Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-09

of Democratic free trade the farmer
was pauper in the midst of colder
harveStS, but since then, Mr.. Bryan
has become farmer: at least he ha:
so prospered in the systematic pur-
suit of his profession as a Presidential
Candidate that he has acquired
large fortune, a part of which he ha:
Invested in farm near Lincoln
where he poses before the American
people as an agriculturist. But if
remember correctly, there are two
classes of working men: one class
which actually works, and the Other
class which works the workers, viz
the industrial jawsmiths, who put il
their time creating unrest and dssen-
ton and who presume to dictate the
labor vote of the country.
Then there are two kinds OF
farmers, one class farms the farms
and the other farms the farmers. Mr.
Bryan has let out the contract o.
farming the Fairview farm to rea
farmers. while he himself has under
taken the more difficult contract Of
farming the farmers, at dollar pei
head
The farmers, however, cannot be de
ceived. They remember the Bryan 81
1896 and his attempt to mlSiead then
in solving the problem of prusl"rliS
and Notwithstanding he now appears il
farmers clothes and as the self con
Stituted representative of the formers
cause, declaring that ne had undergone
the experience of political regeneration
and having seen "a great light .iaS ac
tuallv discovered that Providence as
against his theory of sixteen to one, an,
now proposes to conservativcly rclrc'
sent the interest Of the country; not
withstardrg all this. | say, the farm
rs are not to b" fooled.
They are like the lad Whr
dropped in to the open door of Il muse
UNI in New York, one hot summer day
and seeing no one in charge congratu
lated himself upon the opportunity al
seeing the museum without charge
The freaks were not in; they hac al
gone out, including the Skinny Man. I,
replcnish their empty stomachs at the
lunch counter; and SO the inquisitivt
youth began looking around. whca f.
rally he tSpied a door slightly aj;,r.
GraSpiGg the knob he pulled it wide
open, Wnen to his horror a great slleit
ton, pivotcd just within the closet an,
relieved of its position by the opening
door, swung toward the young discoN-
crer.
With q scream and q bound the boy
started for the front door, but Just rs
lie was passing through it, the living
skeleton came in at the back door and
gave ho- pursuit. reaching the foot "1
the stairs as the boy reached the curb,
stone across the street And then the
Living Skeleton exclaimed, "Hnld on
there boy hold on. | want to speai
to YOU" But the terrorzed youth
With eyes standing out i'll amaz"lncn'
lat this latest exhibition. exclaimed
mo YOU don't, no sir, | know who yul
are if YOU have got your clothes on
Mr.. Bryan can neither deceive thC
farmers uOr any other class in this
country. The public knows who he is
Notwithstanding his new dress AMI new
rosturc. 1t is still the voice Of Jacob,
but the hand rt f,s2u."
And now my friends, with reference
to The trust question, it is natura
that abuses should grow out of such 9
vast volume of business, that there
should be violation of law where there
is such amazing transaction of bust
ness.
Trusts have existed in this collntr.
for many years They were s;,rn g
menace to trade during Mr.. Cleveland'$
administration that Congress appointed
q COMMITTEES 10 investigate the subject
This committee failed to make its Te-
pert until after the election of that yeal
1S$S, when it then reported as follows
"Gour committee respectfully report
that the number of combinations and
trusts formed and forming in this cnlln
try is very large and effect q large pOr
tion of the important manufacturing
and industrial interests of the country
We do not report any lists of the com
birations, for the reason that now ones
are constantly forming and old ones
arr constantly extending their relations
50 as to cover new branches of business
and invade new territories" Tho com
mittee. however, failed to recommend
any relief.
Fortunately a subsequent and R"pu3-
lican Congress had been elected and
with it Benjamin Harrison as Pr 'sident
of the United States.
The first bill introduced in the Senate
of that Congress was by John Shrrmau
and was known as the Anti Trust Bill
1t passed both houses and received tho
signature of President Harrison.
What is that law? Well, it fnrbids
the doing of anything the effect OF
which is to prevent competition, and II
makes the doing of any such act q
criminal offence.
This act was passed July 9. 1890. On
March A. 1898 the Democratic party
again secured control. Their platform
dec Jared specifically against trusts and
promised additional and effective i"gis.
lation But the party went into power
remaining in power and retired from
power without having done anything
to improve. enlarge, or strengthen tho
Sherman act
Now, my friends, Candidate Iryar
was four years in Congress. but he had
little to say or advise when he had a
chance To test his Antitrust theories.
And what position did Mr.. Wilson
take with reference to the Sherman
Act? He denounced it as a rcvoIuntioli
AIRY bill and declared that the only cor
mot l. it,r,