, 1899-09-21
A BLAZE oE oRAroRY.
Trust Congress Mt Chicago Closes With
Speech Making.

Speech Making.
Chicago. Sept. 1S.1The conference
on the nses and abuses of trusts
closed its sessions here Saturday In a
blaze of oratory, in which w. j..
Bryan and w. Bourke Cochran were
the central figures. MI. Cochran ioi-
lowed the noted Nebraskan, but dis
claimed any Intention of debating the
conclusions of his immediate p~redeces-
sor and declaring his complete concur
renee in much that Mr.. Bryan had SAID
Tn westerner had delivered the
speech of the day during the
mid frequent interruptions OF tulnui-
tuous applause. Mr.. Foulke of lndi-
ana, commenting on the speech, made
assertions which Mr.. Bryan desired
further to discuss. He was requested
to take the stage and complied, for the
second time facing u wildly enthusias-
tic house.
At the conclusion Mr.. Cochran arose
and observed:
Just n few words" The spectators
wanted more and refused to subslde
until he had taken the platform. he
agreed with Mr.. Bryan, he said, but ne
wanted information.
Mr.. Bryan's plan of campaign as out
lined to-day is as follows:
First-That the state should have the
right to create whatever private cor
porations the people of the state tnlhk
best.
"Second-That the state has, or
should have. the right TO impose such
limitations upon an outside corpora
ton as the people of the state may
think necessary for their necessary
protection.
~''Third-That the federal government
hug mr. GhnItl1 hnNa tho right 10 I'M
pose such restrictions as Congress may
think necessary upon any corporation
which doe business outside of the
state in which 1t Is organized. In other
words, | would preserve to the people
of the state all the rights they nov
have, and mt the same time have Con-
gresS exercise "A concurrent remedy,
then supplement the state remedy. |
would not take away from the people
of the state any right now existing,
but | would have the federal govern
mcnt and the state government eXer-
else the powers that may be necessary
to annihilate the monopoly. | do not
agree with the gentleman that you can
not nnnihllate n monopoly"
II have no doubt that any remedy
that | proposed would be assaulted. If
those who believe that the trust must
remain and those who believe that the
trust means good, will try it and then
accept II better one If n better n Is
proposed, and keep on trying until the
people are protected, the monopoly
would be overcome
In conclusion, Mr.. Bryan said:
Lei me suggest one other thing that
| believe will be a step in the right di-
rection. The great trouble has beer
that while our platforms denounce cor
pOratiOns, corporations control the
elections and place under obligation to
them the men who We're elected TO en-
force the law.
Let me propose n remedy-not a
remedy, but a step. / think, in the
right direction. Let the laws. state and
national, make il n penal offense for
any corporation to contribute 10 the
campaign fund of any political party.
Nebraska has such n law. passed two
years ago. Tennessee has such a law,
passed two years ago. Such n law was
passed. or was introduced in the state
of New York. but 81 far it has not
reached the stage of actual law in the
state Of New York.
81 do not mean to say that that rem
edy would he a complete one. but /
believ that when you prevent n cor
pOratiun from contributing to campaign
funds thai you take II step in the right
direction toward better legislation, be
cause some corporations are compelled
10 contribute. They are blackmailed
into contributions. and such n law
would protect II corporation that did
not want to contribute. If the people
are in earnest, they can do il. IL you
could never do anything in this coun-
try until the people are in earnest, and
when the American people understand
what the monopoly question means, l
believe that there will he no power,
political, financial or otherwise, to pre-
vent the people from taking possession
Of every branch of government from
President to the Supreme Court and
making the government responsible to
the peoples Will"