The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-17

I VmpioJ0oh OTHhulblnk tnombeiNob toE Wv
mere purpose OF facilitating intercourse
between them. and II In not Utopian
dream that before another conference
| OF this character assemblies the largest
employers OF labor will Insist upon
their employees Joining unions and choosing
| representation In them. realizing that 10
10 Joint industry. and that the man who
works is Just as valuable as the man who d.
reefs his work.
A DELEoATE-You have said We have been
declaiming against the trusts and that In the
entire conference nothing has been shown a.
to the evil committed BY them.
Those that don't enjoy any aid from Gov
eminent -"
SAME DEInoATE-"Tako the Federal Steel
Trust. 1t was organized with a capital OF
5000. 100000. In less than six months time
every product OF that trust. steel. iron. iron
nails. barbed wire. and all necessities
Of the farmers. and everything that
enters into tho constructions OF build
ings In every city in this country
and In the construction OF every farmhouse In
United States. has been increased from 100 to
125 per cent. whereas labor In those mills. az
shown by the Amalgamated Steel Union. has
only risen about 10 to % per cent. Now. wish
to know II the consumers Of this country have
not been robbed OF that 80 and 100 per cent
price OF the finished product furnished to the
50.0000O farmers in this country"
One moment; you have asked me q question.
Now. will answer It. yield to the gentleman
who represents the workingmen.
MIR, GARLAND-They increased the wages
from 10 to Is per cent.
ANOTHER DELEaA1E: Il wish TO say with
due regard to all the trade unions OF this
country. because I advocate their existence
and believe they are 4 public blessing. that
any arrangements between the trades unions
and the capitalized trusts which enforce from
the consumers OF this country more than an
equitable wage rs compared with the product
OF the other factors. would be unjust"
Several delegates here arose and piled aues-
lions upon Mr.. Cochran. who. after order had
been restored. continued:
1T is very hard to be constantly repeating
practically the same statement I have said
again and again on the platform that II a
corporation or an industry dominates the
market BY any other reason than the
cheapness of its product II 10 q public
injury. Now. say that 1t can only m aintain the
prominence 1t has once acquired BY continuing
to sell tho best articles. II you give 1t any
undue proits. or It abuses tho advantages
which 1t ENJOYS from the excellence displayed
in competition. and tho Government
eHoNb ITO favor, you Woulu prevent
competition in an instant and tho
case mentioned by the gentleman. who has
Just interrupted. OF the Federal Steel Company
is one Of the strongest instances o. IT, The
capitalization OF that company Is causing to-
day tho organization OF three or four different
opposition enterprises. attracted by the fact
that its profits are SO large. and also naturally
by the advanced prices"
A DELEGATE-Your position 10 then that mo-
nopoly 10 i'm posslble2
1T depends again on what you call mean by
monopoly"
SANE DELEaATE-What I m can By monopoly
is the privileges and business enjoyed by one
institution.
Il don't think any further discussion be-
tween mo and you can be very useful There
Is no way by which you can make a permanent
without Government favor except
by excellence OF the service. While that excel
lence lasts. don't object to your calling it a
monopoly. l say that the industrial history OF
this country proves it. that there is not single
which advanced prices OF which has
enjoyed undue profits without. BY that fact.
provoking opposition"
DELEGATE LoCKwooD-Do you mean BY Gov
ernment favor railroad favor2
ANY kind OF favor; yes. sir: favor OF rail-
roads: favor OF gas companies; favor OF ex-
press cola panies. favor OF any agency whatever
l say Government should be impartial every
where. notony In its own hands but In the
hands OF its agents. The agencies through
which it performs its functions must always
be impartial.
Let me advert once moro to the question
which l consider OF vital importance, and
hope these gentlemen who have put ques-
tons to me showing a socialistic opinion will
como upon this platform. Think he will admit
that socialism is at least q distant remedy
1t to be one. l am not here to in
dulge in distractions or speculations about
questions which are necessarily remote. / |
came to this conference in the hope that we |
could make some suggestions which might be
adopted.
We have agreed. I believe here now. that
some statute should be devised to compel
publicity Of all corporate acts. We have agreed
that q penalty should be pronounced against !
any form Of favor such as corporations exer-
csing special franchises. and the m achnery OF
publicity will be the means OF discovering 1t. |
/ believe that accorded to all OF us 10 distinct
gift was in hopes that we would discuss the
industrial disturbances and that We might
at least Ret.this far that while We are still
short distance from the socialistic basis,
while there Is difficulty about interfering in
the industry OF private citizens. we may pro-
vide that corporations exercising great public
franchises should be held to some accounta-
bility. When the convenience OF tho public 10
suspended by the suspension OF their services,
when the railroad company Is not acting. when
the gas company Is not supplying its product.
when any great enterprise chartered by tho
State and depending upon the State charter as
an agency OF the State collapses. It is the BUSH
ness OF the State to ask why. and It ought to be
at once the right OF every citizen who is dis
turbed by that cessation to demand compsnsa-
ton. Now. that UGH might be passed by tho
concurrence OF every person in tho conference
When 1t is passed. believe tho ben efce Mt
results that would follow from II would
mako strikes in this country impossible.
1t would not be adopting q new system It
would only be compelling the recalcltrant
railroad corporations. the ignorant. benighted
which will be In the minority,
to assent to the opinion adopted to-day.
I believe that there are many laws now In ex-
istence to which we would say God speed
dating from to-day. don't ask the State to
prescribe any conditions to q settlement
Let il be complete defenca for tho