The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-14
OF Railroads as One of the First
Steps to Be Taken.
DIRECT LEGISLATION
Recommended as a Means Of
Reaching This End.
AItgeld Thinks There Is a Long
Fight Ahead of Them.

in favor Of government ownership OF
railways and for their seizure on pay
ment of actual value and without pay
Inent for "watered stock or other ficti-
tfous values" There was a sharp dis
cussion in the committee and several
tits between members brought on by
an effort to make the platform read as
it had been drawn up, that the govern
ment should seize the railroads on pay
tnent of actual value land without pay
Inent for franchise values" Unanimous
action was finally obtained by cutting
out the words franchise values" and
inserting instead the phrase ''watered
stock or other fictitious values"
The committee also unanimously IA
vored direct popular legislation as
means of obtaining the result
The discussion in the committee room
far outranked the deliberations of the
main body of the conference. Ignatius
Donnelly, John p. Altgeld, A. p. Nc
Quirk Iowa, and George Fred Williams
urged the committee to strike from the
resolutions proposed a statement that
any payment for railroads should be
exclusive of franchise value.
This is a long fight" said Mr.. Alt
geld, and it will be years before we
come to the actual discussion of the
proposition on which we are to base
payment. Let US not cucumber the dis
cussiOn with it now"
If we had encountered the PROPOSE
ton to free slaves with a statement of
aylaar we would do with them we would
never have freed then," said Mr.. Don
Henry George. Jr., however took the
other side of the question.
I'VE are going before the people" he
said, "let US go with the whole, plain
truth and let them judge of it,
jerry Simpson also favored this view
declaring that he had had years of ex-
perience with this question in Kansas.
His declaration brought a warm tiff
Representative MRClJfFy
You're not the only one who has had
experiences" said the latter.
We'll, I'm no spring chicken any
way" replied the Kansas statesman.
Your feathers have all been plucked
already" retorted his Iowa opponent.
Many startling statements were made
before the committee, among them one
by President M L. Lockwood, in which
he said that before the government
ownership was finally secured, it would
be necessary to impeach at least one
justice of the federal supreme court
The committee also considered a propo-
sitiOn to recommend to the attention of
congress Senator Pettigrew's bill for
government ownership of railways. but
1t was voted down.
A number of set speeches were heard
at the morning and afternoon sessions
of the conference.
The night session was in the form
OF q mass meeting, which was held at
The auditorium and brought out some
or the strongest speakers among the
delegates, including John P. Altgeld
Il. Monnett Samuel Johns, John S
Crosby, George Fred Williams and Tom
l.. johnson.
President Lockwood of the antitrust
league said
This is a remarkable gathering in
many respects. Every delegate paid
his own railroad fare here and the
speakers are all volunteers. The league
has not spent a dollar in promoting the
movement. The delegates travelled
many miles for a purely unseIfish mo-
tive. This is not like a political con-
Nentlon, as we have no promises to
make or offices to give. We are here
to hight for a principle I firmly be-
lieVe that this gathering is the begin
nlng OF a movement which will wipe
every maleVOIent trust from the cO11n-
try within a few years. 1t is unfair
10 charge that this is a political scheme
planned In the interest of any one can
dldate or set of candidates. We have
members or all parties and classes in
our ranks and we are all working with
unselhsh motives for the betterment
of mankind
President Lockwood regrets that w.
j. Bryan's name was mentioned in the
discussions and declares it was his in
tention to keep politics out of the con-
ference.
J. B. VIEWERS ADDRESS
General J. B. Weaver of Iowa was
one OF the speakers. He said:
In their origin and throughout their
development trusts, great and small
fruit, however alIuring and tempting
rfpens only in the deadly shade of des-
pottsm. They are simply intolerabIe in
a country whose settled policy is thai
of freedom. A republic whose industries
are dominated by trusts is aIreadv
stricken with a fatal ma1ady, a deadly
paralysis and can only be rescued by
united and heroic action. When the
leading industries are dominated by
trusts. the government may be repl1b.
lican in form, but it will be found to be
mona' chical in spirit and administra.
ton, The trust in its last analysis anc
criminal aggression in business
Conscience and the golden rule
those divine restraints which should
qualify and temper all human trans.
actions, are excluded from its business
code. Its law is force. 1t holds nf
parry with its victims. 1t looks to z
large military establishment and mo-
TO the affection and support of the PEG
pie for safety. It demands that tbs
plundered classes shall be held in sub.
lection The trust is full brother Il
miiitarism. The twain are of one BLOOD
and both are black with the e1li1t ~
cain Each in its sphere destroys hu-
man life and lays desOlate human habi.
tation- The skull and cross bones o.
crouch1ng panther should be blazonet
as trademark across the door of thu
council chamber where trust 1nagnate.
and beneficiaries meet to plot Thu
plumber of mankind"
General Weaver then briefly exam
ined the outline of the great centra
money trust, which is just now in pro
cess of final development in congress.
can we not all see,'' he asked, "tha.
the power which controls the rnone1
output Of a nation has in its hands tn
controlling attribute of sovereignty
and holds the whole body of the peopi
and all lines of business at its mercy?
If they can. as now proposed, strik
down all classes of money recognized
it, 4 81
is already within their control and viii
there remain, held simply as redemp
ton fund.- and largely in the shape 0