Union gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1899-1900, 1899-09-22
THE DISCUSSION OF TRUSTS
Results of the Recent Con-
ference Were Beneficial.
PROCEEDINGS TO BE PRINTED
Fifty Thousand Copies to Be Dis
s-'h"ted Throughout the Country.

Chicago. Sept. 20.-The Times
publishing the report of the trust con-
ference the Civic Federation's work in
the big meeting is fully accomplished.
Franklin H. Head, it's president, is
confident that the results of the dis
oussion will be far-reaching and bene-
ficent and he feels that this organiza-
| tion was justified in its expenditure of
labor and time. Fifty thousand copies
of the report are to be printed and dis
| tributed throughout the country SO that
those who did not attend the conven
ton may have the advantage of the
views expressed by leading. economists,
lawyers, politicians and thinkers from
different sections of the United States.
This Mr.. Head deems highly impoi
tant. Among the reflections Of Mr..
Head on the conference generally are
the following statements:
'eThe idea of the Civic Federation
was to have a full discussion of all
sides of the general question of trusts
and trade com binations. 1t is SUBJ
ject upon which there is endless con-
fusion of thought among the people and
we hoped by giving all sides fair
hearing to clear away much of the fog
and mist and to bring the people nearer
together 80 that they might be sure of
the evils of these large com mbinations if
there were any and devise remedies for
such evils.
In almost every respect think the
conference has been decided success.
Many of the papers offered were from
careful economic students and pos
sessed not only great but permanent
value. Among these might be men,
toned the papers contributed by
Henry @. Adams, J.. w. jerks, John
Graham Brooks and Professor Clark, of
Columbia university. Undoubtedly
the two speeches which attracted most
attention were those delivered by w.
Bourke Cochran and w. j. Bryan.
"As a result of the discussions it
seemed to me that the general impress
sion Of those present was that the
growth of trusts and combinations
should be jealously watched and guard
ed and that there should be careful
supervision of their operations by the
L btdtO dutAOIitlC1 dkSO pOoSApAy ny
the federal government-superv
somewhat similar to that of our ma
tional banks would be most desirable
and i'm portant-and that all such cor
porations should be required to have
carefully-kept books of account, show
| ing all the general operations in their
| business, and that the features of such
statistics should be made public some-
| thing after the maner in which the sta
tistics OF national banks are made pub
lie. The objects sought through these
suggestions were not only for the bene-
fit of the general public who might be
| considering an investment. but also for
the benefit of the stockholders, who
might thus learn If the managers were
loyal to the interests of the stockhold-
ers.
"There has been some talk of there
being political capital in the result of
| the conference. / do not know that
| the result of the conference could be
construed to have any political bearing.
The question of business trusts and
corporations is not political question.
There are probably just as many Demo-
CTaLlC =EIOCkHOlu6IS III Cuce0 various
com binations as Republicans. They
have entered into these com binations
with the belief that they are advan-
tageous in the way of cheapening pro-
duction and doing away with the exces-
sive competition, which in periods of
depression is often times fatal to all
parties to the competition.
Whatever may be the steps taken
to adopt some remedies or restrictive
measures which shall retain whatever
there may be Of benefit in the trusts,
while removing that which is preju-
dicial to the national good, in my opin-
ion the conference held in Chicago will
prove historical meeting. and its in
duence as source of education, and
perhaps as strarting point of some
definite developments, will be felt for
a long time. The Civic Federation
is satisfied-yes, gratified-with the
entire work of .he conference