The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-14

ton conference on the uses and abuses
of trusts and combinations began here
today with less than half the delegates
appointed by the various states in at
tendance. New York. headed by W.
Bourke Cochran, and Wisconsin, were
most numerously represented.
/ The meeting took place in Central
| Music hall, and was called to order by
Franklin II. Head, president of the
Civic Federation. The delegates lis
| tened to an address of welcome to Illi>
nois by Attorney General Akin on be-
half of Governor Tanner, who by ILL
ness was prevented from appearing in
| person.
DR.. Howard S. Taylor, city prosecu-
/ tor, welcomed the delegates to Chicago
on behalf of Mayor Harrison. With the
progress of the speaking it became evil
dent that many of the delegations had
come with firm convictions for OF
against trade combinations. The speech
of Mr.. Wooten OF Texas, delivered dur
ing the afternoon, and hammering
trusts in q merciless manner aroused
the widest enthusiasm in the ranks OF
the labor representatives and the dele
cations from many western and south
! ern states, while the fasteners gener-
ally smiled critically and kept their
arms folded.
Fun and Disorder.
The attempt to round the somewhat
shapeless mass Of delegates into work
ing form resulted in considerable dis
order. Suggestions for the makeup OF
committee to arrange a programme
for the conference came from every
part of the house with such rapidity
that the temporary chairman extracted
the basis for resolutions which were
finally adopted
nod
Bourke Cochran and August CAM, a
delegate representing the Knights Of
Labor, had become the center of
scene which provoked unrestrained
laughter, Mr.. Cochran joining. The
head of the New York contingent, in an
endeavor to bring a little order out OF
chaos. arose, while Mr.. CAM, in a very
loud tone was declaring that his dele
cation was of more Importance than
that of any state.
When the New Yorker began speak
ing the labor delegates fished from a
hip pocket a pair of opera glasses and
at short range contemplated the
speaker, commenting occasionally IN
such a way that the merriment attained
volume which drowned the voice Of
the eastern orator. 1t was finally re-
solved that the Civic Federation
through it's chairman, Mr.. Head. should
conduct the meeting today, and that a
committee on programme be appointed,
/ consisting of one man from each state
delegation and one from each organiza-
ton national in it's scope.
Tardy Delegates Coming.
John W. Hayes of the Knights of La
Dor created something of sensation
by declaring that ''he did not intend to
be classed with the New Jersey dele
cation. even if he did vote in that era
die of trusts"
The non-attendance of many dele
gates was not unexpected, and Secre-
tary Easley announced that probably a
hundred of the tardy ones, including
Governor Pingree of Michigan. would be
present at tOmorrow's session
Among those present today were W.
Bourke Cochran, Albert Shaw of the
Review of Reviews, Governor Atkinson
of West Virginia, Ex-Governor Foster
of Ohio, Professor John B. Clark of
Columbia university, Attorney General
T. S. Smith of Texas. f. b. Thurber of
New York, Professor Henry Carter
Adams of the University Of Michigan.
Professor ]. W. jerks of Cornell, Pro-
lessor John Graham Brooks Of CAM
bridge Mass; lecturer on pleconomy in
the University of Chicago, Professor
Bemis; Lieutenant Governor Jones OF
Ohio. Professor r. T. Ely of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin and Attorney Gen.
erdl OIiyI0e OIL 4NtDLdShel.
Bryan to Be Present Later.
William j. Bryan did not appear, but
it is believed he will be present later in
the conference.
Chairman Head delivered an address
in explanation of the call Of the confer
eEce. He said, in part:
THE Civis Federation of Chicago is a
non partisan organization embracing in
it's membership a SOOdiy proportion Of
the active business and professional
men Of our city. Some months since
it realized that no topic seemed so
widely discussed as what was desig-
mated by the general title OF trusts
and that, too, upon no current topic
was there so widespread and general
an ignorance and confusion of ideas.
There seemed to US a crying need for
education upon the subject; Of an ed
ucation which would show the broad
distinction between the various trade
combination and trust and to promote
such education, this conference is now
in session.
Search For Truth and Light.
ssIt is not a trust or an antitrust
conference. but a conference in search
of truth and light With this end in
view the attendance has been solicited
of men of every shade Of opinion upon
the general subject; from the men who
regard trusts and trade combinations
as the standing menace to our national
prosperity and even to the perpetuity
of our system Of government. to those
who feel that trade combinations and
large aggregations Of active capital are
sinplv in active evolution in the de-
veIopment of our industrial and COM
merciaI life and that such aggrega-
tons are absolutely necessary to COM
pete the vast Accommodations and exper-
fence of the older nations. and their
almost total control outside of food
products Of the markets Of the world
Professor jerks followed with a pa
per under the caption Problems Be-
fore the Conference"
1t was 1 O'Clock before this papee