The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-22


cipal governments for their contlnu-
ance.
This is no assemblage." he said. Ito
war on corporations or capital in any
form. The object of these resolutions is
not to crush corporations or destroy
capital, but to regulate them. That is
the whole object of this conference, and
| when that is obtained its whole duty
will have been done"
In presenting the report of the com
mlttee on resolutions, Governor McMil-
Ian said he was aware of the fact that
trusts and combinations in restraint CT
trade are in a degree dependable upon
foreign, state and municipal govern
ments for their continuance. He be-
lieved it was incumbent upon the ma
tional, state and municipal govern
ments to restrain the operations of
| these trusts and combinations.
THE situation and perhaps the eff
forts of the conference are misunder-
stood" the speaker continued. 1T is
not the object of this conference to
crush corporations nor to interfere with
capital in any legitimate form. The OBJ
ject of these resolutions is not to crush
either corpora tons or to destroy CAPT
tai, but to regulate them so as to meet
the fair demands of all people. This
is the purpose and this is the object we
hope to accomplish. The organization
of trusts and combinations within the
last two years is the occasion. We are
seeking to ascertain a proper power for
the curtailment of what is apparently
a menacing evil and the accomplish
ment of this object can be effected
through the Independent action of the
citizen.
We have the best land in the his
tory of man. We furnish the world
with 81 per cent of the manufactured
articles of the world and do 80 per cent
of all the banking. In the matter of
agriculture, notwithstanding Great
Britain, Russia and other countries, we
feed the world. This agricultural class
is not organized and cannot be organ
lied into trusts or combines and must
be protected against other interests
which can combine.
The industrial and other important
interests are combined to control the
wealth of the country in the hands Of
few and by these means the sweat
and toll of the millions is controlled.
Our object is to prevent this. Cor
porations are necessary In a proper de-
gree to the successful conduct of bust
ness, but they should not be so man
aged and controlled as to destroy bust
ness. 1t is not proper to place the COM
merce of this great country in the
hands of three or four people and there
by control the labor and destiny of the
republic
within recent years. think less
than two years, not less than 200 trusts
have organized with a capital Of
$4,256, 100000 If all of the gold of the
earth could be marshaled into one sum
it could not pay the obligations of these
trusts If all the silver taken from the
earth were applied 1t could not cancel
the obligations of these combina-
tions.
The national government. state gov
eminent or municipal government can
never make them declare a dividend
You know and / know they cannot be
made to pay a dividend. One of the
objects of these sessions is to correct
this evil as far as possible.
Il recall as national legislator the
suppression of one trust, marvellous as
| that may seem. We had a quinine
trust once. A representative in con-
! gress introduced resolution in the
tariff bill to place quinine on the free
| list. The senate concurred and the
president signed the bill and the trust
was utterly demolished. That was the
action of the federal government. The
national, state and municipal govern
| ment acting in concert, can correct
many of these evils. 1t is impossible
for the legislature to regulate them all.
There are other instances in which the
! general government can assist
! Governor Savers then put the ques-
ton and the resolutions were adopted
without a dissenting vote.
Attorney General Campbell of Colo
| RADIO then moved that a committee of
five be appointed to formulate a bill
along the line of the resolutions adopted
| and that the governors at the confer
ence present 1T to their respective leg
| islatures.
| Governor Jones of Arkansas and Mr..
| Heifner of Washington made some OBJ
lection to this and it was lost. Resolu-
| tions thanking Governor Savers for his
efforts in behalf of the conference were
adopted
Before declaring the convention ad-
saying in part:
"Of course it goes without saying that
| | feel very grateful to you not only for
the manifestation of your recogniti IN
of the proper discharge of my duties
as your presiding officer, but I want 10
| express my sincere and earnest grail
tude and acknowledgment that upon
this important but simple suggestion
| which I felt it my duty to make the
| governors and attorneys general OF this
union that IL states responded. This
| has never before occurred in the his
tory of our government where sucf
questions as there were involved. l fee
it to be my duty to say the idea o.
inviting the governors and attorney
general was not original to myself, bu
one for which / feel responsible to th'
people of this country
Attorney General Davis of Arkansas
made a few remarks in favor Of thu
resolutions, in the course of which III
deplored the fact that anything haC
come up during the conference to mai
the harmony of its proceedings.
Chairman Savers then put the ques
ton and the resolutions were unani
mously adopted by the representatives
of the states remaining. Governor
Shaw of Iowa and Thomas of COLORADO
and Attorney General Taylor of In
diana having gone home last evening
left only eight states represented.
Attorney General Campbell of Colo
RADIO moved that a committee Of fiv,
be appointed TO formulate a bill alonl
the line of the resolutions adopted anC
each governor here present to his leg
. islature and recommend it to the chic
executives of other states.
Mr.. Heifner of Washington and Gov
. ernOr Jones of Arkansas objected t.