Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-09-28
The Conference Called to Order By
Attorney General Crow.
Gov. STEPHEySCAUSES A SENSATION
Resolutions Referred to the Committee
and speeches Called for-Gov. Thomas,
Of Colorado. the First to Respond
IOwa's Governor FacetiouA.

| MlbSOurl. uoV. Stepnens Indue u lnt
ton that Gov. Savers, of Texas, b
elected permanent chairman and h
was unanimously chosen. Paul l
Moore, private secretary of Gov. Ste
phens, was chosen as secretary of tn
conference. Gov. Sayers was greete
with hearty applause when he assume
the chair. He read "a somewhat length,
address, setting forth his views on tn
question of trusts, which was frequent
ly applauded.
Gov. Stephens then caused somewha
Of sensation among the republican
state officials present by denouncinI
the national administration and it
war policy and declaring that trust
and Imperialism 90 hand in hand. l
is limited strongly that the republican,
attending the conference may return
home as the result Of this outbreak o
partisan rancor and leave the democrats
to continue the conference alone.
When the antitrust conference re-
sumed it sitting at three o'clock thu
crowd that was in attendance in thu
morning was undiminished. A tele
gram from Gov. A. J.. McLaurin, Of
Mississippi, to Gov. Savers was read
The chief executive Of Mississippi
said that business necessitated his alb
sence and that any action tending tt
the eradication of trusts and combines
would receive his support.
A communication from W. L. Bass
Of Chicago, was received and on motion
was referred to the committee on reso
lutions without reading. Attorney
General Smith, Of Texas, presented
some resolutions favoring Legislation
that would do away with trusts and
combinations They were also appro-
priately referred. Gov McMillin,
chairman of the committee on resolu.
tions, reported that the committee had
only met to organize and was not yet
ready to report. A meeting Of the
committee would be held at night, he
said. There being no further business
before the conference speeches were
called for.
Gov c. $. Thomas, OF Colorado, was
the first to respond. He prefaced his
remarks by saying emphatically that
he did not agree with the expressions
voiced by Cows. Stephens and Sayers at
the morning session and then launched
out on discussion Of the trust propo-
sition. He contended that the consoli-
dalton Of business combinations in a
few hands was injurious to the people
as a whole. He assumed that the ques-
ton of the threatening character OF
these gigantic combinations portended
evil for the people and said it was time
to call halt. He argued that concur
rent action between the states and the
national government was necessary to
control the operations of the so-called
trusts. He concluded his remarks with
a vigorous attack upon the Standard
Oil company, exemplifying his on
slaught by the recital of a number Of
specific cases coming under his observ-
alton wherein the oil company made
enormous profits on its product in Col
orado and adjacent states to the detri-
ment of the consumer.
Gov. Leslie Shaw, of Iowa, then took
the floor and what seemed to many
facetiously derided the remarks of Gov.
Stephens at the morning session. Be-
fore delying into his subject he paused
and made a motion that the governors
of Missouri, Tennessee and Texas be
appointed to draft and formulate a bill
such as, in their opinion, may safely
and advantageously be passed by the
legislatures of the several states and
which will, in their opinion, as far as
possible remedy the evil SO universally
acknowledged. The motion was tabled.
Gov. Daniel W. Jones, of Arkansas,
being called on, arose and in vigorous
terms scored Gov. Shaw for his facetious.
ness, saying this was no time and place
for remarks not tending to further
ance of the business before the confer
ence. lie then made speech against
1.-THE monsters termed trusts, he hav-
- ,u,t their power among his people.
ii ms opinion the trusts should be an
initiated
Gov. Jones was followed by Attorney
General Edward G. Crow, Of Missouri,
who spoke to the question from the
view point of lawyer. He favored
the enacting of a law in every state SO
that when trusts are organized the
equality of the law shall prevail.
L. W. Taylor, attorney general of
Indiana, and Attorney General Nolan,
of Montana, then followed.
Attorney General 0ren, of Michigan,
being called on, devoted the main part
of his address in exemplifying Michi-
gan's methods for controlling corpora
tons. He severely criticized New Jer-
sey and Delaware for their lax incor-
poration laws. Uniform laws, in his
opinion, should be enacted by the
states to control corporations.
Attorney General Smith, of Texas,
then took the floor and edited the con-
ference with a recital of his experience
in handling trusts in the Lone Star
state.
AT the evening session Gov. Hazen s.
Pingree, Of Michigan, delivered an adj
dress, which was closely listened to
and frequently applauded. AT its close
the committee on resolutions, which
had been in session during the even
ing, asked for more time and the con-
ference adjourned until nine o'clock
this morning, when the committee will