrat or re-,
publican.
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