Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-09
Recent Rains Helpful.
THE PLATFORM.

Continued From Page OncD
TO become the greatest combinations
of capital that the world has ever
known. These especial favorites of
the government have through trust
methods, been converted into monopo-
lies, thus bringing to an end domestic
competition, which was the only al
legged check upon the cXtravagant prof
its made possible by the protective
system. These industrial combina-
lions. by the financial assistance they
can give. now control the policy of the
republican party.
We dcnOuncc protection as robbery
Of the many to enrich the few. and VIC
favor tariff limited to the needs Of
the government, economically admins
tered and 50 levied as not to- diScrimi-
nate against any industry. class, or
section. to- the end that the burdens
of taxation shall be distributed as
equally as possible.
We favor revision and gradual
reduction of the tariff by the friends
of the masses and for the common
veal. and not by the friends of its
abuses, it's CXtnrtions. and its discrim-
nations. keeping i'm view the ultimate
ends OF equality of burdens and equal
ity OF opportunities, and the consti-
tutiunaI purpose of raising a revenue
by taXation-to-wit: the support of
the federal government i'm all its in
tCErity and virility. but in simplicity.
Trusts and Unlawful Combinations.
We recognize that the gigantic trusts
Ii Mt IN n l,A
capital to secure more than its just
share of the joint products of capital
and labor. and which have been foster
cd and promoted under republican
rule. are a menace to beneficial com
petition and an obstacle to permanent
business prosperity.
\ private monopoly is indCfCnSible
and intyIera5le. Individual equality
Of opportunity and free competition
are essential To healthy and perma-
nent commercial prosperity. and any
trust, combination or monopoly tend
ing to- destroy these by controlling
production. restricting competition or
fixing prices should he prohibited and
punished by law. We especially de-
nounce rebates and discrimination by
transportation companies as the most
Totent agency in promoting and
strengthening these unlawful con
spiraCies against trade.
We demand an enlargement of the
powers of the interstate commerce
commission. to the end that the tray
cling public and shippers of this coun-
try may have prompt and adequate re
lief for the abuses To which they are
tation We demand a strict enforce
ment of existing civil and criminal
statutes against all such trusts. com
b.nations and monopolies. and we de
mand the enactment of such further
legislation as may be necessary to ef-
fectually suppress them.
ANY trust or unlawful combination
engaged in Interstate commerce which
is monopolizing any branch of bust
ness or production should not he per
mitted to transact business outside of
the state of its origin. Whenever II
shall he established in any court of
competent jurisdiction that such mo-
nopoliZation exists. such prohibition
should be enforced through compre-
hensive laws 10 be enacted on the sub
ject.
Reclaim Arid Lands
We congratulate our western citi-
zens upon the passing of the law
known as the Newlands irrigation act
for the irrigation and reclamation of
the arid lands of the west a measure
framed by democrat. passed in the
senate by non-partisan vote. and
passed in the house against the oppo-
sition of almost all the republican