The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-16

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Yorker won the hearts Of his listeners
by paying Mr.. Bryan a few well chosen
compliments, which the Democratic
leader blushingly acknowledged Mr.
Mr.. Cochran Ikened Mr.. Bryan to a
monopoly and claimed he was a bigger
monopoly as the leader of the Demo-
cratic party than any financial corpora
ton in the world. Mr.. Cochran spoke
for about two hours. and when he con-
Guided cries for Mr.. Bryan came from
all over the house. Finally Mr.. Bryan
arose and said that for the good of the
conference all partisan feeling should
be eliminated from the gathering, and
although he agreed with Mr.. Cochran
in many of his arguments it was neces-
sary that his side OF the controversy
should be given tomorrow.
Mr.. Cochran said in part:
I shall endeaVOr, for the purpose of
establishing an Intelligent basis of dis
cussiOn somewhat free from these
terms over which men have become
moved TO passionate defamation;
shah define prosperity as an abundance
Of commodities fairly distributed among
those who produce them
We must have commodities to dis
tribute before we can distribute them
in the form of wages or OF profits. If
this definition OF prosperity be correct,
it is perfectly plain that there is no
reason why a sensible man should grow
excited either TO the point of approval
or resentment at a combination mere
y as such. A combina ton may be good
or bad according to its effect. Any
Industrial system which operates to
swell the volume OF production should
be commended; anything that operates
TO restrict it should be suppressed.
Now. whether these great combina-
tons OF capital or these combinations
of labor operate to raise prices or to
reduce them is a subject about which
there has been a wide diversity of opin-
ion There are some combinations
which operate to reduce prices and
some which operate to Gepreciate them
It would be idle to say that some i'm
prove, that some raise prices, and some
0epreciate them, if we did not prescribe
some test by which we could distinguish
between the two Now, ladies and gen
tlemen, I think it is a simple one per
TecUly clear. The test IS to ascertain
whether the combination of capital
dOurishes through government aid or
without IL, for, my friends you must
see that any Industrial enterprise which
dominates the market without aid from
the government must do so through
commonly called, by underselling COM
peU1tOrS- An industry which at one and
the same time reduces prices and sweIls
ITS own prOnUS must accomplish that
result by increasing the volume of its
production On the other hand. an in
dustry which dominates the market by
the favor Of government, direct or in
direct, can not in the nature of things
be forced to cheaper prices because if
II could dominate the market by under
selling competitors in an open field
government favor. (AppIause) The
Interference OF the government would
be an injury and not a benefit to it.
An industry or com binat ton of capftaI
or anything you may choose to call il.
that dominates a market through a
restricted competition that delivers the
consumer to 1t on its own terms nee
eSSar1Iy depends upon a narrow output
and large profits. extorted not from the
excellency OF its service, but from the
helplessness of those with whom IL
deals. CApplause).
Now, there are three ways in which
the government fnterferes in the trade
Of individuals in this country. one is
by patent laws. The other means by
which the government interferes is by
UaFlIL- Now believe that every per
son can cOncede, whether he believes
in high tariff or free trade. that so far
as trusts are concerned, the tariff op-
crates to favor them in this way and in
this way only It operates to restrict
competition in the production of any
article TO those engaged in it in this
country. But if a trust or com binatiOn
is to be formed, manifestIy it aids the
enterprise where the field of competi-
ton is originally limited. Under a con-
dIt1On Of free trade every article which
IS produced is exposed to the cOmpeti-
ton Of the whole world If YOU reIv
upon the combination TO suppress COM
petition manifestly it Is easier to make
combination between the producers
in one country than in all countries and
10 that extent, the tariff favors. CAP
plause).
There is still a third essential cues
ton with which I think we can deal
and which believe is vastly more e3-
tensive in its results than the tariff in
favor OF trusts And I refer to those
1aYors which are extended to certain
industries or great corporations enjoy
ing government franchises which are
none the less government agencies be-
cause their stock is owned by private
individuals. And here we are face to
- 100 NJ y a.
must assume il a serious difficulty be-
cause 1t is almost impossible to describe
it. 1t is surrounded by secret. That it
IS existing and does exist everybody be-
leVes-
But, my friends. you must remember
that no person can enjoy favor at the
hands of any company enjoying a pub
lie franchise except at the expense of
another 1t is true, of every instance
where government favors an individual.
1 nave said in many places and I say
here. that government cannot at one
and the same time be a fountain of
generosity and justice applause. +
Government cannot create anything.
Now. if government cannot create any
thing 1t has nothing of its own TO be-
stow. IF il undertakes to enrich one
individual, the thing that it gives TO
him it must take from another. Gap
plause). If it do q favor it must have q
victim And that government only IS
just and benehcent which has neither
favorites nor victims
Now I have said that these favors are I
extended by the common belief and I
have said and acknowledged that if one ;
person attains rates that are excessive
" favorable. If his goods are trans
ported at a loss. why other men using
that same facility must make good the +
loss. What is the remedy? Some gen
tIemen have suggested municipal own
ership- applause. Ladies and gentle
men, I have no quarrel with the ap-
pIause of the municipal ownership. I
cOncede the principle Of it. (Applause.) {
The government has no right to en-
power any private agency to perform 4
function unless it be one which the /
government would be bound itself to
perform If that agency were not to be I