Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-14
A NOTABLE CONFERENCE.


he's no traitor.
A NOTABLE CONFERENCE.
One of the most notable conferences
of brainy men that has been held in
years is the meeting called in Chicago
by the Civic Federation of that city for
the purpose of discussing the subject of
trusts. The governors of states, heads
of civic organizations all over the coun-
try, professors of economics in the uni
versitieS and learned men from all
walks of life have been invited to at
tend and some of the country's bright
est men have responded. The meeting
opened yesterday and there We're in at
tendance such men as Bourke Cochran,
Albert Shaw of the Review of Reviews,
Governor Atkinson of West Virginia,
Governor Foster of Ohio, Prof. John
Is. Clark of Columbia university, Attor-
ney General Smith of Texas, F. b..
Thurber of New York, Prof. Henry
Crater Adams of the University of
Michigan, Prof j. w. jerks of Cornell
university. Prof. John Graham Brooks
of the University of Chicago Professor
Beemis. Lieutenant Governor Jones of
Ohio, Prof. r.. T. Ely of the University
of Wisconsin, and Attorney General
.Smyth of Nebraska.
-, No t1,.,
country is greatly interested in the
trust and the thinking elements in
our society are at loss to know how
to reach a rational conclusion upon the
subject The problem has only recently
presented itself for solution so that the
necessary information for a clear un-
derstanding of its features is not
Forthcoming. Professor jerks, of Cor
nell University, sized up the situation in
a very clear way when, in his outline OF
the Problems of the Conference" he
said:
1t has been well said that the first
essential for the attainment of scienti-
/ 6e knowledge is to get a definite outline
for ones ignorance. 1t is certainly
true that long step has been takei
towards the solution of a problem wher
the problem itself has been clearly stat
| ed. 1t may be of service, therefore, i
the various questions which the presen
combinations of capital have raised
and toward the solution of which thi
4 conference may Wen contribute much
be brought together. 1t is thi
boutlining of our ignorance, com
bined With a few suggestions fror
A such men as are assembled in Chieag
today that this country is waiting fol-
Probably the most interesting Part Q
the whole proceeding will be the discus
sion of the legislative problems involve
in the trust question. How to reach tn
niquitous trust and still protect capita
4 in its legitimate right to organize 70
more effective work is the form that tn
trust problem takes With most men. j
has been passed on from one official t
another until the legal branches of tn
government have succeeded in unload
ing their Responsibilities from one I
another down TO the county attorney.
and like Mark Twain's picture of tn
shifting of burdens in his story of tn
Yankee in King Arthur's Court" the
would probably turn and kick The othe
fellow if there was any one there
kick. After fair and exhaustive di:
ltcusson of the trust and its manifesto
tions the average man wants TO kno
. what we are to do about il. j may the
be said to be fairly up TO the legislator
of the land and We are in hopes that u
conference AT Chicago Will enlighten /,
/ as 10 the desirable courses of action f,
US to take. At any rate, considerir
: the importance of the subject, its mu
titudinous difficulties and the charact
: Of the men assembled, we may expe
a some valuable assistance from the co
q ference now being held in Chicago.
IOWA PRESS COMMENT.