The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-11-11

trade, but we condemn all conspiracies
and combinations intended to restrict
business, to create monopolies, to limit
production, or to control prices, and
favor such legislation ms will effectively
restrain and prevent all such abuses,
protect and promote competition, and
secure the rights of producers, laborers,
and all who are engaged in industry
and commerce"
A fortnight later, the Democratic Ma
tional Convention joined the procession
by an elaborate condemnation of mo-
nopolies and trusts.
In 1904, the Republican national plat
form declared for the continued subiec-
ton of business combinations to the law.
A fortnight later, the Democratic Ma
tional Convention tried to catch up with
the antitrust movement by violent
condemnation of monopolies and COM
binations.
In 1903, the Republican national plat
form thus summed up the situation:
1.-THE Republican party passed the
Sherman antitrust law over Democratic
opposition, and enforced it after Demo-
cratic dereliction. 1t has been a whole
some instrument for good in the hands of
a wise and fearless administration. But
experience has shown that its effective
ness can be strengthened and its real
objects better attained by such amend
ments as will give to the federal govern
ment greater supervision and control
over and secure greater publicity in the
management of that class of corpora
tions engaged in interstate commerce
having power and opportunity to effect
monopolies."
Bryan's platform, while joining in the
condemnation of trusts and monopolies,
and demanding railroad regulation, in
part on lines already fixed by q Re
publican Congress, proposed to regulate
industry by requiring a federal license
for corporations controlling twenty-five
per cent. or more of the business in
which it is engaged, and forbidding the
control of more than fifty per cent. These
Bryan principles and theories certainly
have not been adopted by Roosevelt.
Meanwhile, while Bryan has been en-.
gagged in denouncing trusts and monopo.
lies, the Republican party, led by Roose.
welt, has been engaged in vigorous en-
forcement of the policy announced in
the Republican platform of 1888, under
the laws enacted to give effect to thai
policy, and in promoting legislation tc
make it still more effective. Since 1901
Roosevelt's administration has begur
numerous prosecutions, which in clever
cases have been carried to the Supreme
Couit. In 1903, the Department of Com
merce and Labor, with Bureau of Cor
porations, was created, and the Elkin
act was passed, with the result of making
an end of railroad rebates. In 1905, th'
Hepburn rate bill was passed, which
ended the power of making arbitrar.
and unreasonable railroad rates. Moth
ing in this direction has been due to an.
practical suggestion on the part of Bryan
In short, while Bryan has been vocifer
ously hooting incorporate abuses, Roose
welt has been suppressing them, and il
promoting legislation for their more ef
fectual suppression.
The Republican party owes its exist
ence to its work for the past twenty years
in developing and putting into effect
! practicable system for restraining tn
abuses of corporate power. On the othe
hand, the Democratic party owes it
present non existence to its indorsemen
! of all of Bryan's political freaks, and t
l the conviction of large majority of tn
: people that he cannot safely be truste
in the executive office.