The age-herald., 1899-09-22
Gov. McMillan Says the Fight is
 Not on Corporations.
STOCK SHOULD ALL BE PAID IN
Profuse Resolutions of Thanks to Gov ernor Savers of Texas Were Adopted and the Assembly
 Adjourned Sine Die

St. Louis, September 21.-After two days of speechmakng, the governors, attorney generals, and others, who have been hold ing conference here on the invitation of Governor Savers, of Texas, adopted reso- lutions outlining the legislation needed to control the so-called trusts and combines, and adjourned sine die.
 The resolutions embodied were agreed to after a long session of the committee on resolutions So widely divergent were the views presented for it's consideration, that 1t was after midday when the committee was able to arrive at any conclusion. The whole matter was then referred to sub committee, composed of Governor McMi1- lin, of Tennessee, and Attorney General Smith, of Texas, and Attorney General Campbell, of Colorado, to put into proper shape.
 The conference was to have met at g o'clock, but 1t was noon before it got down to business, as the committee on resolu- tions was not ready to report until then.
 Report of Resolutions Committee
 The delayed regrets of the attorney gen. eral of Ohio were read, and then Governor McMillin chairman of the committee on IeSOluiloUS, presented the report or that committee.
 In presenting the report of the commit- tee on resolutions, Governor McMillin said he was aware of the fact that the trusts and combinations in restraint of trade are, in a degree, dependable upon federal, state and municipal governments for their continuance. He believed il was incum- bent npon the national state and muni- clpal governments to restrain the opera tions of these trusts and combinations.
 The situation and perhaps the efforts Of the conference are misunderstood" the speaker continued. "It is not the object of this conference to crush corporations nor to interfere with capital in any legitimate form. The object of these resolutions is not to crush either corporations or to de- stroy capital but to regulate them, so as to meet the fair demands of all the people, This is the purpose and this is the object we hope to accomplish. The organiza ton of trusts and combines within the last two years is the occasion and authority for our presence here. We are speaking to as- certain proper power for the curtailment of what is apparently menacing evil, and the accomplishment of this object can be effected though the independent action of the citizen.
 We have the best land in the history of men. We furnish the world with 31 per cent. of the manufactured articles of the world and 32 per cent. of all the banking In the matter of agriculture, notwit hs tand- ing Great Britain and Russia with other countries, we feed the world. This agri- cultural class is not organized and cannot be organized into trusts or combines and mnSt he nr0teptp0 against other which can combine
 Comi ined to Control Wealth
 'The industrial and other important in- terests are combined to control the wealth of the country in the hands of few, and by these means the sweat and toll of the millions is controlled. Our object is to prevent this. Corporations are necessary m a proper degree to the successful conduct of business, but they should not be so man. aged and controlled as to destroy business It is not proper to place the commerce of this great country in the hands of three or -Four people and thereby control the labor and destiny of the public.
 When all these industries are combined into one hand for the manufacture of a given article they paralyze labor without extending sufficient protection. It is one of the objects of this conference to correct this condition of affairs.
 Within recent years. I think less than two years, not less than POO trusts have organized, with a capital of four billion two hundred and fifty-six millions. If all the gold drawn from the earth could be marshalled into one sum 1t could not pay the obligations of these trusts; If all the silver taken from the earth were applied it could not cancel tine obligations of these combinations.
 "W'hy Is this so? It is so because they are capitalized on wind and water. No national government, state government or municipal government has ever forced them to declare dividend. We know they can not be made to pay dividend One of the objects of these resolutions is to correct this evil, as far as possible Another ef- feet, these combinations have saped the life and earning power of a vast number of peop.c known as commercial travellers, 75,00O having been deprived of their posi- tions within two years. Is the consumer benefited by this? Anybody can answer that question by the fact that it Is patent 10 all that no one is benefited by the trust ny reducing the cost of production and in- creasing the price of the product thus op- pressing the consumer. We believe in a system of inspection of the books, proper ty and assets of these combinations Is there anything wrong in this? Is it in con formity with the constitutions and laws of the nation and the states? l recall, as a national legislator, the suppression of one trust, marvellous as that may seem. We