The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-14

OF eeeking EroIer regulations which will
make trust methods acceptable rather
than obDoxious TO the people by whose
permission and liberation only can their
existence oontlnue. His speech was a plea
for the practical rather than theoretical
approach to the subject which, In ita
present stage, che speaker believed TO be
too immature to give tasis for conclu-
| sive Judgment a. to the ex sDt Of either
its harmful or beneficial effects.
The committee on permanent organiza.
tion met after the afternoon adjourn
ment OF the conference. 1he committee
consulting OF one delsgafs from each state
represented, and each oreaniza ion OF gen.
e'al scope, included the following: New
Hampshire, Henry B. Blair; Maine, A.
Rogers; Massachusetts,. Clnrk;
New England Free Trade league, Byron
W. Holt, William Writ Howe OF Louisi-
ana was selected chairman Of the meet
Ing, and after hot discussion was elect
ed permanent chairman of the confer
ence, though three vice-chairmen, each
70 preside during one day, were selected.
II vas happy solution of what at one
time, promised to be split. No one
was willing to allow q permanent
chairman 20 be appointed 20 preside at
all sessions lest he should favor some
faction. The vice-chairinen selected
were: Thursday, Dudley wooten OF Tex
as; Friday, Mayor II. b johnson Of Colo
RADIO; Saturday, S. p. Corlis5 of New
York.
Ralph NJ. Easley was selected as perma-
nent secretary. A sub-committee on pro-
gramme and rules was appointed. 1t in
cludss II. W. Blair of New Hsmpshire.
After vainiy trying to solve the question
OF committee on resolutions, the confer
ence adjourned until evening.
Ike opening of the evening session was
delayed for some time penang the report
Of the committee on programme and or
ganization. at $50 O'Clock President
Head introduced Gov. Atkinson of West
Virginia.
Gov. Atkinson argued against trusts,
but In conservative way. he said that
corporations were a necessity as II was
only through them that great enterprises
we're possible The theory Of trusts was
all right as 1t thus prevented waste and
waste was the great bar to human pro-
greIs. The danger was that laborers
were forced to work for them at their
own price. and small manufacturers were
compelled to retire.
Congressman John w. Gaines of lem
mittee on organization and programme
and 1t was adopted unanimously. 1t
named the officers chosen BY the commit
tee, provided for SESSIONS daily and lim-
tied all papers or addresses TO 90 minutes
After accepting the gavel, Chairman
Howe introduced Attorney General E.
O. Grow Of Missouri, who spoke on Elm
surance Combinations.
When Mr. Grow finished speaking,
Chairman Howe introduced r. &c. Howe,
president OF the Commercial Travellers
national league, who spoke. in part. as
follows:
Commercial travellers are opposed to
trusts, both from policy aad principle,
and consider them detrimental The
American antitrust league has begun
work of statistical investigation. 1t pro-
poses to show by authentic data that
while the cost of living has increased
within the last two years, at an average
of between 12 and 16 per cent, wages
have advanced iess that per cent, and
that wages are lower today than In 1895.
lhe advances in the prices due to the
direct or indirect influence of trusts OF
about l50 commodities range FROM to 800
per cent
The next speaker was +. b. Thurber Of
New York. MIR. Thurber spoke in favor
Of trusts and cited the Standard OIL COM
paay and Railway combine as examples
of their benehcsnt working.