Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-09-20

CHICAGO, September lb.-Cenlral
Music Hall, the scene of the civic fed
Grafton conference of trusts and COM
binations, the last session OF which was
held tonight, was packed from pit to
gallery to-day when w. j. Bryan de-
Iivered his reply to w. Bourke Cock
ran on the trust question.
1t was reported that Mr. Bryan had
a set of resolutions up his sleeve, pre-
sumably antagonistic to trusts, as
they now exist. But the Nebraskan de-
MED this when seen by representa-
tive of the Associated Press.
Mr.. Bryan was introduced by Gov.
Stanley, of Kansas, who acted as chair
man of the opening session. Wild
applause greeted the Nebraskan. w.
Bourke Cochran listening intently and
joined frequently in the applause. Mr..
Bryan spoke in part as follows:
Within two years more trusts have
been organized than in the previous
history OF the country, and the people
now come face to face with this ques-
ton: rs the trust a blessing or a
curse? If curse what remedy can
be applied to the curse?"
Monopoly in private hands is indie
feasible from any standpoint and in
tolerable do not divide monopolies.
There can be no good monopoly in
private hands until the Almighty sends
us angels to preside over us.
There may be despot who is better
than another despot, but there is no
good despotism. The defense of the
monopoly is always placed on the
ground that if you will allow people
to control the market and fix the price
they will be good to the people who
purchase of them. The entire defense
of the trusts rests upon a money argu-
ment If the trust will sell an article
for a dollar less than the article will
cost under other conditions, then in the
opinion of some that proves trust to
be a good thing. In the first place l
deny that under a monopoly the price
will be reduced. In the second place,
if under a monopoly the price is re-
duced, the objections to a monopoly
from other standpoints far outweigh the
financial advantage that the trust
you'd bring.
protest against settling every
pm upon the dollar argument. In
early years of Lincoln's admins
tration he sent message to Congress
warning his countrymen against the ap-
proaeh of monarchy. He said he saw
in the attempt to put capital even upon
an equal footing with labor in the
structure of government, the approach
Of monarchy Lincoln was right. When
ever you put capital upon an equal
footing with labor, or above labor, in
the structure of government, you are
on the road to aid government that
rests not upon reason, but upon force.
Nothing is more important than
tapAI VIC oAoi1s III bAC llSntly
understand the relation between mon
ey and man. Man is the creature OF
God and money is the servant of man.
and protest against all theories that
enthrone money and debase mankind
IF you will go about over the coun-
try you will see where people have sub
scribed money to establish enterprises,
and where those enterprises, having
come under the control of the trusts,
have been closed up and stand now as
silent monuments to the wisdom of
the trust system. In case of local
strikes and fires, the work goes on else
where, thus preventing serious loss.
When branch Of industry is entire
ly in the hands of one great monopoly