The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-17
DEBATE AFTER ALL.
Bryan and Cochran
Speak From Same
Platform.
NEW YORKER HAS LAST SAY.
Subject of Trusts Re
hashed in Two
Sessions.
new YORKER HAS LAST SAY.

Chicago, Sept. 16.-The evening ses-
sion opened by an address by Attorney
General Smith of Texas and James B.
| Dill who had a hand in framing the
New Jersey trust laws. A general dis
cussion followed, and Bourke Cochran
and Maj. Foulke took the platform.
Mr.. Foulke made a speech, in which
he declared that he failed to see how
the remedies proposed by Col. Bryan
in his speech this morning could result
in the attainment of the object sought
flor. Col. Bryan, who was in the back
part of the hall, started to reply.
Cries Of Take the platform" came from
all parts of the hall, and, with a smile,
he did so. Col. Bryan, in part, said:
Il would not occupy the time again,
but for the fact that the gentleman
from Indiana Mr.. Foulke, has referred
to a plan which 1 suggested and which,
l am afraid, he does not fully under
stand. My plan was this:
First-That the state should have the
fright to create whatever private cor
operations the people of the state think
best.
Second-That the state has, or should
have, the right to impose such limita-
lions upon an outside corporation as
the people of the state may think nee
essary for their own protection. That
protects the rights of the people of the
state to say, first what they shall or
lganize in their state as a corporation,
and second, what they shall permit as
a corporation to come from other states
who do the business in their state.
Third-That the federal government
has, or should have. the right to such
restrictions as congress may think nee
Iessary upon any corporation which does
business outside of the state in which
it is organized. In other words, |
would preserve to the people of the
state all the rights they now have
and at the same time have congress
exercise a corresponding remedy to
supplement the state remedy When
the federal government licenses a cor
poration to do business outside of the
state in which it was organized, il
merely permits it to do business in any
state under the conditions imposed BY
that state, in addition to the conditions
imposed by the federal government. |
would not take anything from the state
but | would have the federal govern
ment and the state government ex-
ercise the powers that may be neces-
sary to annihilate the monopoly / do
not agree with the gentleman, that you
cannot annihilate monopoly. | be-
| lieYe 1T is possible to do so. While the
gentleman was speaking I thought of
the lines:
Plunged in gulf of deep despair
| Ye wretched sinners lie
II am not sure that the legislation
would prohibit such an act of congress
as l suggest. Suppose congress should
| say that whenever a corporation want
| ed to do business outside of the state,
| it must apply to and receive from some
body created by congress for the pur-
! pose a license to do business Suppose
| the law should provide: First, that the
| evidence shall show that there Is no
| water in the stock
Second, that the evidence should
show that this corporation has not in
| the past and is not attempting now to
| monopolize any branch of industry or
branch of any article of mechanics
| and third, providing for that publicity
| about which everybody agrees. Who is
| here to say that such a law would be
unconstitutional"
But if the people want to destroy
the trusts you can get two-thirds of
| both houses and three fourths of the
| states. You have this alternative Sit
down and do nothing, allow the trusts
| to tramp on you, and thank God you
| still have some life left.
I heard of man once who had been
| taught to be contented with his lot, and
| finally became very poor and traded
off his coat for a loaf of bread. A dog
came along and snatched the bread
away from him. He felt indignant at
first. but finally that feeling Of con-
tentment came back, and he said:
We'll, thank God, l still have my ap-
petite left" Laughter and applause. !
Now some people seem to preach
that we ought to be satisfied with any
thing. The American people are enti-
| tied to the best of every subject I
| cont think it necessary for us to sit
| down quietly and permit great ag-
| gregation of wolves to strange every
competitor.
Let me propose a remedy-not a rem
edy-but step, which I think will be
in the right direction Let the laws.
state and national make 1t a penal Of
| fence for any corporation to contribute
to the campaign fund of any political
party Continued cheering and an
plause.) Nebraska and Tennessee have
such law, passed two years ago. Such
law was passed, or was introduced in
the state of New York, but so far it
has not reached the stage of actual law
In the state of New York Now / be-
lieve it is a step in the right direction.
You remember the testimony taken be-
fore the Senate committee a few years
ago, when the head Of the sugar trust
testified that the sugar trust made 1t its
business to contribute to campaign
funds; and when asked to which one it
contributed, replied that it depended on
circumstances.
ITO which found do you contribute
usually" was asked.
"To the republican fund"
ITO which fund in New York;"
ITO the democratic fund"
ITO which fund in New Jersey?" and
the man said: well, will have to look
at the books; that is doubtful state. !"
Continued laughter and applause.)
/ don't mean to say that the remedy
will be a complete one, but / believe
that when you prevent a corporation
from contributing to campaign funds
you take step in the right direction
toward better legislation because some
corporations are compelled to con-
tribute, they are blackmailed into con-
tributions, and such law would pro-
tect corporation that did not want to
contribute and also prevent a corpora
ton from contributing that did want to
contribute.
At the conclusion of Bryans speech,
Bourke Cochran started to speak from
his seat in the hall. but in response 10