Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1903-02-18

gone to the full limit OF Federal legislation upOT
this subject in the Sherman law and the provisions
of that law having proven inefficient to suppress
trusts and afford the people adequate relief, that
therefore they must have additional power which
must be granted by this proposed amendment demand
ing Of the states surrender Of all state Jurisdiction
over the subject and vest1ng in Congress absolute
and exclusive power to deal with the questions in
volved.
This is grave and serious proposition Any
proposition that involves the surrender by the
States of the power and jurisdiction to govern and
control their own domestic concerns and place thai
power beyond recall in the Federal Government
when addressed to thinking and considerate man
must, it seems to me, cause him to hesitate and
carefully pause before he can obtain his consent tC
commit himself to such proposition and be willing
to confer on Congress 80 vast power. Such vi
tai and radical change in the organic law can only
be justified, In my judgment, upon the cleares
grounds of public necessity. It can never be ex
cused or defended when sought in the interest o.
some partisan advantage or political maneuver
Believing as l do, and as believe the leaders o.
the dominant party as we'll as the country at largt
do that there exists present urgent necessity fol
any enlargement OF the powers OF Congress to ef
ectively egisate against trust evils and that thi
movement is an effort to shirk pressing and i'm
perative duty, l am therefore unable to give thiI
resolution the sanction Of my vote.
1 firmly believe with the minority that Congress
stitutOn il now is, and il it will but employ anC
exercise those powers in the proper manner anC
right direction it will be enabled to legslate effect
lively TO crush out Of existence every unlawful com
binatiOn, trust, and monopoly that now curses th,
land. If our Republican friends could be induced
to recall memorable utterance Of their President
nseparably associated with the legislative history
Of this session and destined to project itself into h
political literature and campaign parlance of th
country in the near future, and would summon Il
their aid moral courage sufficient to obey its niunc
ton, "it is our plain duty" they would find il
this speedy and ample remedy for all the evil
with which we are now confronted growing ont 0
trusts and criminal cOnspiracies. There are mOr
remedies than one to meet these combinations.
Our Republican friends will not be able to diver
public attention nor deceive the people by thei
clamOr about constitutional amendments. The
know and the people understand that these giganti
trusts and criminal conspiracies have been bred
fOstered and fed by class legislation, high prOtec
tive tariffs, railroad rebates financial laws, ant
bank mOnOpOlies. They know and understand tha
if the shelter under which they have been enable,
to amass their mighty power and wealth il remove,
that it will prove potential factor In their destruc
tion. Under tn present Administration and th
operation of the Dngley tariff during the last thTe
years there have been organized more trusts aggre
eating more capital than in ali the previous histOr
OF the country. Up to November 80, 1899, ther
we're organized over 200 corporate trusts and 81
principal unincOTpOrated trusts. During the pre-
sent Administration six billions of property anC
"water' have been capitalized by different corpora
tiOns, trusts, and combines.
Why, it is said that in the single State of New
Jersey, the home of the Attorney. General OF thi
Administration, the fees and charges alone for re
cOrding and issuing certificates for the incorporation
Of these concerns have been sufficient to defray tn
entire expense of maintaining the public schools o
the whole State Of New Jersey. Not only the luxu
Tes but most Of the necessities OF lite iu this cOuntr
are to day within the grasp of some gigantic trus
or combine. From the farmers nail to the last artic
in his catalogue Of supplies, from the sWaddlin
clothes Of the born to the winding sheet Of de
crepit old age all pay tribute and sacrifice to som
mighty trust. I have read in the public prints tina
during the last campaign in the State OF Ohio dis
tinguished leader and chairman OF the Republican
national committee in some of his public addresse
to the people of that State apOlOgzed for these trust
and excuse their existance the natural evolution
of the phenomenal development of the busines
prosperity of this Administration.
This country, doubtless, we'll remembers will
what luminous prophecy the campaign Of 1S9
abOunded. Our Republican campaign orators frOu
every stump fred the partisan q Of their follower
by portraying to the fancy in extravagant phras
and spectacular speech the marvellous transformation
that would result from the success Of their party
Surely the picture was not overdrawn if these pOiti
cal seers had in contemplation the abnormal growtI
phenomenal development Of criminal combinations
trusts, and cOnspiracies. If these were to be tn
symbols Of Republican victory and types Of tha
legiment thrift push, and energy that was to sigma
lie the advent Of power Of the Republican party
then certainly the prophecy Of friends has beer
abundantly fulfilled. Nay, more. These hydra
headed monsters have by far Out-run the most ex
travagant calculations Of their friends and have be
come SO defiant and fearless that they now evel
threaten the overthrow Of that party, unless som