The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1899-09-29
Outcome Of the Convention Held
Under Sayer'S Call.
STRONG RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED
Capital Invested Legitimately
Should Not BE Interfered
With.

After two days Of speech-making
at ST. Louis, the governors, attorney
generals and other state representa-
tives adopted resolutions outlining
the legislation needed to control the
so-ealled trusts and combines and adj
journed sine die Thursday night.
The resolutions embodied were
agreed to after long session Of the
committee on resolutions. So widely
divergent were the views presented
for its consideration that it was after
midnight when the committee was able
to arrive at any conclusion. The whole
matter was then referred to q sub-com-
mittee, composed of Governor McMil-
lin, of Tennessee, and Attorneys Cen
eral Smith, of Texas, and Campbell,
of Colorado, TO put into proper shape
Governor McMillin, chairman of the
committee on resolutions, presented
the report OF that committee.
In presenting the report Of the COM
mittee on resolution, Governor Nc
Millin said he was aware Of the fact
that the trusts and combinations in
restraint of trade are in a de-
gree dependable upon federal, state
and municipal governments for their
continuance. He believed it was in
cumbent upon the national, state and
municipal governments to restrain the
operations of these trusts and combi-
nations.
"The situation and perhaps the eff
forts of the conference are misunder-
stood" the speaker confined. cit is
not the object of this conference to
crush corporations, nor to interfere
with capital in any legitimate form.
The object of these resolutions is not
to crush either corporations or to de-
stroy capital, but to regulate them, so
as to meet the fair demands of all the
people.
"This is the purpose and this is the
object we hope to accomplish, The
organization Of trusts and combines
within the last two years is the occa-
sion and authority for our presence
here. We are seeking to ascertain a
proper power for the curtailment of
what is apparently menacing evil, and
the accomplishment of this object can
be effected through the independent
action of the citizen. We have the
best land in the history of man.
"We furnish the world with thirty
one per cent of the manufactured ar
ticles Of the world and thirty-two per
cent of all the banking In the mat
ter of agriculture, notwithstanding
Great Britain, Russia and other c0un-
tries, we feed the world. This agri-
cultural class is not organized and
cannot be organized into trusts or
combines and must be protected
against other interests which can
aombine.
"The industrial and other impor-
ant interests are combined to con-
troll the wealth Of the country in the
hands of a few and by these means
the sweat and toll of the millions is
controlled. Our object is to prevent
this, Corporations are necessary in q
proper degree to the successful con-
duct of business, but they should not
be so managed and controlled as to
destroy business. It is not proper to
place the commerce Of this great coun-
try in the hands of three or four peo-
pie and thereby control the labor and
destiny Of the republic.
"When oil these industries are
combined into one band for the man
ufacture of a given article, they paral-
we labor without extending sufficient
protection. It is one of the objects of
this conference to correct this condi-
ton of affairs.
, Within recent years, I think less
than two years, not less than 200
trusts have organized with a capital
Of 81, 256, 600, 600, If all the gold
drawn from the earth could be mar
shaded into one sum it could not pay
the obligations Of these trusts; if oil
silver taken from the earth was ap-
piled it could not cancel the obliga-
tions Of these combinations.
In concluding, the speaker claimed
that the interests we're so vital as not
to be of partisan character, but con
tended that a prohibitive tariff had
much to do with the creation Of trusts,
using the sugar trust as an illustra.
ton.
Resolutions thanking Governor Say
ers for his efforts in behalf of the con.
ference were adopted before declaring
the conference adjourned.
Ms.... Nj. f,,s. =. ar-