Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-09-16

tatives and Western ana southern
Delegat ions, but Fasteners Kept
Cool--NO Dispute as to Conditions,
but Loss as to Remedies.
Chicago, Sept 14.-The fiIN great
conference OF representative Men Of
this country to consider tn: trusts,
these great industrial combinations
which have arisen in this country
within the past fifteen years and have
multiplied so rapidly during the past
IL months, opened at Central Music hall
yesterday.
The meeting was called to order by
Franklin H. Head. the temporary chair
man, appointed by the civic federation.
Addresses OF welcome We're made by At
torney General Akin. OH behalf of Gov
ernor Tanner, who is III, and Dr. Taylor,
on behalf of Mayor Harrison.
The trust problem in general as it pre-
sents itself to the delegates seems to he
very complex. The effect of these COM
binations on employees, will it not lower
their wages and throw many out Of en-
ployment? Their effect on the prices Of
the great necessities, will they not raise
them and thus,act as two-edged sword
upon the age-wOrker? Do they, or
will they-for all recognize that we are
not at the end, but rather at the begin
ni2g of the era of trusts-make the lot
of ,ne young man of today more unfor-
tunste, his opportunities for advap ce-
mer.. less than before they came? Are
they not in the line of individual repres-
sion? And finally. will not the over
capitalization of the great combinations
which exists in many, lead to collapse
when their real character and amount
Is sifted down, just as city booms burst
when the foundation Is, seen to be ilimsy
and weak? This is statement which
all will agree is debatable ground.
There have come to this conference
few who bodily and firmly declare that
trusts are wholly right. Nearly all ad-
init their defects and their evil results
IL allowed to work without supe rvisiOn
Those who fake the side of the trusts
mostly pronouncedly declare that the
outcry against trusts Is simply a pro-
test against corporations, and that
trusts are the logical result of fierce conf
petition,' and are irresistible, as all in
dustrial currents seem to have been
and an attempt to crush the m out would
be as futile as was the attempt to pre-
vent the Introduction of machinery.
These say that while there may be irdi-
vidual cases of hardship arising from
this new system, the public and the la
boring men will become adapted to the
situation in time, and the net result
will be better fog the. race end the world.
So far, there has been no serious propo-
sition advanced by any of the delegates
to wipe out trusts. They all feel that
their abolition Is impossible. just as
many states feel that in the liquor prob
lem prohibition is a failure.
So far as statement OF conditions Is
conce rne d, there Is not a wide diverg
ence of view. But in regard to the fu-
ture one is lost in a maze of contra die
tory propositions and remedies. Many
of the friends OF the trusts advocate a
national supervising commission. with
more and more clearly defined powers
than the interstate comiiierce commits
sion. Others advocate a constitutional
amendment permitting congress to
have the widest power in dealing with
this problem. One wants constitu-
tional anne ndment laying AN income tax
upon all trusts whose product. is mo-
nOpoly Others believe that the matter
should be left to the states. and there
are many other schemes which will be
presented in the course of the debate
Taking a broad view of this confer
ence and the status of public opinion as
to the subject. one cannot fail to be i'm
pressed with the growth of the national
istic Or socialistic idea. While most of
those who advocate the national con-
troll Of these combinations would scorn
to describe themselves as socialists,
their remedy and propositions are essen
TALLY sOcialistc. For this reason pro-
nounced socialists like Mayor Jones of
Toledo offer no objections to trusts. be-
lieving that they open the way to ma
tiOnalization of all large concerns, espe-
cially those in which there Is now a mo-
nopoly. Certairiit is that II any rtsolu-
tions are passed at ALL they will contain
recOmme ndation for some sort of gov
eminent regulation Of the trusts.
A meeting Of antitrust delegates to
the etcOnference was held last night. the
object being to so organize the "antis'
that they may touch elbows" in eX-
igences. Several speeches were made
In opposition to combinations.
The addresses yesterday were received
attentively, but II remained for Dudley
WoOten OF the Texas delegation to stir
up enthusiasm Of the camp me citing va
riety. He spoke in part as follows:
"Acce pting In good faith that amend
ment which the heroic legions of the
south resisted unto death on thousand
battlefields We believe that neither sla-
very nor involuntary servithde, exec pit
as punishment for crime, shall exist
within the United States or any place
subject to their jurisdiction And we
confidently assert that the commercial
and industrial bondage being rapidly
imposed upon the toll and talents Of
10000, 900 American citizens by the syn
dicatsd wealth of a few corporate mo-
nopoliss is more dire and dangerous than
the slavery which bowed the heads and
burdened the backs Of 1000, 900 southern
blacks.
."And above and beyond those great
written guarantees of equality and jus
tice we loOk to the lessons of history ard
appeal to the authority of experience
When we are. told that. commercial
combination promises golden rewards
to the present tendencies of our economic
system. we Remember that no republic
has ever survived the mercsnary des-
potism Of merchants and money chang
ers''
Mr.. Wooten aroused wild enthusiasm
In, ,tha ranks Of the labor representatives
and the delegations from many western
and southern states. while the eastern
ers smiled critically and kept their arms
folded.
Columbia Had Pudd'n'.