The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-14


After Governor Atkinson had concluded
his speech Congressman John w. Gaines,
of Tennessee, presented the report of the
committee on organization and 1t was
adopted The special rules of order provide:
First, that the conference shall hold three
daily sessions as follows: From 10 a.. m. to
/ p m. from D. m. to p. m. and from
ID. m. until such time adjournment may
be had: second. that all papers or addresses
shall be limited to twenty minutes. Chair
man Head then introduced the permanent
officers OF the conference.
In accepting the gavel from President
Head Chairman Howe confined his remarks
10 thanking the conference for the honor
conferred upon him and promising to, pre-,
side with impartiality He then introduces I,o,es
who spoke on the subject Of Insurance
Combinations"
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.
When Mr.. Crow finished speaking. amid
applause only second to that which had
greeted Mr.. Wooten earlier in the day,
Chairman Howe introduced p. E. Dove,
president Of the Commercial Travellers Ma
tional League, who spoke in part as follows:
Commercial travellers are opposed to
trusts, both from policy and principle. and
consider them detrimental and demoraliz-
ing-detrimental as menacing the posses
sion and enjoyment by the people OF those
rights TO life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness and equal privileges and posi-
pilities In the application of individual en-
terprlSe and experience, demoraliZing as
presenting un-American conditions imta-
ton OF English business methods and as Of
fering evidences of rascaiity and corrup-
tlon. AT my suggestion the American Anti
trust League has begun work # Stats
tical. investigation. They propose to show
by authentic data that while the cost of
living has increased within the last two
years at an average of between II nd 10
per cent. wages have been advanced less
than per cent: and that wages are lower
to-day than in 1895. / have list showing
advance in the prices, due TO the direct or
Indirect influence of trusts, of about $50
commodities, the advances ranging from
TO 500 per cent. The list was obtained by
representatives of the Antitrust League
applying to manufacturers and dealers Tor
information and making daily reports
Nearly 500 establishments were visited. The
list is sworn to-"
THE RIGHT TO COMBINE.
The next speaker was +. B. Thurber, of
New York, who maintained that business
men, manufacturers and others had right
to combine. He concluded as follows:
Commerce is nothing but body of con-
tracts. Every purchase and sale, from
ton in the movement Of merchandise; every
agreement between employer and employe
or imped No right Is more Sacred a9d
none mas beer more carefully guarded in
our fundamental law.
Il
lative and judicial bodies in this country
just now to sweepingiy condemn contracts
which in any manner restrict or regulate
trade is unwise and against public policy.
If capital is denied the right to combine
labor must be put under the same disability.
Many good people have imagined a DOGGY
monster that doesn't exist They have ac-
cepted as facts the fancies Of sensational
journalism. The natural advances in price
when demand exceeds supply have been
ceeds demand have not been credited, to
say nothing of economies in production and
distribution which have MADE the present
age the consumer millennium
Never before would a days labor buy
so much of the comforts and luxuries of
wants of intelligence has progressed even
faster, and the rewards to the inventors
and the captains of industry and finance
envied. 1t is overlooked that corporations
are really corporations: that the number
of partners as stockholders in any industry
is increased; that any one can become a
partner, and that instead of being concen-
traitors of wealth they are distributors, of
would be oppressed by the organization of
capital, but experience has shown that or
ganized labor has met organized capital,
and that the largest organizations OF CAPT.
tai have furnished the steadiest employment
and have paid larger wages than individual
employers. The grievances OF individuals In
jured in this evolution of industries have
been magnified and the general good mini
mixed. The lesson of the stage driver
thrown out of work by the locomotive or
the workman by the machine is forgotten
when the travelling salesman who loses his
job through the economies of industrial or
That wider markets are necessary and that
large capital intelligently administered Is
necessary to find them Is not appreciated
That the rule of reason as expressed by
the minority of the Supreme Court of the
United States in the transmissouri case is
in danger of being expunged from our
statutes.
JOSEPH NIMMO'S ADDRESS.
Joseph Nimmo, jr., of Washington, was
the next speaker Much of his address was
devoted to the American railway system.
DR.. Nimmo claimed that the following were
indisputable historical facts:
"First--The railroad. on particular lines,
although an apparent monopoly, has become
the chief instrumentality in creating COM
petition more extensive, more generally dif-
fused and more potential than was ever
known before in the worlds history.
''Second-The American railroad system
had its origin and most forceful impetus In
the necessities of the social and commercial
intercourse of the people and in the de-
mands for uninterrupted postal and mill
"Third-The unity of the American rail-
road system was, at first. opposed by rail-
road proPret3irs on gfoI ht s an6
opposition has gradually disappeared as the
result Of the coercive demand Of the public
interest.
''Fourth-Agreements as to absolute and
relative rates originated in mutual needs of
the railroad and of the commercial and in
dustrial interests of the country.
"Fifth-Agreements for the division OF
competitive traffic have been found to be
a necessary expeedient for the maintenance
of agreed rates..
Dr. Nimmo claimed that in this country
competition in railroad transportation ex-
listed benehcially only as restrained by COM
bination. and that combination existed only
as Ii had been proved by the lessons of ex-
perience to be necessary. He pointed to the
statutory enactments, which, he said, are
obstacles to the adjustment of present diff
lessons of experience. The first of these is
the fifth section of the act to regulate COM
merce. forbidding agreements as to the divi-
sion Of competitive traffic.
An expedfent which, he said, was proved
by the lessons of experience to be beneficial,
be incapable of any injurious effect upon
the commercial and industrial interests Of
the country. The repeal of this section, he
maintained is favored by thoughtful men
engaged in transportation, in trade and in
the great industrial interests. as well as by
state and national railroad commissioners.
He declared also that the act of July 2, 1890
portation. The decision of the Supreme
Court of the United States in the Joint
Traffic Association. however, proved that IL
did prohibit those just and beneficial agree
ments upon which depends the peaceful and
beneficent conduct of the interstate COM
merce Of the country. This act the doctor
thought, should be amended so that the in
nations and agreements. and thus leave the
matter where il was left by the act to reg
ulate commerce.
He sharply took the Interstate-commerce