Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-07-07
The DENVER
CONVENTION

manner mat VIII satisfy the so
Der, common sense OF the multi-
tudes whose interests are at stake.
Among the great evils that afaIct
the country at the present time is
the abuse OF corporate power. At
iirst. the advancing aggressions of
the corporations are not discernible
to the common eye, for every move
g carefully covered up until suff-
Client political strength Is attained
to defy the protests OF the people.
mus the constant and insidious in
vas'on o fthe peoples rights finally
results in species Of arrogance
and defiance so formidable in it's an
pearance that the body of the peo-
pie. in FEAR OF eyen worse aggres-
sions, hcsitatcs to assert and exer-
else their rightful authority over
these colossal enemies of the COM
monwealth. And so we behold
subversion OF our free institutions,
a government voluntarily subordi-
mating itself to selfish, private ends.
special privilege resorting to cum
ming, bribery and intimidation to
maintain its unholy power.
The Democratic party is not the
enemy of property; but on the con-
trary, it has always stood and will
continue to stand firmly against
every species of aggression that
would destroy or weaken the right
of any man to enjoy the rewards to
which his patience. his skill, his in
dustry and his economy entitle him.
Our party approves that feeling of
pride which always accompanies the
possession OF property, and 1t com
mcnds an individual ownership in
the soil that will bring to the homes
OF America more Of the conven-
fences, comforts and luxuries of life
The Democratic party is not an
enemy of all corporations. 1t rec
ognizes their great value in the in
dustrial world. Through the agen-
cy of Incorporation. scattered wealth
Is brought together and given
] driving force that it would not 9TH
erwise possess, great enterprises
are thereby undertaken and unde-
veloped resources of the country
added to the wealth of the world.
No rational man can be opposed
to corporations as such, and the as
sertion that the Democratic party is
waging an indiscrimnate war against
this form of transacting business
has no foundation in fact. It Is the
abuse, only, of corporate power
that we see to eliminate.
Viewed in the light of a great
moral question, the control OF cor
poration should renal ma question
OF common concern rather than
plitical one, but the shameful com
placence of the Republican party in
permitting its forces to be controlled
and operated by the most offending
corporations of the country throws
the problem into the political arena
and compels the public to choose
between the Democratic party that
will, and the Republican party that
will not place some restrictions on
| incorporated greed.
We are now confronted with the
inquiry, what assurance has the Re
publican party given that 1t will
use the forces at its command T.
restore the people to their rights?
In its Chicago platform it did not
make even a decent pretense OF
championing the peoples cause, and
the proceedings of that convention
are glaringly insincere. It was
noted that two elements were pres
ent in that gathering. one with suf-
ticient votes to adop Ia platform and
nominate its candidate for presi-
dent. the other powerful enough TO
unwrite the platform and tie the
hands of the nominee. The disting-
uishing feature Of the Chicago
platform is its oft repeated prom
Use TO do a lot Of things that the
Republican party has heretofore
failed TO do.
We have the following Republican
confession Of guilt:
we did not revise the tariff"
We did not amend the antitrust
laws TO secure greater effectiveness
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