The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-14
The TRUST
CONFERENCE
in BLAST.
First Days Session Opens in a
Lively Manuer-Trade Comb.
nations severly Hammered
WHICH AROUSES ENTHUSIASM
In the Ranks Of Labor Reprssen.
tatiyes"Many Delegations are
Tardy in Arriving.

CHICAGO. Sept. 1S.-The conference
on the uses and abuses Of trusts and
combinations began here to-day with
Tess than half the delegates appointed
BY the various states in attendance,
New York, headed by W. Bourke Cock
ran, and wisconsin, were most numer-
ously represented. The meeting took
place in Central Music Hall. and was
called to order at 1880 o'clock by
Franklin H. Head, the temporary chair
man. appointed by the Civic Federation
and whose caH the conference was
arranged for. The delegates listened
to an address Of welcome to Illinois
by Attorney General Aiken, on behalf Of
Governor Tanner, who by illness was
prevented from appearing in person.
Mr.. Aiken was followed by DR., Taylor,
who welcomed the delegates to Chicago
on behalf Of Mayor Harrison.
With the progress Of the speaking It
became evident that many Of the del.
egaaonS had come with firm couvic.
tIons for or against trade combina-
lions. The speech Of Mr.. wooten, of
Texas, delivered during the afternoon,
and hammerins the trusts in merci-
less manner, aroused the widest en-
thuslasms in the ranks Of the labor
representatives and the delegations
from many western and southern
states, while the easterners generally
smiled critically and kept their arms
folded.
The attempt to round the somewhat
Ghapeiess mass OF delegates Into work.
ing order resulted in considerable dis
order. Suggestions for the makeup
ofa committee to arrange programme
TO be followed the next three days of
the conference popped from every part
Of the house with such rapIdity that
It was with dimculty that the tenn
porary chairman extracted the reso-
Iutions, which were finally adopted.
This was not accomplished till w.
Bourke Cochran and August Cans, a
delegate representing the Knights Of
Labor. had become the center OF a
scene which provoked unrestrained
laughter. Mr.. Cochran Joining.
Monkey Business.
The head of the New York contIn-
gent, in an endeavor to bring a little
order out of the chaos, arose while Mr.,
Cans, in very loud tone Of oratory
was declaring that his delegation was
OF more Importance than any other
state. When the New Yorker began
speaking the labor delegate fshed from
a hip pocket a pair of opera glasses
and at short range contemplated the
speaker, commenting occasionally in
such a way that the merrIment attained
q volume which drowned the voice OF
the eastern orator.
It was resolved finally that the Civic
Federation, through Its chairman, Mr.,
Head, should conduct the meeting TO-
day, and that a committee on pro-
gramme, consisting Of one member from
each state delegation, and one from
each organization national in It's scope,
should be appointed. Local organiza-
tlons In attendance were given a voice
in the committee by being allowed to
vote for the committeeman with tho
delegates from their state. The labor
organizations did not secure recogni-
ton until vigorous speeches had been
made by Mr.. Cans and John W. Hayes
also a Knights Of Labor delegate, Mr..
Hayes created something Of a sensa'
tIon by declaring in language as scorn-
ful as It was vigorous that 'he didn't
intend to be clasSed with the New Jer-
sey delegation, even II he did vote in
that cradle Of trusts"
The non-attendance OF many dele
gates was not unexpected. and secre-
tary Easley announced that probably q
hundred of the tardy ones. including
Governor Plngree. Of Michigan, would
be present at to.morrow's session.
Chairman Head delivered an address
in explanation of the call for the con-
ference, Prof jerks followed with a
paper under the caption; problems
Before the Conference"
II was O'Clock before this paper was
finished, and an adjournment wus ta-
ken until o'clock.
The afternoon session was open
ed by Prof H. c. Adams, with a
paper on the same subject as hls pred
ecessor, Mr. Jenks. Prof Adams said
In part:
Industrial Combinations.
Industrial combinations, whatever
their form, whatever their purpose
whatever their explanations. are mat.
ers OF public concern. It ls said VIC
do not know enough of this new form
Of Industrial organization TO fudge
properly respecting It, II this be true
und II on this account trusts urc to be
allowed a probationary existence. It IL
the plain duty OF government to hold
them meantime to strict account. II
trusts nre what they claim. that Is "a
say. the vangunrds Of new Industrial
organization which holds within Itself
great Industrial benefits, the sooner this
fact Is recognized by the public tho
better for all concerned. II. on the
other hand, there In danger In the ox.
Temo application Of this form Of gov
ornment, the government has n right to
possess itself OF ali rights necessary
for judicial opinion and cftectual leg