Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-08-25
BRYAN'S TALK
ON TRUSTS
Delivers Notable Speech at Kern
Notification Meeting.

class OF corporations engaged in in
terstate commerce, having power and
opportunity to effect monopolies."
The Sherman antitrust law was
passed Is years ago: It has a crimi-
nal clause which provides peniten-
tiary punishment for those who con-
spire together in restraint Of trade.
Ever since the enactment Of the law,
with the exception of four years,
the republican party has controlled
the executive department of the gov
eminent, and. during two years of
the four, 1t contorlled the house of
representatives Instead of demo-
cratic dereliction, the democratic
party has been urging, year after
year, the strict enforcement of that
law, and the republican party has
been explaining year after year why
1t was impossible to enforce it. In
stead of being a wholesome instru-
ment for good" 1t has been almost
useless, SO far as the protection Of
the public is concerned, for the
trusts have grown in number, in
strength, and in arrogance, at the
very time when the republican party
was boasting Of its enforcement Of
the law. The steel trust was formed
Immediately after the election Of
1900. and a prominent republican
said, in a speech soon after. that it
might have prevented a republican
victory if it had been formed before
the election.
Trusts Have Not Been Disturbed
Most of the trusts have never been
disturbed, and those that have been
prosecuted have not had their BUSH
ness seriously interrupted. The presi-
dent has done something toward the
enforcement of the law, but not near
ly enough, and the republican leaders
have thwarted him at every point.
Finally the president became SO ex-
asperated that he sent to congress a
message which shocked republican
leaders by the fierceness of its de-
nunciation of the predatory inter
ests The very convention that spoke
in it's platform of the administration
as "a wise and fearless one" was
composed largely of the senators and
members of congress who boldly op'
| IN hn
from the clutches of the favor-seek'
ing corporations.
The republican platform says that
experience has shown that the effec
J tivesness of the antitrust law coulC
be strengthened by amendment
which will give the federal govern
ment greater supervision and con
troll over, and greater publicity al
to, the management of those inter
state commerce corporations which
have the power and opportunity Il
effect mOnopolies. That is all. NJ
pointing out of remedies; no outlin
ing of a plan for more effective legis
1 that promises nothing in particular
And Mr.. Tafts speech of acceptanc
is even weaker than the platform
e He gives no evidene Of havinl
e studied the question or of compre
n bending the iniquities of a monopoly
] You look in vain in his notification
e speech for any sign OF indignation
e at what the trusts have been dom
T or for evidence Of zeal in their prose
0 entiOn.e He hash for several year
e been the intimate Oficial eompanio
of the president, but he has caugh
i none Of the fire which the presiden
s manifested in his message Of las
e January.
n II, in the persence of an arouse
people. and in the heat of a can
y paign. the republican party content
n itself with a eoloriess platform o
e this subject, what can We expe'
! in the way of activity when tn
exigencies of the campaign al
e passed? II. when Mr.. Taft is appea
, ing to the Roosevelt republicans. h
Il discussion OF the subject Is so 'lif
IS less and his manner so apologet
II and apathetie. what reason have y
d TO expect either vigor in the enfore
+ ment Of the law OF earnestness
Is the search for the additional rem
D dies?
J. In his speech delivered about
v year ago announcing his candida
n Mr.. Taft suggested that the prese
b law should be 50 amended as to pc
At NIT reasonable restraint OF trad