The age-herald., 1899-09-15
Former Governor Foster Kissed When He
 Defended the Combines.
TWO DULL SESSIONS WERE HELD
One Man From the East Slept Calmly While the Speakers Expounded Their Eloquence in Vain-Com-
 mittee on Resolutions.

session or the conference on lruSlS Snarply in contrast with the forenoon and after noon gatherings. Central Music hall was packed with on audience that represented nearly every class of people. Governor Pngree, of Michigan, was the star attrac- ton. The governor was received with ap- plause so fervent that it was several min utes before he could proceed with his ad- dress. He was obliged to rise several times after taking his seat and bow his ac- nowledgements before the audience would allow the chairman to introduce the next speaker.
 The house was divided against itself during the address of the next speaker, former Secretary of the Treasury Charles A Foster The audience finally became so demonstratve in interrupting the speaker with questions and remarks that dele gate asked the chair to clear the galleries until the interruptions ceased.
 Agriculture anu the Trusts
 The afternoon session was devoted to the papers on the relation of agriculture to trusts" Dudley Wooten acted as chair man for the session, but presided over delegations even thinner than they were during the forenoon. An eastern delegate slept through the entire session. a pro- nounced example of an ennui which affect ed many others to a lesser degree.
 Samuel II. Greedy, of the Chicago board of trade, spoke on "The protection of American grain markets from railroad and warehouse monopoly He was followed by J. C. Hanley, of St. Paul, delegate from the National Farmers Alliance and 1ndus- trial Union. Aaron Jones, of South Bend. master of the National Grange, declared that %he farmer was opposed to no other brancn of industry, including trusts.
 The last speaker of the afternoon was Benjamin R. Tucker, of New York, editor of anarchistic papers. He gave his view of trusts from the view point of the anarchist.
 The speakers, with one accord, over stepped the twenty minutes allowed each speech.
 Vice President Corlss, of New York, pre- sided at the evening session.
 Governor Pingree of Michigan, was the first speaker. He said in part:
 Governor Pingrees Address
 "In all that has been said about trusts scarcely a word has been written or spoken from the standpoint of their effect on so- cety.
 Tn this busy rushing, feverish world. everything is ruled by the commercial spirit. The dollar seems to be the stand- ard for measuring all things
 "In gathering material for the use of this conference, the civic federation of Chicago sent out circulars containing in all sixty-nine questions. Those inquiries we're addressed to trusts, wholesale dealers, commercial travellers. organizations, rail- roads, labor assocla tions contractors manufacturers, economists, finaneiers and public men.
 "only one of these sixty-nne questions r1,f fa1 ts nff1 upon society l do not call attention to this in order to criticise the Civic Fed eration.
 "I do so for the purpose of showing that in all tine discussion of trust" there is no indication that any thought whatever has been given to their effect upon our nat tional Fife, upon our citizenship, and upon the lives and characters of the men and women who Ire the read strength of our republic.
 q think that Il is the most important consideration of &ll.
 Everybody been asking whether more money can be made by trusts than by small corporations and individuals whether cost of production will be inereas- ed or decreased-Whether investors will be benefited or in1ured-wheuher the finan- cial system of She country will be endan- gered-whether we can better compete for the worlds trade with large 'combinati tions'
 
 lowered-whether men will. be thrown out of emplayment-whether wages will b. higher or lower-whepher stricter econo- my can be enforced and so on
 Tn other words the only idea nowa- days seems to be to find out how business commerce will be affected by trusts The Almighty dollar is the sole consldera- tion.-
 Are They Worth the Pr ce
 ''I believe r11af all tfpee thinpc ara Y,i,,or considerations. l think it is of far great CT importance to inquire whether the con- trol Of the worlds trade, or any of the other commercial advantages claimed for the trust are worth the price We pay for them
 "WiH 1t pay us either as individuals or as nation to encourage 'trusts?'
 "Instead of discussing the qliestion from the standpoint of commercial gain, let US view it as patriots
 T believe that a conference of this kind should not attempt to judge a question so important to our national welfare as this, by the selfish standard of commercial greed. I think that lofter motives should rule us in this discussion.
 "The commercial and financial aspects of the trust problem are important. I be- lieve, however, that there are considera- tions more important to us as a nation. Tn this republic of ours we are fond of saying that there are no classes In fact VIC boast of it. We say that classes belong to monarchies, not to republics. Nevertheless, none of us can dispute the fact that our society Is divided into classes, and well-defined ones, too. They are not distinguished by differences of so- cial standing. That Is. we have no aristo- cratic titles. no nobility.
 ssThe distinction with us is based upon wealth. The man is rated by the property