The record-union., 1899-09-16


making conquests and enslaving the
people, and it can be proven beyond
any question that the methods of the
trusts are methods of the invader and
the ends to be accomplished by the in
stigators of the trusts are exactly
those intended to be accomplished by
arms directed by military genius. TAX
ing this view of the trusts, which
hold is the correct one, assert boldly
that they are enemies of society and as
such should be destroyed as any COM
mon enemy, and the financial phase of
the question should not come into the
subject for consideration as the liber
ties of the people are far above the
mere question of money.
The trust being an az gressive COM
bination for purely selfish objects, at
tacks the individual, and by over
throwing his mutual rights seizes upon
his field of opportunity and produc-
ton, appropriating them to his own
personal advantages.
''This field having been conquered
and the trusts strengthened in its
financial power, the aggressive spiri,
of selfish greed looks for conquest in
and monopolized, or other combina-
tions, seeing the success of the first at
tempt, enter upon the same campaign
of conquest. Soon the individual is
overwhelmed, and every field of pro-
duction is monopolized by a trust"
Samuel Gompers, President of the
American Federation of Labor, fol-
lowed Secretary Hayes. He said in
part:
"It has been said that organized labor
is trust, and I want to say in con-
nection with this that, To our minds,
that is an absolute misnomer. Organ
lied labor throws open it's doors to all
who work for wages and asks them to
come in and share in the benefits. You
cannot break into trust.
1--WE have seen the enactment of the
law known as the antitrust law, and
the law known as the interstate COM
merce law, supposed to be enacted fol
the benefit of the people, and yet the
only practical use of these laws has
been to steal away from US the right
of trial by jury and to imprison the
workmen for conspiracy.
LAS a matter of fact, wherever the
workers are organized and have main
tanned their organization, their wages
are higher and hours lower and condi-
tfons better, in spite of combinations
of capital.
I'm the midst of greater concentra-
tions of wealth and the vast develop
ment of industry, it behooyes the work
ers to more ceaselessiy than ever de-
vote their energies to organized labor
and to counteract the effect which their
helpless and unprotected condition
would otherwise bring upon them.
Mr. Gompers was loudly applauded.
The convention then took a recess un-
til 3 o'clock.
Resolutions denouncing the trusts
have been drafted by the trust del
egates and We're presented at the af,
ternoon session.
The resolutions set forth unalterable
opposition to all trusts and monopolies;
demand of the several States and cities
that they take such action as will lead
TO the public ownership of all public
utilities: demand that the Federal and
State Governments enact legislation for
the control of railroads; demand that
Congress and the Legislatures of the
{
leges and take action to destroy mo-
nopoly; assert that no candidate for
public office is entitled to the suffrage
of his fellow citizens who does not
earnestly declare his hostility to all
trade combinations; declare that it is
the duty of the people by organized eff
fort to secure the nominations by the
political parties of the opponents of
States take immediate action to limit
the purposes for which private indus
trial corporations may be formed, and
discourage their further formation.
The resolutions were signed by the
following delegates. who are all MEM
bers of the delegations of their States:
W. L. Grogan, Texas. Chairman; NJ
L. Lockwood, Pennsylvania Cecil
Smith, Texas; Lawson Purdy, New
York; H V Johnson. Coorado; w. B
]. Taggett, Idaho. and NJ S. McCon1as,
Maryland
The nights session convened at 8
o'clock. When Mr.. Bryan made his
appearance at the entrance it was the
signal for tumultuous cheering, which
lasted until the Nebraskan had taken
his seat on the speakers stand.
Mr.. Foulke of Indiana. who was in
the middle of an address when the out,
burst occurred, put the audience in
good humor by remarking: 81 guess
you came here tonight to hear some
body else speak"
Mr.. Foulke was followed by Edward
Rosewater of Omaha. whose address
received notably close attention from
his hearers The Chairman then intro
duced Hon. w. Bourke Cochran of New
York.
Mr.. Cochran said in part:
ADDRESS OF BOURKE COCHRAN.
Il shall endeavor. for the purpose OF
establishing an intelligent basis of dis.
cussion, somewhat free from these
terms over which men have become
moved to passionate defamation. I
shall define prosperity as an abund,
ance of commodities fairly distributed
among those who produce them.
I'VE must have commodities to dis,
tribute before we can distribute them
in the form Of wages or of profits IL
this definition Of prosperity be correct,
1t is perfectly plain that there is no
reason why sensible man should grow
excited either to the approval or re-
sentiment at combination merely as
such. A combination may be good or
bad, according to its effect Any in,
dustrial system which operates to swell
the volume of production should be
commended; anything that operates to
restrict it should be suppressed.
Now whether these great combina-
tions of capital, or these combinations