The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-25

pared address before the Kern noun
cation meeting this afternoon, William
J. Bryan, speaking on the subject of
Trusts said:
Nowhere does the Republican party
show its Indifference to real reform
more than in it's treatment of the trust
question. Here is the Republican plat
form: .,
1.-The Republican party passed the
Sherman antitrust law over Democrat
ic opposition and enforced it after Dem
ocratic derehction. 1t has been
wholesome instrument for good in the
hands of Wise and fearless admin
istration. But experience has shown
that it's effectiveness can be strength
ened and its real objects better at
tanned by such amendments as will
supervision and control over, and Sc
cure greater publicity in, the manage
ment Of that class Of corporations en-
gagged in interstate commerce, having
power and opportunity to affect mon
opolles"
The Sherman antitrust law was
passed eighteen years ago; it has a
itentiary punishment for those who
colspire 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 govern
ment, and, during two years Of the
four, II controlled the house Of repre-
sentatives. Instead OF Democratic der
ELECTION, the Democratic party has been
urging, year after year, the strict en-
forcement of that law, and the Repub-
lican party has been explaining year
after year why it was impossible to
enforce 1t. Instead of being whole
some instrument 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
Boosting of its enforcement Of the law
The steel trust was formed immediate
ly after the election of 1900, and
soon after, that 1t might have prevent
ed a Republican victory If 1t had been
formed before the election.
Most of the trusts have never been
disturbed, and those that have been
prosecuted have not had their business
seriously interrupted. The president
has done something toward the en-
forcement OF the law, but not nearly
enough, and the Republican leaders
have thwarted him at every point.
Finally the president became SO
exasperated that he sent to congress
message which shocked Republican
leaders by the fierceness of it's denun-
citation OF the predatory interests. The
very convention that spoke in its plat
form Of the administration as "a wise
and fearless one" was composed
largely of the senators and members
Of congress who boldly opposed every
effort to free the people from the
clutches of the favor-seeking corpora
lions.
The Republican platform says that
experience has shown that the effect
iveness OF the antitrust law could be
strengthened by amendments which
will give the federal government great
or supervision and control over, and
greater publicity as to, the manage
ment of those interstate commerce cor
porations which have the power and
opportunity to affect monopolies. That
is all. No pointing out of remedies;
no outlining of a plan for more effect
I've eEislation-simply general state
ment that promises nothing in partieu-
lar. And Mr.. Taft's speech of accept
ancc Is even weaker than the plat.
form. He gives no evidence of having
studied the question or of comprehend
ing the iniquities of monopoly. You
look In vain for his notification speech
for any sign Of indignation at what the
trusts have been doing or for evidence
of zeal in their prosecution. He has,
for several years. been the intimate
off1cfal companion of the president, but
he has caught none of the fire which
the president manifested in his mes
sage of last January.
II. in the presence of an aroused peo-
PsCs oao III TIC meat VI a SuhpoASh,
the Republican party contents itself
with colorless platform on this sub
ject, what can We expect in the way
of activity when the exisAlcies of the
campaign are passed? II, when Mr..
Taft is appealing to the Roosevelt
republicans, his discussion of the
subject Is so lifeless and his manner
50 apologize and apathetic, what rea-
son have we to expect either vigor in
the enforcement of the law or earnest
ness in the search for additional rem
edies?
In his speech delivered about a
year ago announcing his candidacy.
Mr.. Taft suggested that the present
law be so amended as to permit ''rea-
sonahle" restraint of trade. Such an
amendment would be as absurd as an
amendment to the law against burg
larry. limiting the law to cases in
which more than two burglars en-
tered the house at one time or took
more than half they found. In his
notification speech he suggests nation
nj Interpretations remedy which
would make conditions worse because,
without adding to the power of con.
Eress to prevent monopolies. 1t would
deprive the states of the power to pro.
tect their own people.
Now, let me contrast the Demo
cratic platform with the Republican