The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-28
ON THE DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

reference to the matter of regulating
railroad rates. For many years the
Democrats in Congress, barring the
administration of Grover Cleveland
when the railway monopoly fiourished
as under the Republican administra-
tons, have stood for giving to the In
ter-State Commerce Commission the
of President Roosevelt 10 Congress
read almost like the Democratic plat
form. He wrote:
1T is an absurdity to expect to
eliminate the abuses in great corpora
tons by State acton. 1t is difficult
to be patient with an argument that
such matters should be left to the
States, because more than one state
pursues the policy of creating, on
easy terms, corporations which are
not operated in that State at all, but
in other States whose laws they ig-
more. The National Government alone
can deal adequately with the great
corporations.
1.-THE government must in increasing
degree supervise and regulate the
work ngs of the railways engaged in
Interstate Commerce, and such in
creased supervision is the only alter
nate to an increase of the present
evils on the one hand or still more
radical policy on the other. In my
Judgment the most important legisla-
tive act now needed as regards the
regulation of corporations is this act
to confer on the Interstate Commerce
Commiss. on the power to revise rates
and regulations, the revised rate to go
at once into effect. and to stay in effect
unless and until the court of review
reverses it. Steamship companies en-
gagged in Interstate commerce and
protected in our coastwise trade
should be held to strict observance
of the Interstate Commerce act"
The Democratic platform of 1896
which blazed the way, made this decla-
rat on at the time when the Demo-
cratic administration at Washington
was dumb in the presence of the trans
portation monopoly:
1.-The absorption of wealth by the
few, the consolidation of our leading
railroad systems and the formation of
trusts and pools require stricter con-
troll by the Federal government of
those arteries of commerce. We de-
mand the enlargement Of the powers
of the Interstate Commerce Commas
on and such restrictions and guaran
tees in the control of railroads as viii
protect the people from robbery and
oppression.
The party did not succeed in gain
ing the presidency though Mr.. Bryan
received a great majority of the un-
bought and uncoerced vote of the
American people. In 1900, in the
Kansas City platform, a like declara-
ton was made:
1--WE pledge the Democratic party tc
an unceaS ng warfare in nation, State
and city against private monopoly in
every form. Existing laws against
trusts must be enforced and more
stringent ones must be enacted, pro-
viding for publicity as to affairs OF
corporations engaged in the Inter
State Commerce and requiring all cor
porat ons to show, before doing bust
ness outside of the State of their ORR
gin, that they have no water in their
stock and that they have not attempt
ed and are not attempting to monopo-
lize any branch of business or the pro-
duction of any articles of merchandise
and the whole constitutional power of
Congress over Interstate commerce
the mails and all modes of Interstate
ccmmun cation shall be exercised by
the enactment of comprehensive laws
on the subject of trusts.
We favor such an enlargement of the
scope of the Interstate Commerce
law as will enable the commission to
protect individuals and communities
from Determinations and the public
from unjust and unfair transportation
rates.
Tn of tha yQf n
Convention declared strongly against
all monopolies. specifically declaring as
follows with reference to the transport
tation trust:
I'VE demand an enlargement of the
powers of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, to the end that the trav-
cling public and shippers of this coun-
try may have prompt and adequate re-
lief from the abuses to which they are
subjected in the matter of transporta-
on. We demand a strict enforce
ment of existing civil and criminal
statutes against all such trusts, combi-
nations, and monopolies; and we de-
mand the enactment of such further
legislation as may be necessary effect
ually to suppress them.
ANY trust or unlawful combination
engaged in Interstate commerce
which is monopolizing any branch OF
business or production. should not be
permitted to transact business outside
of the State of its origin whenever it
shall be established In any court of
competent jurisdiction that such mo-
nopolization exists. Such prohibition
should be enforced through compre-
hensive laws to be enacted on the sub
ject.
In the early part of the campaign
il was freely stated and generally be-
lieved that j. Pierpont Morgan, Cas-
satt and other railroad magnates
would fight Roosevelt because of his
action in the matter of the Northern
Securities Company case, but later all
the great railroad men lined up solldly
behind Roosevelt. Ii response to an
inquiry a. to why they had all ''nopped
over to Roosevelt, a leading railroad
man from the South, upon his return
from New York. said: I'VE could not
give our support to Parker because
the Democratic National platform de-
manded IAN enlargement of the pow