The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-09-17
BOURKE COCHRAN
AND BRYAN SPEAK
Continued From First Page)

chance to eat the bread dog came along
and snatched it away from him.
stin Had His Appetite
"He felt a little indignant at first, but
finally that feeling of contentment came
back to him. and as he watched the dog
turn around a corner in the road carrying
the bread away he said: Well thank
God 1 have still my appetite left ZAP
plause and laughter) Now there are some
people who seem to preach the doctrine
that we ought to be satisfied with anything.
The American people are entitled to the
best that there is. They are entitled to the
best system on every subject.
AZ believe when these questions are pre-
scented to the American people they Will
select and secure the best system. / don't
believe it necessary for us to sit down
quietly and permit great aggregation OF
wealth to strange every competitor L
don't believe that 1t is in accordance with
our dignity as a people. or in accordance
with the rights of the people, to say be-
cause a great corporation is organized that
therefore 1t should be permitted to go into
the field of new corporation, mdersell
1t until it bankrupts it, raising the money
by higher prices somewhere else, I don't
think it is necessary for us to do that. L
have only suggested a plan 1t may not be
the best plan. If YOU have anything bet
ter, propose il. If there is any amend
ment that you can think that will improve
il. suggest it. / am anxious to accept any
thing.
Let me suggest one other thing that
believe will be a step in the right direc-
ton. The great trouble has been that while
our platforms denounce corporations, cor
poratons control the elections and place
under obligations to them the men who are
elected to enforce the law tApplause)
step in RIGHT Direction
"T4ot me propose a remedy-not a remedy,
but a step. think, in the right direction.
Let the laws. state and national, make it a
penal offense for any corporation to con-
tribute to the campaign fund of any poit-
zeal party. CONTINUED cheers and ap-
plause)
Nebraska has such a law. passed two
years ago. Tennessee has such law, pass
ed two years ago. Such a law as passed
or was introduced in tho state of New
York hut so far has not reached the stage
of actual law in the state of New York
Gauehter.) Now I believe 1t is a step in
the right direction. You remember the tes-
timony taken before a senate committee a
few years ago when the head of the sugar
trust testified that the sugar trust made
it its business to contribute to campaign
funds; and when asked to which one it
contributed. replied that it depended upon
circumstances.
'"To which do you contribute In Mas
sachusetts?. was asked. 81
'Fo the republican fund.- -
To the democratic fund.
A Doubtful state is..f
"'To which fund in New JerseyYf and
the man says. We'll. have to look ait the
books: that is doubtful state. CONTINUED
laughter and applause).
Now this is almost literal reproduction
of the testimony of one great corporation
on the subject of campaign contribution.
don't mean to say that the remedy will
J,a 70 hut baii ~ naf xxJ1ap
you prevent corporation from contribut-
ing to campaign funds that YOU take a
step in the right direction toward better
legislation, because some corporations are
compelled to contribute; they are black
mailed into contributions, and such a law
would protect a corporation that did not
want to contribute and also prevent cor
poration from contributing that wanted to
contribute. II the people are in earnest
they can do it and you never do anything
in this country until the people are in ear
nest and when the American people I'M
derstand what the monopoly question
means, I believe that there will be no
power political financial or otherwise to
prevent the people from taking possession
of every branch of government from presl-
dent to the supreme court, and making the
government responsible to the people S
will" CHEERS and applause)
Bourke Cochran Replies
AT the conclusion Oh Noiohel III III
address. Bourke Cochran arose and started
to speak from his seat in the hall, but IN
response to cheers and calls to come to the
front he, too, took the platform. He said,
in part
Just one moment while I express my
complete concurrence in much that Mr..
Bryan has said. If there be a monopoly
that Expresses. I believe that there is no
elimination there is no provision of govern
ment there is no power on earth against
the people redressing a wrong when 1t be-
comes a wrong.
THE question to which this conference
should be directed is whether one exists
and where 1t is. Now, who is hurt and
where has this octopus got possession or
somebody? On whom is it acting? Where
is its lair? l am free to confess that when
you call an aggregation of capital COM
bination, a hydra headed monster, an oc-
topus. It don't cast any light upon it that
illumines my pathway. l can understand
how these phrases can have some effect,
as nothing frightens people so much as in
comprehensive noises. (Applause and
iaughter). Let noise be heard now that
none of us understands and we will all be
going out of the window (Applduse).
Are Doiag Pretty We'll
'Now, men can be put to intellectual and
physical flight by terrifying noises What
is it that we hear? Are we doing pretty
we'll? Well, we have had here representa-
tiyes of labor organizations. who nave been
telling us that wages are higher today than
they have ever been. Certainly they don't
seem to suffer.
IF you want competition let somebody
succeed in it. viii you suppress the man
because he eXcels another so far that he
constitutes monopoly? Are you going to
place limits upon excellency? Any indus
trial product which is the fruit -of human
ingenuity and human skill ranks above all
others of lower level. aise|a
1--WE seem to have drifted into an atmos-
phere of bigness concerning what is called
the evil of monopoly. Now, there has not
been am evil given that has been attributed
to monopoly here, against which, If it eX-
listed. | would not be enlisted under the
banner of those who seek to suppress 1t.
If it be an evil, then you can show me evil
n,,a ...in mi q adnInt