I stated the purpose and object of the meeting were if possible to prevent the demoralization of business. I stated that the first object of the meeting was to secure a better acquaintance with each other, and come into close contact in order to know one another, hoping that we might deal with and toward one another as gentlemen and not as enemies. That the purpose was, if possible, to prevent demoralization of business, to secure as far as practicable stability of business conditions, as opposed to wide and sudden fluctuations; to prevent, if possible, failures on the part of our customers and to comply with their wishes in every respect; to prevent, if we could, a long continuance of the panic, which meant failures to a great many people and manufacturers themselves, because of their debts at the banks or because of their commitments for extensions, and to customers because of the large stocks they had on hand, the sudden change in the prices of which might be very damaging; and so far as we properly could, to maintain, or to assist in maintaining, business conditions generally, the opposite of which should be deplored. * * * * * I stated distinctly ... at that time that, as they all understood, we could not make any agreement, expressed or implied, directly or indirectly, which bound us to maintain prices or restrict territory or output; it must leave us free to do as we pleased, and must rely upon a disposition of all others to do what they considered fair and right, and for the best interests, not only of themselves, but all others who had any interest in that or any other work. I made that perfectly plain. Judge Gary’s remarks made a profound impression, and his hearers unanimously agreed to adopt the means he suggested for obviating the worst of the panic dangers. Resolutions creating a general and several sub-committees were made and passed and the meeting adjourned, subject to call. Following this dinner similar sessions were held in January, April, May, and December of 1908. The December feast was the last of the Gary dinners proper, although some meetings were held subsequent to that time. Were prices fixed at the Gary dinners? Let us settle this point as it was one of the chief things charged against the Corporation in the Government suit, and is the question on which the ethical morality of the holding of these dinners rests.