The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-19
BRYAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS.

In his address at the Chicago Trust
conference, Mr.. Bryan read letter re-
lating to the Delaware corporation laws,
in which it was claimed Delaware was
more favorable to trusts than New Jer-
sey.
At the conclusion of the reading of
the letter man in the gallery asked:
'Mr. Bryan, Delaware and New Jersey
are both Democratic states, are they
not?"
Mr.. Bryan, "they were not in 1896"
'I am very glad to have questions
asked, because we are seeking the truth.
II have read this letter in order to show
that where a state can gain an advant-
age from the Incorporation of these
great aggregations of wealth it is not
safe to place the people Of other states
at the tender mercies of the people of
such a state as may desire to secure it's
running expenses from the taxation of
organizations that prey upon people of
other states. So / read the letter to
show how impossible it is for us in one
state to depend for protection upon the
people of another state; and, while as
say, believe that the people of every
state should have the power to create
corporations, yet I believe that no
remedy can be found for the trusts un-
til the federal government with power
sufficiently comprehensive to reach
into every nook and corner Of the coun-
try and shall lay it's hands upon these
trusts and declare that they shall no
| longer exist. The method that occurs
| to me is this:
That congress should pass a law
providing that no corporation organized
| in any state should do business outside
| Of the state in which it is organized
until it receives from some power Great
! ed by congress license authorizing 1T
| to do business outside of it's own state.
| If the corporation must come to this
| body created by congress to secure per-
mission to do business outside the state
| then that license can be granted upon
conditions which will, in the first place,
prevent the watering of stock; in the
second, prevent monopoly in any branch
of business; and, third, provide for pub
| licity as to all of the transactions and
business of the corporation.
"If such a law is unconstitutional,
and so declared by the supreme court,
I am in favor of an amendment to the
constitution that shall give to congress
power to destroy every trust in the
country"
The speaker then inveighed strongly
against the watering Of stock as is prac-
ticed so extensively, as he claimed, by
industrial combinations.
"In my judgement" he said, when we
take from monopoly the power to water
stock not represented by money you will
go more than half the way toward
destroying monopoly in the United
| States"
The license suggested by him, he said
should not be granted until the corpora
| tion shows it has not had monopoly
and is not attempting a monopoly
Of any branch of industry or any
article of merchandise.
| II do not go so far as some do" he
continued, land say that there shall be
no private corporations, but / say this
that corporation is created by law, II
| Is created for the public good and II
should never be permitted to do a thing
that is injurious to the public good, and
that If any corporation enjoys any
privileges today which are hurtful tc
the public, those privileges ought to be
withdrawn from It,"
A delegate: Would you apply that tC
rich individuals also, say If Rookie.
feller did 1t on his own account?"
Bryan: 1--WE have not reached the
point yet where an individual has beer
able to do harm, and in my judgement
If we would abolish those laws, that
grant special privileges and pick out
men to be favorites of the government
no man by his own brain and muscle
could ever earn enough money to bt
harmful to the people.
what government gives the govern
ment can take away. What the govern
ment Greats it can control, and insis
that both the state government ant
the federal government must protec
the God-made man from the man mad,
man from whom he started out with.
II believe the American people cal
get rid of anything that they do no
want and that they ought to get ri,
Of everyt hing that is not good"