The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-09-21
COCHRAN ON TRUSTS.
Tho Eloquent New Yorker Ana
lyEes tho Trust Question.
iIs hssKssts ta.st the Remedy fss tho Evil
Lice ia FscciRs rahlIe Corporations
20 Make Thsic business
na Gpea Book.

ra Cpea Book.
Chicago, Sept. le.--The expected
loint debate between William j. Iiry-
an, Of Nebraska. aud Bourke Cockraa,
of New York. before the Civic Fedora
tion conference ON trusts and corpora.
iionS, did not take place nt Central
music hall last night, as announced,
for the reason that Mr.. Bryan declined
to participate IN the debate. claiming
that the committee had niisunderstoosl
him in regard TO the matter. lie,
however, agreed 20 speak al the fol-
lowing days session. Mr.. Cockran.
therefore, had the platform 10 himself,
and talked ON the subject of Trusts
apd Corporations" for two hours. Fol.
towing is synopsis of his address;
Mr. CaekEmR's Address.
'''TS..rs FEsS.=s si.:s=.ls::. -shs.h w.. have
been called Ca consider IL the effect on the
Eenersl prosperity OF the community of
cotuhinallusts. wBf tner gd capital or of
labor Ono OF the great dlfiscuitles IN q
philosophical Inquiry " ilgs uBa OF vague
sonorons and misleading gGrasea, winch
raise clouds % passionate aeelamaiton
about the difficulty " the problem, oh
rturinR Us outlines and even magnifytnF
It's dlfncnRion&, such wafUs have nEarau
80 much 10 Ilae eontfvttralsS over the
question that ] find great difficulty in dis
cusstng the facts Shich confront us on
account oi certain Words which excite us.
daughter ana appiause.l
'for the purpose % establishing an In
tsiligent basis of discussion. s1FnCwh hal
free iron: these terma over which men
have becpme moved 70 passionate decla
nation. shall define prosperity as an
abundance OF commodities fairly dl4-
tributed among those VIII. produce them.
-, Ihsrc can not DC ahundint pfodGeitan
OF commodities without IN extensive dis
iribu,lon OF them IN ihs cot ~ af wnEcs ~
q cuuntfy wherein prospefity ~ based up
on freedom. lApplauseJ
There can nst b. any distribution II
there IL not pTasiuctinn. ana tliers can not
be an extensive dtEtrthatiJn unless there
~ abundant production. We must have
conimodiiica 20 distribute trfnro We can
distribute them IN the fern OF wages or
There are some combinations which
operate to reduce prices. ard acme which
ccpi either I should offend agsins, that
other offender OF which I complain. n
will be Idle to say that some improve,
,Ss ;Ss riss 6tsees 9,s no md seps aogTse,s,, ,
hy which We could distinguish between
Teat Proposed.
"Thr test n to ascertain whether the
| combination ~ capital nuiu lahes through
| government aid or without ~. for. my
friends. you mus, see that any industrial
enterprise which dominates the market
without aid from the government must do
- through Cheapening the product. uf, as
competitors. An Industry which az one
and the same time rcdurcs prices ani
swciis rs own prohts must accomplish
| that result hy iacfvAtiug the volume Of
| It's production tApplauzrp on the other
hand. an industry lihich dominates the
market by the favor OF government. di-
! rect uE Indirect. can hot, IN the nature Of
| things, b. forced 20 cn"apon prices, be-
cause 70 Il could dominate the market hy
undertaking comnotitora "a an open field
without favor, q would bdt need tho gov
eminent favor. Applausel
The interef renee of the government
would be an injury md not bencfil to a.
an Industry or combination ~ capital, of
ssnyI,hing sn, yoe may ehsess s z sail q, tna,
competition, that delivers 10 the con
sumner on Its own terms, n~rNasarily de-
penda on n narrow output aud large
profits. extorteti. not fram the oxceliency
o. its service, but from thu helpisssncss of
| those with whom Il reata applause
Now there are three WAYS In which tho
| government interfercs IN the trade OF In
| dividuals IN this country. one n hy patent
law
'The other means by witch the govern
| meni intcfforeH is by tariu. II operates 10
restrict competition IN the production %
any article. to those onERgrd IN IL In this
Hut if n trust or combination is To be
Jrr1cd manifesily II aids the entcrprise
whore the ncld ~ c0mpetit VI Is originally
| limited, Under q condition of free trad
every article which Is produced s cx-
world II you ~cly on the combination TO
suppress competition. manifestiy Il f.
easier 10 make combination between IN,
producers In me country than Ia all coun-
- asa.H -
them tApplRusel 1ut II ~ claimed ina.
tho exclusion II foreign competition In
some way or other develops domestic
teTious method moro benchCcnt. do not
understand this logic
Public FFnHehIrs.
