Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-06-12
TRUSTS THE
ISSUE, SAYS
W. j. BRYAN
The Democratic Leader Inter
viewed at German Capital
Silver Question Is Dead.

BERLIN, June ,12.-William ]. Bry-
an is in the German capital and was
interviewed and asked about the po-
litical situation in the United States.
Mr.. Bryan expressed the opinion that
the next election in the United States
would turn on the question of the
trusts The silver issue, he said, was
dead horse"
Being asked about the prospect of
the passage of reciprocity treaties, Mr.
Bryan said that he was in favor of a
general reduction of duties, in which
case reciprocal treaties with foreign
countries would be superfiuous.
Mr.. Bryan will start for st. Peters
burg Immediately and on leaving that
city will visit Norway and Sweden
He expects to reach New York Aug
20.
''This is too sudden" said William j..
Bryan, with laugh, when he was told
of the adoption by recent state Demo
cratic conventions of resolutions favor
ing his nomination for the presidency
of the United States in 1908 This is the
first announcement of this news to me-
Mr.. Bryan continued. II have been off
the main caravan route for some time
and have been absorbed in what have
been seeing and doing"
Mr.. Bryan had been moving so rapid
ly since he left Vienna on Friday that
letters and kilograms have just reach
ed him. AS to the possibility of his
nomination he had little to say, declar-
ing it is too early to speak of that
question, but taking up the subject of
| the political requirements of the day
he said.
"Refore leaving home l tried to dis
tingiiish between Democracy and what
can properly be called Socialism. De-
mocracy recognizes Socialism as le-
| gitimate and tries to protect the COM
petitive principle from attack. Social
ism sees competition as an evil to be
eliminated by public ownership and op-
Grafton of all means of production and
distribution. While this distinction be-
tween Democracy and Socialism should
not be overlooked, the Democratic plat
form must be one of progress and re-
form and not merely of opposition to
Republican policies or Socialistic IDEAS
In our fight for the absolute elimina-
ton of private monopolies and for the
regulation of corporations in general it
is necessary that the party shall be
free from any suspicion of alliance
with the corporate interests that have
been dominating American politics. To
this end campaign contributions must
be eliminated to those who have the
public interest to advance. | trust that
public sentiment will require all par
ties to keep their books open so that
hereafter no party will be under pri-
yate obligations to shield corporate Of
| fenders.''
Abiding to conditions in the meat in
dustry, Mr.. Bryan said: "The beef
| trust is not different in character and
methods from other trusts. The in
evitable tendency of private monopoly
Is to increase the price of product
and to lower its quality. Why should
any one expect anything else from a
trust than the lowering of quality when
monopoly is established. Observe l
have used the words private monopoly,
not public. In private monopoly pri-
vate interest is set up against those of
the whole people. Quite different
principle comes into operation when
the interest of all is alone in VIEW