The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-26

practiced by private monopolies. The peo-
pie have been robbed by the trusts to
the extent of hundreds of millions year,
and If Mr.. Taft is not yet conscious of
what is going on, and net yet aroused to
the iniquity of these trusts. how can the
country hope for relief through his cleo
ton?
The Democratic Plan.
The Democratic party is the defender OF
competition and the only great party
which Is seeking to restore competition
Mr.. Taft has. in the discussion of this
question, employed harsh words instead
of argument. The word "socialistic' is
hurled at the Democratic party and the
Democratic platform. Now. as a matter
of fact. it is Mr.. Tafts party and not the
Democratic party which has given en-
enlargement to socialism. While profess
ing TO abhor socialism, the Republican
party has gone half way toward socialism
in endorsing its fundamental principle The
Socialist bases his contention on the the
ory that competition is bad, and that an
economic advance is to be found in mo-
nopoly. The Socialist. however. wants the
public to have the benefit of the monop-
oily and, therefore, favors government
ownership of all the means of production
and distribution.
The Republican party has gone almost
as far as the Socialist party in the eco
nomic defense of the monopoly, but il
permits the benefits Of monopoly to be
enjoyed by a comparatively few men, who
have secured a dominant influence in the
government | beg TO call Mr. Taft's at
tention to the fact that the Republican
party has stimulated the growth of So
cialism in two ways: First by the en-
dorsement that it has given to the the
ory that trusts are natural and neces-
sary outgrowth of our economic condi-
tons. and, second. by permitting the de-
velopment of abuses which have been
charged against individualisn. If he will
examine the vote published in the World
limo Is.x TOD tl,a+ f,,f Qln 7,
publicans polled 7,20S,2 PA votes and that the
Socialists polled but IS, 99l; in the same
almanac he will find that in 1904 the Re-
publicans cast 1925, 4S9 votes and the So
cialists i022S6. Notwithstanding the fact
that the Republicans have boosted of
their last national victory. their party
polled but 417.N0 more votes that year
than four years before. This scarcely
more than covered the natural increase
in the Republican portion of the popula-
ton, while the Socialist vote increased
more than 800 per cent, and the increase
in votes was almost great as the in
crease in Republican votes.
The Republican leaders have been in
the habit of sneering at the Socialists,
While blindly Indifferent to the causes
that have contributed 10 the growth of
socialism. The Democrats recognize that
Socialists are honestly seeking a remedy
for the known abuses admitted by Sec
rotary Taft. Democrats dissent from the
remedy proposed by the Socialists belev-
ing that Socialists are mistaken and that
the Democratic remedy is better, but it is
time for thoughtful people to recognize
that individualism can only be retained
and defended by remedial legislation that
Will remove the abuses which have been
allowed TO fasten themselves upon the
country. The Democratic party. believing
in individualism, addresses itself earnest
ly to these abuses, and instead of ridicul-
ing and maligning the Socialists invites
them, as it does Republicans. to examine
the Democratic platform and the RENE
dies proposed therein. 1t submits its plans
to the honest citizenship of the coun-
try. without regard to section or party.
In my notification speech l called at
tention to three demands made by our
party. IL asks. first that the govern |
ment shall be taken out of the hands of
special interests, and restored to the peo- |
pie as a whole; ii asks, second for hon
esty in elections and publicity in regard
to campaign funds, that the people may
freely choose representatives in sympathy |
with them and pledged to guard their |
interests; it asks, third. for such modi- |
fication of our governmental methods as
will make the senate an elective body. !
and place the control of the house of rep
resentatives in the hands of majority |
of its members. A few days ago. in dis |
cussing the tariff question, ! dwelt upon |
the fourth demand made by our party, |
namely. that taxation be just. that the |
revenue laws be made for the purpose of
raising revenue and not for the enrich |
ment of few at the expense of the many. |
and that the tariff law be supplemented |
by an income tax which will more nearly |
equalize the governments burdens. To- |
day / present another demand made in |
our party platform-the demand that the |
grip of the trusts be broken, that com |
petition be restored and that the door of
opportunity be opened to the business men |
and the toilers of the land
Industrial independence.
Industrial independence is necessary to
political independence. The free exercise |
of the rights of citizenship is impossible |
when a few men control the industries !
in which millions are employed. God fot- |
bid that we should compel the wage |
earners of the nation to address their |
petitions to trust magnates, and ask for |
their daily bread. Already we have seen |
how prone the monOpolist is to make en- |
ployment depend upon the willingness of
the employe to prostitute his ballot to the
service of his corporate master.
This question should be settled now; |
We can not afford to bequeath 1t as a
legacy of woe TO a succeeding genera |
ton. The conscience of the people Is /
already awakened, and the conscience is |
the most potent force of which man has /
knowledge. Where law makes one right |
eous, conscience controls hundred;
where one is kept from wrongdoing by |
fear Of prison doors, a thousand are re- |
strained by those invisible walls Wmch |
rears about us-barrlers whlch |
are stronger than walls OF granite. II Is |
upon the conscience that human institu- |
tons rest, and without a stirring OF the |
conscience no great reform is possible. |
To a national conscience already aroused |
we appeal. with the pledge that DEM |
ocratic victory will mean the ringing out |
of industrial despotism and the ringing /
in of new era in which business VIII
be built upon its merits and in which |
men will succeed, not in proportion to the |
coercion they may be able to practice. |
but in proportion to their industry, their |
ability and their fidelity.