The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-21
A GOVERNORS TRUST HUNT.
ExECUTITEs OF RLEVEN STATES At
THE ST. louis CONFERENCE.


and the Tariff. and Shaw of Iowa, in
Answer, stirs Up Row by Scientifically
Referring to the Conference a. n Polit-
ical Convention - New jersey and Della
ware Denounced-Rcsolut to Request
state and National Legislation Three
Governors Quit After One Days Talk.
ST.. LOUIS. Mo-. Sept. 20.-The antitrust
Conference Of executives and legal officers
the various States, called by Gov Sayers OF
Texas. met in tho parlors OF the Planters
Hotel at IL o'clock this morning. There were
present Governors and Attorney Generals OF
eleven States. namely: Arkansas, Colorado,
Iowa. Indiana. Michigan. Mississippi. Missouri.
Montana. Tennessee. Texas and Washington.
Governors Foster OF Louisiana. Chandler Of
Georgia and McLaurin OF Mississippi sent tele-
grams OF regret and entire sympathy with the
objects OF tho conference. Attorney Gen eral
Crow OF Missouri called the meeting to order.
Gov. savers OF Texas was elected chairman
and Col. Paul b. Moore OF Missouri. secretary.
On taking the chair. Gov. sayers read a care
fully prepared manuscript. explanatory OF the
objects OF the conference. saying:
No motive prompted my action other than
the desire to induce. II possible. concert OF ac-
ton among such Governors and Attorney
Generals OF all the States AZ might attend In an
effort to suppress an evil. which has become
gigantic In proportions. and which. in the
opinion of very large number Of good and
patriotic citizens OF the Republic. threatens
the most serious and disastrous consequences
to the country. 1t 10 true that. in
some sections. money is plentiful. trade
active. speculation rife. and that Ger.
tain products have largely and rap
idly increased In selling value. This
prosperity. however. 10 born. in great meas
ure. OF war and 10 largely attributable to the
enormous expenditures that have been and
are now being made by the general Govern
ment for special purposes and in particular
localities: and. so long as war shall continue.
this unusual activity will be maintained. Con-
siderinR the situation conservatively. Impair
italy and with the assistance OF an intelligent
experience. it cannot be reasonably expected
that the present prosperity will long survive
the settlement OF our foreign difficulties and
the restoration OF peace.
Next to the war itself and to tho incidents
directly connected with it. the wonderful re-
volution that has occurred In business life 10
calculated to arouse the gravest anxiety in all
thoughtful minds. For the past quarter OF q
century We have heard much OF trust forma-
ton. and notes OF alarm have been sounded.
again and again. to warn the people Of the
danger that threatens them in that direction;
but during the past two years that which was
previously but a shadow on the horizon has
become dark and portentous cloud. and on
every side and from every quarter are heard
warnings OF imminent danger that should no
longer pass UNDECIDED"
The roll call OF States was then ordered The
following answered the call: Cows. Daniel
w. Jones OF Arkansas. Charles 8. Thomas Of
Colorado. Leslie NJ. shaw OF Iowa. Hazen s.
Plngree OF Michigan. Lon. V. Stephens OF Mis-
souri,. Benton McMillin Of Tennessee. Joseph
d. Sayers Of Texas. and Attorney-G Generals
Crow OF Missouri. Nolan OF Montana. Smith OF
Texas, Davis OF Arkansas. Oren OF Michigan.
Taylor OF Indiana Campbell OF Colorado. Heif-
ner Of Washington proxy. and McClurg OF
Mississippi Democratic nominee.
When Mississippi was reached. Monroe Nc
Clurg arose and stated that it was impos-
side for the Attorney General or the Gov
ernor of that Commonwealth to be present. and
asked that he be recognized as the representa-
tive OF that State. he being the Democratic
nominee for Attorney-General. which was tan
tamount to an election. He was welcomed.
c. G. Heifner. Democrat Insurance Commits
sioner OF Washington. was admitted as the
representative OF the Attorney General OF that
State. Gov. Sayers stated that letter he had
received from tho Attorney General OF WASH
inRton stated that Gov. Smith was not in har-
mony with the objects OF tho conference.
Heifner was seated.
Gov. Sayers then called on Gov. Stephens
OF Missouri to address the conference. stating
that he was informed that Missouri's Executive
had a paper he desired to read Gov. Stephens
advanced to the table. carrying q printed ad-
dress OF three thousand words. oommendatory
OF the trust laws OF Missouri. He said that
since 1874 war had been persistsntly waged
against these com binations. and the State now
had y perfect chain OF antitrust laws. He
spoke OF the downfall OF the Roman republic
drawing q parallel between conditions then
and now. He said he had always been against
thu trusts. He spoke in behalf OF free silver
and denounced a protective tariff. closing as
70, 'ows:
The States cannot alone succeed in the war
against trusts. The National Government has
duty to perform" One remedy was to elect
Senators and Representa- ives to Congress- and
stats legislatures who will mako laws against
trusts Another remedy Was the abolition OF
all corporations. Ths latter he said would GER
tainly DESTROY all trusts.
\ committee on order Of business was then
appointed. and the following Committee on
Resolutions named: Cows Stephens and
Mcmillan: Attorney Generals Davis. Campbell,
Oren. McClurg. Nolan. Smith and Heifner.
Attorney General Smith said there seemed
to be some misunderstanding of the purpose
Of a committee on resolutions. and. in order to
set that at rest. he would offer resolution to
be referred to the committee. The resolution
follows:
"Rpso'red That We believe that all com ina-
tons between individuals. PARTNERSHIPS or
corporations to regulate or to fix the price OF
any article of manufacture, merchandise or
commodity, or OF any article or thing whatso-
ever lie unlawful and will deprive the people OF
their fundamental right to sell and buy In an
open market. which should be regulated by
competition. AZ 1t existed before the day and
formation OF pools. trusts and combines
Second, That we favor both state and ma
tional legislation prohibiting such com bina-
tons and trusts. and in this conference we
emphasize the Importance OF securing. az
nearly as possible uniform legislation in the
several States on the subject OF the incorpora-
ton OF private corporations. and OF their doing
business by comfy in other States than in
those where incorporated. aud particularly to
the end that com binatons. pools and trusts
shall not be permitted to do business In any
State"