Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-27


president manifested in his message
of last January.
'If, In the presence of an aroused
people, and in the heat of campaign,
the republican party contents itself
with a colorless platform or this sub
iect, what can we expect in the way
of activity when the exigencies of the
campaign are passed? If, when Mr..
TAFT is appealing to the Roosevelt re-
publicans, his discussion of the sub
iect is so lifeless and his manner so
apologize and .apathetic, what reason
have we to expect either yigor in the
enforcement Of the law or earnest
mess in the search for additional
remedies?
In his speech delivered about
year ago announcing his candidacy
Mr.. Taft suggested that the present
law be so amended as to permit 'rea-
sonable" restraint Of trade. Such an
amendment would be as absurd as an
amendment to the law against bur-
glary limiting the law to cases in
the house at one time or took more
than half they found. In his notifica-
ition speech he suggests national IN
corporation-a remedy which would
make conditions worse because, with
out adding to the power of congress
to prevent monopolies, it would de-
prive the states of the power to pro-
tect their own people"
Mr.. Bryan quoted the democratic
platform upon the trust question as
follows:
"A private monopoly is indefensible
and intolerable. We therefore favor
the vigorous enforcement of the Grim
inal law against guilty trust magnates
and officials, and demand the enact
ment of such additional legislation as
may be necessary to make it impos-
sible for a private monopoly to exist
in the United States. Among the ad-
ditiOnal remedies, we specify three:
First, a law preventing a duplication
Of directors among competing corpora
tons; second, license system which
will, without abridging the right OF
each state to create. corporations, or
it's right to regulate as it will foreign
corporations doing business within
it's limits, make it necessary for a
manufacturing or trading corporation
engaged in interstate commerce to
take out a federal license before it
shall be permitted to control as much
as twenty-five per cent Of the product
in which it deals, the license to pro
tect the public from Watered stock
and to prohibit the control by such
corporation of more than fifty per
cent of the total amount Of any pro
duct consumed in the United States;
and, third, law compelling such II
censed corporations to sell to all pur-
I chasers in all parts of the country on
the same terms, after making due al
lOwance for cost of transportation.
! Here, he declared is plain candid
statement of the party's position
There is no uuibbling, no evasion, no
ambiguity. A private monopoly is
indefensible and intolerable. 1t is
bad-bad in principle, and bad III
practice. No apology can be Offered
for it, and no people should endure it.
Our party's position" he said, lis en-,
tfreIy in harmony with the position
of Jefferson. With a knowledge OF
human nature which few men have
equalled and none surpassed, and
with extraordinary foresight, he eX-
pressed unalterable opposition to eV-
cry form of private monopoly. The
student of history will find that upon
this subject, as upon other subjects OF
government, the great founder of the
democratic party took his position
and against those who seek to make
a private use of government, or strive
to secure special privileges at the ex-
pense of the public.
/ Because the private monopoly is
indefenSible and intolerable, the demo
cratic party favors its determination.
1t pledges itself to the vigorous en-
forcement of the criminal law against
timately connected with the republi-
can party in the present campaign.
Take, for instance, the chairman Of
the republican speakers committee,
Mr.. Dupont, of Delaware, He is the
defendant in suit which the govern
ment brought and is now prosecuting.
Mr.. Dupont is charged with violation
of the antitrust law. Why should he
be put on the executive committee
and then be given control of the
speaking part of the campaign? If
you talk to a republican leader about
ipenitentiary punishment for offenders,
he favors filming the corporation on
the ground that it is impossible to
convict individuals, but when you
urge fines you are told that fines are
unjust to innocent stockholders. We
favor both fine and Imprisonment, but
we think it is better to prevent mo-
nopoIies than to first authorize them
to prey upon the public and then try
to punish them for doing so. Mr..
Taft favors control of trusts instead
of determination, but after years Of
experience the people have learned
that the trusts control the govern
ment"
! Speaking upon the democratic prop
ositiCn to create a license system for
corporations, Mr.. Bryan said that 1t
Twill be noticed that care was taken