The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1899-09-23
A eL4zg OF oRAroRY.
r.ust Congress. at Chicago Closes with
speech Making

speech Msking
Chicago, Sept. 1S.-The conference
OH the uses and abuses Of trusts
closed Its sessions here Saturday In u
blaze OF OratOry. In which w. ].
Bryan and W. BOurke Cochran were
the central figures. Mr.. Cochran fol-
lowed the noted Nebraskan. but dis
claimed any intention OF debating the
conclusions Of Ills Immediate predeces-
sor and declaring his complete concur
renee in much that Mr.. Bryan had said.
The westerner had delivered the
speech Of the day during the forenoon
amid frequent Interruptions Of tumul-
tuous applause Mr.. Fonlke of Indi-
ana, commenting on the speech, made
assertions which Mr.. Bryan desired
further to discuss. He wns requested
to take the stage and complied, for the
second time facing wildly enthusiast
tic house.
At the conclusion MIR. Cochran arose
and observed:
Just few words" The spectators
wanted more and refused to subslde
until he had taken the platform. He
agreed with Mr.. Bryan, he said, but he
wanted Information.
Mr.. Bryan's plan Of campaign as out
lined to-day IL as follows:
First-That the state should have the
right to create whatever private cor
porations the people of the state think
best.
.Secoud-That the state has, or
should have, the right to impose such
limitations upon an outside corpora
ton as the people OF the state may
think necessary for their necessary
protection.
"rhirtl-That the federal government
has, or should have, the right to i'm
pose such restrictions as Congress may
think necessary upon any corporation
which does business outside Of the
state In which 1t is organized. In other
words, I would preserve to the people
Of the state MI the rights they now
have, and at the same time have Con-
gress exercise n concurrent remedy,
then supplement the state remedy. l
would not take away from the people
Of the state any right now existing,
but 1 would have the federal govern
ment and the state government exer-
else the powers that may Ike necessary
to annihilate the monopoly. do not
agree with the gentleman that you can
not annihilate n monopoly"
II have no doubt that any remedy
that 1 proposed would be assaulted. III
those who believe that the trust must
remain and those who believe that the
trust means good, will try 1t and then
accept better one If n better one is
proposed, and keep OH trying until the
people are protected. the monopoly
would be overcome"
In conclusion. Mr.. Bryan said:
let me suggest one other thing that
l believe Will be step In the right d.
rection. The great trouble has been
that while our platforms dcnounce cor
porations, corporations control the
elections and place under obligation to
them the men who were elected to en-
force the law. ~@
Let me propose remedy-nOt a
remedy, but step. I think. In the
right direction. Let the laws, state and
national, make 1t penal Offense for
any corporation to contribute to the
campaign fund of any political party.
Nebraska has such law, passed two
years ago. Tennessee has such law,
passed two years ago. Such a law was
passed, or was introduced In the state
of New York. but 70 far II Inns not
reached the stage of actual law in the
state Of New York.
II do not mean to say that that REM
edy would he "A complete one, but
believe that when you prevent n cor
porntiOn from contributing to campaign
funds that you take n step In the right
direction toward better legislation. be
cause some corporations are compelled
to contribute. They are blackmailed
into contributions, and such a law
would protect corporation that did
not want to contribute. II the people
are In earnest. they can do 1t. and YOU
could never do anything In this cOun-
try until the people are in earnest. and
when the American people understand
what the monopoly question means, l
believe that there will he no power.
political, financial or otherwise, to pre-
vent the people from taking possession
of every branch Of government from
President to the Supreme Court and
making the government responsible to
the peoples WILL"