Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-02-14
SEIZE TRE RAILROADS.
Proposed BY Anti Trust Con.
ference Committee.
THE CURRENCY BILL CONDEMNED.
convention Did 1t BY Rising vote--One
Delegate became Angry and Retired.
Government Ownership Theme of Resc-
Iutions to he Ofered.

CHICAGO, Feb. 14.--Aftcr q heated
iebate the resolutions committee of the
antitrust conference decided to report
in favor of government ownership of
railroads and for their seizure on pay
ment Of actual value and without pay.
ment for watered stock or other ficti.
tious values. There was a sharp discus.
sion 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 IN pay
ment Of actual value and without pay
ment for franchise values. Unanimous
action was finally obtained by cutting
out the words franchise values" in
serting instead the phrase "watered
stock or other fictitious values"
The committee also unanimously ia
vored direct popular legislation as q
means of obtaining the result.
The discussion in the committee room
far outrnnked the deliberations of the
main body Of the conference. Ignatius
Donnelly, John P. Altgeld, A. p Nc.
Quirk, Of Iowa, and George Fred Will.
iams urged the committee to strike from
the resolutions proposed a statement that
any payment for railroads should be ex.
elusive Of franchise value.
This is q long fight" said Mr.. Alt.
geld, 'and it will be years before we
come 10 the actual discussion of the
proposition on which we are to base pay
msnt. Let us not cucumber the discus.
don with it now"
other side Of the question. eve are
going before the people, /" no said "Let
us go with the whole, plain truth, and
let them judge of it.
Jerry Simpson also favored this view.
He and McQuirk had hot tilt.
Many startling statements were made
before the committee, among them one
by President M. L. Lockwood, in which
he said that before the government own
ership was finally secured it would be
necessary to impeach at least one Justice
OF the federal supreme court The COM
mittee also consider a proposition to
recommend to fhc attention of congress
Senator Pettigreyy's bill for government
ownership of railroads, but it was voted
down.
A number Of set speeches were heard
at the conference.
Last nights session was in the form
Of massmeeting. which was held at
the Auditorium, and brought out some
OF the strongest speakers among the
delegates, including John P. AltgelG,
i. 8. Monnett, General Jones, S. H.
Grossly, George Fred Williams and Tom
u. johnson.
The platform adopted by the conven-
tlon declares for government ownership
of all public utilities and natural monop-
olies, government money, the referen-
dunn and direct legislation, and the
withdrawal Of a II protective tariffs from
all articles controlled by trust.
Preceding and in connection with the
platform is long address to the people,
which attacks the Standard Oil and other
trusts. One paragraph said:
We mare no assault upon bus iness cornbina-
tions for diminishing productive cost and In.
crcasing productive efficiency. The more cas-
ily wealth is produced, and the more there is,
the better for everybody--provided distribution
be equitable. What we do attack is combina.
TORS for cocrcing producers and leesening pro-
duction. 1t Is such combinations that consti-
tute the trust evil and them we would abolish
root and branch.
Amasa Thornton, of New York, took
umbrage at one action Of the con-
ference and refused to be longer identi-
fed with it. The trouble was caused by
the adoption of resolutions introduced
by Judge Fleming, of Kentucky, which
strongly condemned the currency bill
now before congress. The resolutions
declared that the bill, if passed., will
"enthrone the money oligarchy and es-
tablish a continental bank trust. enslake
the people and destroy the republic to
the end that free government may perish
from the earth"
A committee to prepare a memorial to
the United States senate against the bill
was provided for, and the people of the
country are urged to gather at court
houses, school houses and other public
places to protest against the measure.
Thomas l.. johnson, of Ohio, chair.
man of the committee on permanent or.
ganization, reported in favor Of Frank
8. Monnett, former attorney general Of
Ohio, for permanent chairman of the
conference, and permanent vice presi.
dents, representing most of the statea
and territories, were recommended and
approved by the convention. Mr.. Mon.
nett was escorted to the chair and spoke
briefly.