''Thera H. stilI third and serious ques-
titn with which I .hlnk We can deal ard
which | believe Is vasly more extensive
In its results than this tarif In favor OF
trusts I refer To those tavurS which are
extended to certain industries or great
corporations enioying s2N'rnment fran.
ahises which are none the less govern
meni agencies. because their stock "
owned by private individuals
And here \ g arc face " face with n
serious diiiiculty First, ! must ASSUME
Il serious difficulty hocatas Il IL almost
impossible to describe II. II IL surrounded
ny secret, That Il does exist every body
believes, but for the pur'Hsea OF phiio-
sophlcal discussion. u "a iritpoHrible 10 try
to follow that which ynu can moi ftllly
de4cribc, and the worst feature there
fore. Of this outrage which u perpetraBes
against a certain class OF tho community
IL tissf u h shrouded In mystery.
mo person can enjoy u favor at tho
hande OF any company cr tuying a public
franchise except st the expense ~ an
ether. Government can uDt create any
thing Now. " government tan not create
anything, II has nothing Of It's owp 20 he
stow. IL lt undertakes 10 enrich hne IN
divlduai the thing u gives 10 him Il must
he n t4f1tA Aftstia
III one person attAinE rates that are eH-
pecigliy favorable; n his goods arr trana-
ported at loss, why. other men using
that same fheility must make good thu
''wha, 10 the rrmedyT A simple one. I
believe Some gentlsmen have sugRsHtd
@ith lie principle * the raanieipal owner owner
ship. | eoncesfe the principle OF II. The
government has no right 10 empower any
private agency to perform a function ut.
would be bound itself To perform N that
agency were not 70 be found lApplanse /,
The question Of municipal ownership " q
mere question Of expediency. I won't de-
bate II here for the rsasan that II q be =
rnKAian OF " would be a discussion OF the
Interests of eur shildsen rather than Of
There are many sraye questions 10 be
considered before municipal ownership
could b. reduced 10 pra.tieai operation
FN"h bfo9Nh w W"AtN HSN wv AbHaN TUG
task.
Remedy Suggested.
''Now, ,ia there any practical remedy that
this conference can suggest that can be
put ia force to.utorrnw ny Fny legislature
that happens 10 be IN neastong My friends
n seems 90 nae 90 hr a very simple matter
The remedy tH simply TO usflna a practical
penalty serious one. said then provide
Tor publicity and provide the prepef stat
ute nf publicity. and you need not en-
fierce the penalty. An offtcer Of a cor
pofatian granting q SPECIAL favor 10 any
p9raoss who has a fiKst 10 use that pos
scsKaon on equal terms with everybody
elise. ought 20 he held aailty OF serious
felony. tAppianse.)
''Ne fines, no Judicial rehukxx no de-
annexation from platforms. no Legislative
cnActmsnt declaring things are reprehan-
Fiye will touria the ssihtssct, but q spacihc
enactment that sperial rate granted to
aEy enc not enjoyRd oy the others n a
felony. and proper means 20 punish ~ will
a. something toward checking a. II II =
crime of the fBrrt maRsitnsle. The public
efsicial in the control af any grast public
concern whieh gives ta nue mar eppor-
families al the expense of the other. rnbs
thai ether party, " not of the property IN
his pOssessiob. of the. opportunity 20 nc
uuirx property. tAprtaukeJ
Nee. with xtAtuts asthorsstrN and
making g tho right Of syesy shipper. Of
tyerY psrkcH UsiHE a pa5slr ffnnEs.iaes &c
have 4trrio&fM ~ him at any time every