The Jersey City news., 1906-08-31

designate as trust any corporation
which controls so much of the product of
any article that it can fix the terms and
conditions of sale
There must be no mistaking of the issue
and no confusing of the line of battle
The trust, as an institution viii have
few open defenders. The policy of the
trust magnates will be to insist upon
reasonable legislation" and then they
will rely upon their power to corrupt
legislatures and intimidate executives to
prevent the application of any remedies
Which will interfere with the trusts Our
motto must be: "a private monopoly is
indefensible and intolerable," and our
plan of attack must contemplate the total
and complete overthrow of the monopoly
principle in industry.
How Stockholders Are SwindIed.
Recent Investigations have brought to
light the fact that nearly all the crooked
ness revealed In the management Of our
large corporations has been due to the
duplication of directorates group of
men organized or obtained control of sew
eral corporations doing business with
each other and then proceeded to swindle
the stockholders of the various corpora
tions for which they acted No man can
serve two masters, and the director who
attempts to do so will fail, no matter how
Is discovered.
The tariff question is very closely allied
to the trust question, and the reduction
of the tariff furnishes an easy means of
limiting the extortion which the trusts
can practice. While absolute free trade
would not necessarily make a trust i'm
possible, still 1t is probable that very few
manufacturing establishments would dare
to enter into trust If the president were
empowered to put upon the free list arti-
cles competing with those controlled by, a
trust. While shall take occasion at an
early day to consider the tariff question
more at length, I cannot permit this op-
portunity to pass without expressing the
opinion that the principle embodied in the
protective tariff has been the fruitful
source of a great deal of political cor
ruption as well as the Support of many
of our most iniquitous trusts.
Calls High Tariff Burden.
There never was time when tariff re-
form could be more easily entered upon,
for the manufacturers by selling abroad
cheaper than at home, as many of them
do. have not only shown their ingratitude
toward those who built the tariff wall for
them, but they have demonstrated their
ability to sell in competition with the
world. The high tariff has long been
burden to the consumers In the United
menace to our foreign commerce be-
cause it arouses resentment and provokes
retaliation.
The railroad question is also interviewer
with the trust question. Nearly all the
private monopolies have received rebates
or secured other advantages over eompeti-
tors. Absolute equality of treatment at
the hands of the railroads would go far
toward Gripping the trusts and 1 rejoice
hoc had
press this question upon congress While
the law, as it was finally distorted by the
senate, is not all that could be wished. it
deserves a fair trial
But at this time desire to center your
thoughts upon the overshadowing evil of
the day-the trust-with the plutocratie
tendencies that result therefrom 1t de-
mands remedy, and the people are pre-
pared to administer heroic treatment The
Democratic party offers solution which
is both reasonable and adequate-a solu-
tion in which time honored principles are
applied to new conditions.
Denunciation of Putocracy.
Plutocracy is abhorrent to a republic.
1t is more despotic than monarchy, more
heartless than aristocracy, more selfish
than bureaucracy. 1t preys upon the ma
ton in time of peace and conspres
against it in the hour of it's calamity.
Constituencies, compassionless and devoid
of wisdom, it enervates it's votaries while
it impoverishes it's victims. 1t is already
sapping the strength of the nation, vul-
garizing social life and making a mock
cry of morals. The time is ripe for its
overthrow. Let US attack it boldly, maxi
ing our appeal 10 the awakened con-
science of the nation in the name of the
counting room which it has defiled, in the
name of business honor which it has
sullied, in the name of the people whom it
has oppressed, in the name of the homes
which it has despoied and in the name
of religion, upon which it has placed the
stigma of hypocrisy.