Semi=weekly graphic., 1899-04-15
HOUSING SPEECHES MADE
The Legislature Memorialized to Amend the Law So Insurance
 Companies Can do Business

 V ednesday, was attended by at least l, ,000 delegates and representative business men.
 President George Sengel, of the State Board of Trade, called the convention to order at GIenwood Park at 3 o'clock D. m. and presided throughout the meeting. He made a ringing address that sounded the key note of the convention. Speech. es were also made on the line of the purpose for which the con7en- ton met by Hon. John ". Black wood, of Little Rock, Hon. Joe N. Stayton, of Newport; Ex-Attorney- General ". E. Atkinson, of Little Rock, and Representatives Creed Caldwell, of Jefferson, J. E. Wood, of Lee, and c. G. Latta, of Hot Springs.
 Representative Woods remarks caused autter. He blamed the business men of the State because they did not take more interest in politics and send better men to the Legislature. Hon. ". H. McHenry of Lonoke, addressed the convention and called the antitrust act "God Almighty's law. At the night session Attorney-G Jeff Davis was called upon by the crowd and he responded in a speech defending the antitrust law. Ex. Governor J. P Clarke also made a speech fn response to calls, in which ae favor, ed the ex5irpation of trusts, but believed in Ddoing 0it in a bust ness like manner. The speeches of Messrs. SengeI, Black wood and Slayton, Atkinson, Latta, Caldwell and Wood contained strong argu- ments in favor of an amendatory act.
 Hon. J. A. Woodson, of Little Rock, was chosen president of the state board of trade for the ensuing year. A committee of ten was ap- pointed to present the resolutions of the convention to the legislature.
 The following resolutions were adopted:
 Whereas, The need of prosperity in this State is sadly felt, and this can not be obtained unless the inflow and outflow of capital is left free and untrammeled, and the means of pro- teeting the property holder and the business man are properly secured by insurance upon the best procura- ble terms, and these considerations affect every person in the State of Arkansas:
 And. Whereas, Recent legislation as it affects fire insurance in the State kof Arkansas bids fair to prostrate all of the material interests of it's people, and to drve from it's territo- ry the limited amount of capital and creditnow there, and to still further depreciate the values of all real es- tate and mining and other natural resources within it's confines, which should have encouragement to de- yelop them; and,
 Whereas, This matteris so serious ly impairing our conditions and im- perilling our future as to excite tbe reasonable apprehension of the State Board of Trade, and the social and industrial interests which it repre- sents and which it was organized to advance; now, therefore, after ear nest and mature deliberation. first had, and with the sineerest purpose of arriving at the soundest conelu- sions, irrespective cf any elass-inter- est, itis
 Resolved by this Convention:
 l. That it regards all legislation to prevent pools, combines, associa- tions, and the like, to arbitrarily fix the price or quantity of commodities as necessary for the. welfare of the people of the State. and the mainte- nance of individual character.
 ?. That this legislationsboula not