The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-27
THE TRUST CONFERENCE.

| In a way the National Civic Fedora
| ton is one OF the most powerful forces
for the education of public opinion in
this country. Composed of men from
every department OF public and private
activity, representatives of every class
men of intelligence and strength, its
discussions of great economic problems
go far to provide a forum where solu
lions are found eventually for the grav-
est national problems.
An instance in point is the confer
ence on trusts which has just closed in
Chicago. After the discussion Of va
rious phases of the question by the del
egates. a committee of fifty-five pro-
posed resolutions which were unani-
mously adopted, setting forth the con-
illusions of the conferees Naturally,
in a gathering of such diverse interests
and divergent forces, the resolutions
were a compromise; but they commend
themselves 10 the judgment of con-
sentative men and point the way to re-
form in trust abuses without precipi-
tating an industrial war in which in
-nocent and guilty would suffer alike.
The resolutions are brief and worth re
producing in full:
First-Immediate legislation permitting
agreements between railroad corporations
on reasonable freight and passenger rates,
subject I'm all respects to the approval.
supervision and action of the interstate
commerce commission.
Second-Congress urged to pass without
tisan commission TO consider the entire
subject of business and industrial combi-
nations and to report such proposals as
TO the formation, capitalization, manage
ment and regulation $50 far as the same
may he subject to federal jurisdiction)
as shall preserve individual initiative,
competition and the free exercise Of
free contract in all business and indus
trial relations. This commission to make
a thorough inquiry into the ACCESSIBILITY
of inaugurating a system of federal IL
censo or incorporation as a condition for
the entrance of certain classes of corpo-
rations upon Interstate commerce. and
also into the relation to the public in
terest OF the purchase by one corpora
ton Of the franchises or corporate stock
of another.
spection and supervision of great pro-
ducing and manufacturing corporations
by the department of commerce and la
Dor; so that complete publicity in the
portation charges paid and selling prices,
may be obtained.
Fourth-To leave to the United States
supreme court the settlement of the con-
flict between states and federal author
ity raised In many states over railroad
rates.
The proposal to permit railroad
agreements on freight and passenger
rates. subject 10 the approval of the
interstate commerce commission, has
come TO be recognized as necessity.
The prohibition of such agreements has
been responsible In large measure for
the era of consolidation and for the
corporation purchase of stocks in COM
peting corporations. On that point
such men as Mr. Hartman and Presi-
dent Roosevelt, representing opposing
forces, are entirely agreed.
II commission, such as is proposed
to investigate and report on corpora
ton inspection and federal license. car
ries out its purpose. it ought to con-
tribute materially to the solution of a
serious question. Probably the COM
mission would follow the same general
lines as the commission which studied
municipal ownership for the federation
and made an extremely interesting and
valua bic report. Publicity as to capt.
talization, operations and selling prices
Of trusts, which is the third Tesolu-
TONS object, could not help but restrict
the criminal trusts and aid the legiti-
mate combinations of capital.
issue to resolution by the supreme court
is only another way of accepting the
only solution possible. All the aca-
demic discussion. all the resolutions
could not effect the courts decision or
prevent the questions appearance in