Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-09
LAST NIGHTS RALLY.
Continued from Page Nine.)

was ever criminal law made in this
fashion before
Then finally. when the question of
Constitutional amendment giving Com
gress authority to deal with trusts re
earlcss If state lines, arose. the ftepub-
lican meuLers of the house of Congress
to a man supported that measure while
the Democrats We're well nigh univer-
sal. thus defeating the proposed Con
stitutirlal amendment because it re
qured a two-thirds majority to pass an
Amendatory resolution.
How true Democracy was to its
platform resolution. how much inter-
eSted these Democratic law makers
We're in the rule of the people" is
evinced by the fact that the opposing
Democratic leader to the Amendment
read in the House with approval an
editorial from the Washington Post. as
follows: "Ey supporting this Con-
stitutinnal Amendment, Democrats will
have connived at the permanent retire
ment of the trust issue. and it's with
drtWal from the campaign, and there
by rob their party of one of the most
powerful engines of war" This leader
then procet ded to crack the party
whip in this language. ''If we pass
this Constitutional Amendment. the
effect of it will be to eliminate the
trust question from the campaign
now are we going to do that? | hope
not"
When the roll was called. one lonely
Democrat voted with the Republicans,
~ i en-
of their floor manager and voted to
keep the issue for future campaigns.
And today it is an issue in the cam
paign because the Democratic party
failed to make possible the necessary
vote to the Constitutional amendment,
ami thus give the government absolute
supervision of the ruestion.-a PROPOSE
ton which Mr.. Bryan loudly pro-
claimed before the public but which
neither he nor his party has done any
thing to accomplish
And so. my fellow citizens, it re-
manned for the Republican party
which is responsible for the present
business prosperity of the country. to
grapple with the great corporate prob
lem incident to that prosperity. and
when the hour arrived for some man
to formulate the expression of the
popular conscience and to lead in the
movement for real. practical reform.
that man was waiting. He arose
amidst the shadows of I, great national
bereavement and with one hand upon
the bier of the martyred Mckinley and
the other upon the Constitution he
declared his purpose to carry forward
to contamination the policy of his
predecessor Steadily he moved in
the accomplishment o. that purpose
and when finally tho time arrived for
him to deal with the arrogance Of
capitalistic greed and the usurpations
of trust monopoly. he laid down the
doctrine that the rich violator of the law
should be as amenable to restraint and
punishment as the offender without
proceeded by recommending legisla-
ton and directing executive action to
crystalize the principle into actual per-
Torrance.
What did he do? Candidate Bryan
in his speech of acceptance practical
ly denies that he did anything He
asks why the Republican party has
granted no tariff reform. enacted no
antitrust legislation. passed no regula-
ton railroad laws and made no pro-
vision for publicity in campaign con-
trihutions7
Can it be that the peripatetic candi-
date is so i~nornnt ~ tho facts. or is
it possible that he has attempted to
plav r0ntidorce 'ro,ne unon tho
American people. and to deceive them
with reference to the clearest. most in
conference.-the facts of history"
Has he forgotten that President
Roosevelt secured the passage of the
Rate Bill. designed more effectively to
restrain excessive and fix reasona BILE
rates. and to punish secret rebates
and determinations which had been
general in the practice of the railroads
and which had done much to enable
unlawful trusts to drive out of bust
ness their competitors?
Has he forgotten the prosecutions
brought at the instigation of the
President against the most powerful of
the law breaking corporations?
Has he forgotten the Pure Food
Law and the Meat Inspection Law in
the interest of the health of the pub
lie, and of clean business methods?
And in fact. did the Democratic con-
vention which nominated him at
last June, forget that upon
the recommendation of President
away last February. Con-
gress passed a law making It a felony
for corporation to contribute to a
fund?