Since large, cross-state business was a new phenomenon, many of the solutions to problems that we take for granted had not yet been created. To present new solutions to many companies at one time and to get their agreement to such solutions required "conventions." Railroads, banks, insurance companies, etc. held such meetings as needed and businesses generally abided by the resolutions adopted by such conventions. We have no such meetings today, for fear of violating monopoly and restraint of trade laws, with the single exception of political conventions.