St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-13
THE CATTLE CONVENTION.
Illinois Delegates Try to Neutral,
ize the Work of the Meeting.

ize the Work of the Meeting.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-. March 12.-In his ad.
dress of welcome to the cattle conyen-
ton to-day Mayor Francis strongly
urged the necessity of legislation to
control and prevent the growth of
trusts. He was followed by Sena-
tor Gillette, of Kansas, who pointed
out how competitive markets and
legitimate business rivalry had been
destroyed by the drifting of products to
a common center, and how a centrsliza-
ton of capital at such points had
placed it in the power OF the few to
dictate to the many the price of their
labor and toll. He took for Illustration
the cattle industry of the country, and
said that Within the space of five years
had declined f R hearty 81 so ca1 pep
cent. He charged this result to
the manipulations of the big Four"
There was no OYerpToduction, Perma-
nent organization was perfected by the
election of the following officers:
Chairman, Frank E. Gillette, of Kan
sas; vice chairman, Samuel r. Frost, of
Texas; secretary, Thomas Cook, of Ne
braska; assistant secretary, Charles
5. Marty, of Kansas; Sergeant-at-arms,
o. L. Gill, of Missouri, land w. f. Foote,
VI OH
tlals having reported, standing COM
mittees were appointed on resolutions
ana on recommendation for needed leg
lSlation. The following resolutions
were introduced by Albert Head, Of
Iowa:
Resolved. That the congress of the
United States be respectfully requested
to pass law. with adequate penalties
toward violation, prohibiting any cor
poratIon. company or individual from
entering into or becoming party to
confederation for the purpose Of
regulating, fixing or controlling
the price of the beef, pork, grain or
other productions of the country. That
the Interstate commerce law for the con-
troll of railroad companies be so amend
ed that it will work in harmony with a
law as above requested.
Representative Miller. of Illinois
moved that the rules be suspended and
the resolution passed without reference
to the appropriate committee. This
opened long discussion which was
participated in by Renfro, of Texas;
McGinnesS, of Missouri; Pool. of
Colorado, and others. the evident
purpose of the Illinois dele
CATION being to send the question be-
You'd the reach of the state legislature
by the adoption of the resolutions with
out reference. The question was ar
gued on its merits against the expostu-
latlonS OF the most experienced parlia-
mentarlans in the room, including
Senator McGinneSS, of Missouri. but
was finally sent to the resolu-
tons committee on yea and nay vote,
Illinois only recording her eight votes
in favor of immediate consideration,
The illinois delegation was not to be
easily sat down upon, however, and i'm
mediately after the preceding reSolu-
ton was sent to the committee, Mr..
Craft. of Cook county, offered the fol.
lowing:
Resolved, That we have been sent
mere TO investigate as TO the existence
of meat and beef combine, or trust.
and its mode of operation, and its effect
upon the prices of cattle and meat, for
the purpose of baSing upon the finding
such remedial legislation as may be-
necessary that can lawfully be enacted
by the different states.
The object of this resolution is stated
by members of the committee on rules,
was to switch the convention off into q
consideration of the question whether
such thing as a beef truStor monopoly
exists, and so divert attention from the
pre-anDounced purpose of the gather.
ing-to recommend needful legislation
against an evil, the existence of which
had already been conceded. But the
convention was on the alert this time,
ard the resolution went to the proper
committee without delay. Resolutions
were offered and referred fayOring
permanent deep water port on the gulf
OfMeXico, between the mouths of theMis-
sissippi and Rio Grande rivers, and that
this convention memorable congress to
make such amendment to the interstate
commerce law as shall punish with the
utmost rigor of the law all interference
or discrimination by railroads in the
transportation of beef or pork in any of
its forms. After receiving the report of
the committee on rules, the conference
adjourned to Q o'clock tomorrow morn,
ing