The San Francisco call., 1899-09-16
BRYAN LISTENS WHILE
BOURKE COCHRAN TALKS
Nebraskan Declines to Participate in
Debate and So the New York
Statesman Proceeds With an
Address Oh Trusts.

can suggest that can be put in force by any
legislature that happens to be in session? Ny
The fact is you would not have the task of
framing a law to denounce special rates to
i hialNlouals; that IS the law to-day the rem
edy Is simply TO define a practical penalty,
serious one and to provide for the proper
statute of publicity, and you need not enforce
the penalty. An officer OF corporation grant
ing a special favor 10 any person who has
right to use that possession on equal terms
with eyerybody else ought to be held guilty
of a serious felony. tApplause1
Now, with statute authorizing and max
Ing it the right Of every shipper, Of every per-
son using a public franchise to have disclosed
TO him at any time every contract and agree
ment made with any other person you viii
ing the enforcement OF the penal statute, 3 L9I
1t VIII not be transgressed. We want simple
statute Of publicity. and I believe that will
check the special favors.
We do not object to the principle of co-opera-
tion. Corporate existence is the natural evo-
luton Of partnership; IL is scheme by which
men, strangers to each other cooperate
In production, while partnership was a scheme
limited TO men who knew each other and were
compelled to work together. But the manage
ment OF corporations has been the blacklist
page in our history. Applause) And the
TO be expended upon the corporate management
which is responsible for this shame. has too
often been visited upon the stockholders and
the corporations themselves who have been the
victims OF that infamy
To all this, my friends the remedy is pub
licity. statute which would modify but
slightly, If at ALL the existing laws Of every
State would make this species Of fraud irapos-
sible. No corporation has a right TO secrecy
in the discharge of its duties. No corporation
anxious TO perform honest service TO the pub
lie and its stockholders will seek secrecy or
Will insist upon 1t. Remember that this
crecy is not invoked hy corporate members
against the public any more than II Is against
their own stockholders Ladies and gentle
men, we have but TO provide n single statute.
First, that any stockhOlder shall have the
right to examine the books of q company and
know everything about its concerns although
every corpora ton should be compelled TO file
with the Secretary of State when 1t organizes
a statement of property and 70 let the public
buy at any capitalization 1t chooses to make
Every year II should report 10 some competent
authority a full statement Of its business. That
Is the law to-day in nearly every state, and
1t Is always evadcd. The reports are mis-
leading where they not comprehensive Let
these reports be fair, honest statements OF
their business and then finally extend the pow
ers OF your superintendent of insurance and
banking TO all corporations and let these re-
ports be verified. and then you will have hon
esI hShagel'eht OF corporations. and promise
you that this public dstrust and hatred Of
minds of nberty-Ioving people who are but
seeking justice, even through their prejudice
(Applause-)
AT the close of his speech the New
Yorker Won the hearts of his listeners by
paying Mr.. Bryan a few well chosen com
pliments which the Democratic leader
blushingly acknowledged. Mr.. Cochran
likened Mr.. Bryan TO a monopoly. and
claimed ne was bigger monopoly as the
leader of the Democratic party than any
corporation in the world.
Mr.. Cochran spoke for about two hours.
and when he concluded cries for Mr.. Bry-
Mr.. Bryan arose and said that for che
good of the conference all partisan feel
ing should be eliminated from the gather
ing, and although he agreed with Mr
that his side of the controversy
should be given tomorrow.