New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-01
TRUST SYSTEM DENOUNCED
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS OPPOSED
TO CONSOLIDATION OF CAPITAL.
RESOLUTIONS AGAINST COMBINATIONS
ADOPTED-ARGUMENTS FOR AND
AGAINST THE MEASURE
Inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]

received regarding such combinations OF capital.
admission was made that such trade alliances are
| frequently beneficial the community. and there
fore that it would not be to the interest Of the
State that all should be suppressed. A resolution
against trusts was passed, however. and the presi
dent Of the organization was empowered TO put all
| evidence he might gather regarding the operation
| OF oppressive trusts into the hands OF John f.
| Davies. the Republican Attorney General OF this
| State for his in enforcing the new Antitrust
| law pa ssed by the Legislature and signed by Gov
| ernor Roosevelt Although a Republican Legislature
| passed and a Republican Governor signed the last
| law against trusts, the leaders Of the Democratic
| party. snatching desperately about for some
ISSUE striving TO prove that 1t Is the only
guardian of the peoples interest against trusts.
! 1t thus happened that when the members OF the
| Commercial Travellers National League assembled
at the Ten Eyck Hotel to-day to hold their annual
convention. they found scattered all over the hall
a printed copy OF a speech by Augustus Van Wyck
| against trusts. The convention also had no sooner
| been called to order by Stephen p. Corl!ss, OF
Albany. chairman OF the Albany Reception Com
| mitete, than Mayor Van Alstyne. the Democratic
Mayor OF the city. thought II good stroke Of policy
TO throw into his speech VI welcome the following
| statement:
contrives schemes. launches projects. and for deve
opment enliss capital. II he Is wealthy enough to
himself: but control of local industry does not do
n must be extended I over surrounding terrt9Sry
controlling council. Such Is the origin of trusts
| from outlying localities to a common centre
Monopoly controls production and also controls the
| ton in Manufacture the maintenance OF which is
your own salvation, this misfortune Is intensified
| for It's products the country through combination
may further, and the control of the railroad, the
express and the trust is centred In common agent
DENUNCIATION OF TRUSTS
The word trust Is a cheat to gull the innocents.
| Decentralization
conduct Of men, sowing the seeds OF distrust and
hloodshed and death. IS the legitimate fruitage OF
| syndicates and trusts.
! the monster? Nothing but the weapon of your
| eument The recital OF a single fact is stronger
than hundred theories. The facts clearly stated
merce the industries and the people OF the country
Your duty to yourselves to the people at Iarge Is
Of this evil and the restoration Of prosperity to the
country eoven srAoa Won in your endeavor to effect
fair and Just distribution OF the industry OF every
class among all The peoP he1 10 me bea nun b 81 se
| respect and true manhood restored. Then rev. II
amy w Tban e% g viii be necessarily poor
| criminal from the force OF unavoidable CONDITIONS
President P r; DOVE OF New-York. In reply said:
The consensus OF opinion Is with Mayor Van
Alstyne upon the question OF trusts / nave mace IN,
| vestgation Of this important matter. 10 my sur
prise thirty-nve thousand commercial travellers
have been thrown out OF work through trusts ana
| the wages OF twenty-five thousand reduced
One man Of every ten is affected. We don't
| know where the lightning Will strike neNt a Ny
can be verified at a cost OF 500 have heard from
thousands OF commercial travellers Iheir ha has
| done They have thrown thousands OF our Drotn-
ers out of business, raised the prices OF connoa
which a personal fight between manufacturers has
kept down would not advise positive or o We
ices. We would simply get whipped IN GA a nap a,
fight y should 2f SF deserves or %
prevail have thought perhaps monster gh tr Psf
regardless Of politics We confronted with a
| demoralized. an un-Amercan situation. 1t is the
| burning question OF the day
RESOLUTION OFFERED.
The following resolution was then offered by
| delegate:
Resolved. That we commend most heartily the
work Of the president Of the Commercial Travellers
National League In all his labors In behait OF com
demonstration of what trusts really are. and show
ing the speculative reasons for their ORGANIZATION
Resolved That we thank him for the courageous
| stand taken in confronting this vital issue.
One Of the delegates said IN support OF this reso-
luton that Mr.. Dove was shortly to have con-
ference with Attorney General Davies about the
enforcement OF the new law against trusts. In
support OF this statement Mr.. Dove said; The
way has been paved for me 10 meet the Attorney
General and discuss with him iegtimate trade
combinations. and II II be your pleasure, VIII so
consult with him on this SUBJECT desire your au-
thorlty however, to do Have you any objection
IN INV meeting the Attorney General and debating
tho value of the State Antitrust law passed|
Several members said they had no objections. and
Mr. DOVE was duly empowered thus to meet the
Attornev-General i. II. Cohen. chairman OF the
Committee on Resolutions, offered the following
resolution:
r,osolvod That the Commercial Travellers Ma
tionai League in convention assembled, deplores
the organ7ation OF tTHSI o ndvidua posi-
bilities species OF sPeculatve f co a
Resolved, That condemn as un-Am err an
the combination syndicatng OF incorporatted OF
private business concerns Tor the purpose OF cor
petition.
Mr. Corliss said IL was palpabe that combna-
t,ons were being formed to restrict competition,
and salaries IN such concerns were being reduced
Where there five commercial travellers not
long ago there only one now. Never before
was there such necessity for union Of CONNER
ciaI travellers. Yet he doubted If the tendency to
organize could be checked by passing resolu-
lions The remedy was to remove the causes OF
their creation. Could the Legislature check such
combinations unless conspiracy could be proved?
Such combinations legal Certainly there
was no law and ought TO be none against cor
poration reducing expenses. The commercial trav-
elers should prepare for a great emergency and
be confident that the American people would never
permit a few to monopolIze trade. Gigantic
combinations frequently fell OF their own weight.
ARGUMENT AGAINST MOVE.
W. A. Rally said that trusts were inevitable under
modern business conditions. 1t true that COM
mercial travellers their places. but thousands
OF gained work. and the price OF articles was
reduced. II resolutions simply were passed against
trusts the people would laugh. People ought TO
think that since the battle of Manila Industrial
conditions existed and that these would affect all
trades. There a world OF money in the United |
States TO be employed, and 1t would gain lucrative
employment I'm way.
Mr. DOVE said In support or the resolution that |
he had been informed that four hundred travellers
selling tobacco had been dismissed by concern
alone. OF one hundred and fortv men employed by |
a akng powder concern, nnety-slx had been dis |
missed The leather trusts had deprived large |
~ Of IL q commercial Yeller |