The times., 1899-09-21


morning with Governors Of seven States
and Attorneys General from eleven States
present. Governors Foster, CT Louisiana;
CandIer of Georgia, and MeI-aurin of
Mississippi. sent kilograms Of regret and
entire sympathy with the objects of the
conference. Attorney General Crow, of
Missouri. called the meeting to order and
Governor Sayers OF Texas was elected
chairman. and Col Paul B. Moore. OF Mis-
souri. secretary.
After taking the chair Governor sayers
read carefully prepared manuscript ex-
pianatory OF the objects OF the conference.
saying: NO motive prompted my action
other than the desire to induce. IL possible.
concert OF action among such Governors
and Attorneys General Of all the States as
might attend in an effort to suppress an
evil, which has become gigantic in pro-
portions, and which, in the opinion Of
very large number of good and patriotic
citizens of the Republic. threatens the
most serious and disastrous consequences
TO The country"
He asserted that such measure of pros
perity as the country was now enjoying
Was due in the main 10 the recent war, and
that il cannot be reasonably expected that
the settlement Of our foreign difficulties
and the restoration OF peace" In conclu-
sion he said:
For the past quarter of q century we
have heard much Of trust formation, and
notes Of alarm have been sounded again
and again. TO warn the people of the dan
ger that threatens them IN that direction
but during the past two years, that which
was previously but a shadow on the hori-
zon has become a dark and portentous
cloud. and cn every side and from every
quarter are heard warnings Of imminent
danger that should no longer pass unheed-
ed" The roll call Of States was then or
dered. The following answered the call:
Governors Jonss, OF Arkansas; Thomas, OF
Colorado: Shaw. OF Iowa: Pingree. of
Michigan; Stephens of Missouri; McAiIIin
OF Tennessee. and Sayers Of Texas; Aattor-
nsys General Crow, OF Missouri: Nolan, of
Montana Smith, Of Texas; Davis, Of Ar
kansas; Oren, OF Michigan; Taylor OF In
diana; and Csmpbsll. OF Colorado. Mon
roe McClurg, of Mississippi the Democratic
nominee Tor Attorney General OF that State,
was recognized as 2 delegate. C. G. Heif-
ner. Democratic Insurance Commissioner.
Of Washington. was admitted as the rep
resentariYa OF the Attorney General Of that
State
Governor sayers then called on Governor
STEPHENS of Missouri 10 address the con-
ference, stating he was informed Missouri $
executive had paper he desired 10 read.
GogerIoF stephens advanced 10 the table,
carrying a printed address of 1900 words
colnsncnostcrg OF the trust laws OF Mis-
souri,. he said he had ever been against
the trusts. spoke in behalf Of free silver,
and denounced a protective tariff, closing
IS follows The States cannot alone sue
ceed in the war against trusts The Ma
tional Government has duty 70 perform"
He said one remedy was 10 eject Senators
and Representatives TO Congress and the
State Legislatures who viii make laws
against trusts. Another remedy was the
abolition OF all corporations. The latter
remedy, be said, would certainly destroy
all trusts.
committee On order OF business was ap-
pointed and the following committee on
resolutions named: Governors Stephens AMI
McMillin, Attorneys General Davis. Camp
bell, Oren, Mcclurg, Nolan. Smith, ana
Heilner.
Attorney General Smith said there seem
ed 10 be some misunderstanding Of the pUr-
pose OF a committee on resolutions and in
order 10 set that at rest he would offer
resolution TO be referred to the committee
The resolution follows:
Resolved. That ne believe that al corbina-
tons between individuals uartnerships or cor
article oi manufacture merchandise. OF comHaod-
lily, OF OF any article or tkng whatsoever. are
unlawful snd VII deprive the people Il their
fundamental right 70 sci ard buy in an open
market, which should be regulated by conpeti-
ton, i existed before The day and formation Of
pools, trusts, ard combines.
sec0ns-ThaI we favor both State and national
legislation prohibiting such combinations and
trusts, and IN this conference emphasize the
importance OF securing, nearly as possible, uni
form legislation IN LIE several States on the sub
sfr
and Of theiE doing business by comfy in other
STATES than ia those where incorporated, and par
ticulariy the end that combinations, pools, and
trusts SHAH not be permitted 70 DO business IN
any Stale
After this a recess was taken Upon re-
assembling the committee on resolutions
rot being ready 70 report. Governor Thom-
az OF Colorado delivered an address in
which he said thar the control of pTodue-
tion and distribution. FercapitaliZation,
and other evils that accompanied such a
combination were bad enough. but FAR
worse was the effect Of the tremendous po-
litieal power welded by such combinations.
He denounced such States as Delaware and
New Jersey. which he called The breeding
ground CT trusts" He described the cor
poratiOn laws Of these States, declaring
that they offered premiums for the forma-
tion Of trusts. He told how the Standard
oil Trust controlled the oil business in
oil at ! cents and selling il at from II to
80 cents. He believed the conference should
recommend the enactment Of statutes by
the States compelling foreign corporations
70 conform 10 the laws OF any State il
which 81 may wish TO do business. But he
believed the trusts could be suppressed
only by combined action Of State and Ma
tionai Governments.
Governor Sayers requested Governor
Thomas 10 crystallize his views in the
form OF resolutions. Gov. L. II. Shaw, Of
Iowa was then called upon and furnished
The sensation c{ the day. In a vein Of
scathing sarcasm he ridicuied Governor
StephenE OF Missouri He opened his re-
marks by presenting a motion that com
mittee consisting Of the Governors of Mss
ouri and Tennessee and the Attorney Cen
eral OF Texas be named TO formulate q
bili that might be submitted TO the gem
eral assemblies OF the States represented
and which, il was hoped. might be effee-
tive IN curing this monstrous evil known
as the trust Governor Shaw said he re-
GREETED that the father of the conference
had nor been little more explicit in his
call for the conference, in stating that
besides the consideration OF the trust fea-
ture II would resolve itself into politi-
cal convention 10 consider ways and means
10 cure those other evils of imperialism
and to suggest the best possible method
Tor giving free silver 10 the whole country
He remarked in a sarionic manner that
he had been highly entertained by Gov
ernoT stephens essay on the fall Of ihe
Roman Empire. but he said he had been
much instructed by the Governors de-
scriptioa Of the effective way in which the
antitrust laws had been carried out IN
the State of Missouri, especially since his
attention had been called to the fact that
Governor Stephens had made possible the