The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-08-06
A BUSINESS KILLER.
The Most objectional Plank in the Dem
yer Platform to Some People.


The Most Objectional PLANK IN inc Den-
yer Platform to Some People.
From the Hartford Times, Dem.l
The plank in the Denver platform re-
lating to trusts and the licensing OF
corporations follows:
A private monopoly is ildeien Ih ga: ana
intolerable. We therefore iavot VIC sgo -
GUS enforcement of the criinlmai u. az ~
guilty trust magnates and ofhclalS ana de-
mand the enactment of SUCH aoulItona. icy
islation as may be necessary w. t "a o,;S+ ~
possible for a private monopoly u tHIst II,
the United States. Among JIG "uu''''nf'
remedies we specify three; ,,,;o,+;o of
First, "a law preventing dupllcalion y!
directors among competing Goi poi "'iUuI >
second, a license system when WIZ, mi' ~
out abridging the right OF eacn osa.G ~
create corporations or lts Lis nat;" W Snin9
as it will foreign corporatiohs uoing
business within its limits, make IL necessaly
for a manufacturing or trading corporation
engaged in interstate commerce TO take OUT
Federal license before it shall be permitted
to control as much as % per cent VI we pIo-
duct in which it deals, the Incense W Pi "
tect the public from watered seock anu W.
prohibit the control by such corporations OF u
more than so per cent of the total amount ol
any product consumed in the United States,
and third, a law compelling such llcenSeu
corporations to sell to all purchasers IN al
parts of the country on the same Ieius . az
ter making due allowance for the cost OF
transportation.
This is, in the opinionsof some peo-
pie. the most Objectionable plank in
the whole platform, since it commits
the supporters of Mr.. Bryan to the
most radical measure of CONTAMINATION
that has been proposed since the pres
ent era of anti corporation hysteria set
in.
This proposition to compel the busl-
ness men of the country to "see'' some
politician at Washington before engag-
ing in any sort Of interstate business
on large scale, is the most harasslng
and disturbing idea that Mr.. Bryan has
ever conceived. Fundamentally, 1t IS
even more Objectionable than the free
silver heresy which he espoused during
two presidential campaigns. 1t Will
not scare any trust magnate, for the
trust magnate is only too glad, as IS
already beginning to appear, to have
convenient ''Little Father" in Wash
ington with whom he can make his
peace. But to the great mass OF the
manufacturers of the country, VINO are
not irving to create trusts, but merely
seeking to do a legitimate business, it
cannot fail to be most offensive. The
New York World, after speaking OF the
proposed endowment Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission with despotlc
power over the railroad business OF the
country, we'll says of the corporation
licensing scheme:
The same objection lies against the Fed
eral-license proposal, which lntrusts still
more to the President to WELD Tor polltlcal
effect, as now, when Mr. Roosevelt, without
waiting for the authority of the law, has
licensed the purchase of the Tennessee Coal
& Iron Company by the Steel Trust, and as
he has authorized the formation of great
lumber trust.
Moreover, is it wise at this time to en-
courage further reckless cruSades against
the business interests of the country When
industry is languishng, when hundreds OF
thousands of men are out OF work, ana
when the people need peace, prosperity ana
accomplishment above all things else? Dld
the delegates at Denver believe that further
threats would restore confidence ana credlt,
reopen the factories, fill the empty freight
cars and provide monthly pay envelopes lot
the great army of unemployed?
Trust maguates and railroad manipulators
constitute very small percentage OF the
business men of the country, and these
other business men were surely entitled to
consideration.
1t is already announced that Judge
Parker of New York will qualify his
advocacy of Bryan and Kern by re.
pudiating this anti Democratic scheme
of Federal interference with the bust
ness organizations of the country. A
host of other Democrats will take the
same course. No party can hope to
strengthen itself by making war on the
business interests of the country. I'm
fortunately, there are many politicians
in the West and South who seem tc
| hold the contrary view.