Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-08-27
FAILURE TO ENFORCE SHERMAN
ANTITRUST LAW CHARGE
ABLE TO REPUBLICANS.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY FAVORS
THE TERMINATION OF
PRIVATE MONOPOLY.

while blindly Indifferent to the causes
that have contributed to the growth
of socialism. The democrats recog-
nize that socialists are honestly seek
ing a remedy for the known abuses
admitted by Secretary Taft. Demo
Gratis dissent from the remedy pro-
posed by the socialists, believing that
socialists are mistaken and that the
democratic remedy is better, but it is
time for thoughtful people to recog-
nize that indiYidualism can only be re-
tanned and defended by remedial leg
islation which will remove the abuses
which have been allowed to faaten
themselves upon the country. The
democratic party, believing IN lndl-
vidualism, addresses itself earnestly
TO these abuses land instead of ridi-
culing and maIigning the socialists,
invites them, as it does republicans,
10 examine the democratic platform
and the remedies proposed therein.
Il submits its plans to the honest cltl-
zenship Of the country, without re-
gard TO section or party"
Such was the thought expressed by
William Jennings Bryan in an adj
dress delivered here last evening.
Mr.. Bryan spoke Of the trusts and
their relation 20 the people and of
the civic problems involved. He de-
clared that nowhere does the republi-
can party show its Indifference to
real reform than in its treatment of
the trust question. He quoted from
the republican platform as follows:
THE republican party passed the
sherman antitrust law over demo
cratic opposition and enforced it after
democratic dereliCtiOn. ii has been
a wholesome instrument for good in
the hands of a wise and fearless adj
ministration. But experience has
shown that its effectiveness can be
strengthened and it's real objects bet
ter attained by such amendments as
will give to the federal government
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 af-
feet mOnOpOiies."
Mr.. Bryan said that the Sherman
antitrust law was passed eighteen
years ago; it has a criminal clause
which provides a penitentiary punish
ment for those who cOnspire together
in restraint of trade Ever since the
enactment of the law, with the eX-
Ception of four years, the republican
party has controlled the executive de-
partment of the government, and, dur
ing two years Of the four, it controlled
the house Of representatives. Instead
Of democratic derelictiOn, the demo
cratic party has been urging, year
after year, the strict enforcement of
that law, and the republican party has
been explaining year after year why
ii was impossible to enforce it. In
stead Of being a wholesome instru-
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 boast
ing of its enforcement of the law
The steel trust was formed immedi-
ately after the election of 1900, and
a prominent republican said, in a
speech soon after that it might have
prevented a republican victory If it
had been formed before the election.
Most of the trusts said Mr.
Bryan, have never been disturbed,
and those that have been prosecuted
have not had their business seriously
interrupted. The president has done
something toward the enforcement of
the law, but not nearly enough, and
the republican leaders have thwarted
him at every point. Finally the presi-
dent became so exasperated that he
sent to congress a message which
shocked republican leaders by the
fierceness of its denunciation of the
predatory interests. The very con-
vention that spoke in its platform 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 fayor-seekirg corporations.
The republican platform says that
experience has shown that the effec-
tiveness of the antitrust law could be
strengthened by amendments which
will give the federal government
greater supervision and control over,
and greater publicity as to, the man
agement of those interstate commerce
corporations which have the power
and opportunity to affect monopolies.
That is all. No pointing out of rem
edies: no outlining of a plan for more
effective egislatiOn-simply a general
statement that promises nothing in
particular. And Mr.. Taft's speech of
acceptance is even weaker than the
platform. He gives no evidence Of
having studied the question or of COM
pretending the iniquities of a nonop-
oily. You look in vain in his notifi-
cation speech for any sign OF indigna-
ton at what the trusts have been do
ing or for evidence of zeal in their
prosecution He has, for several
years, been the intimate official COM
uanion of the president, but he has