New-York tribune., 1880-01-11
PkOGRESS OF CORPORATIONS.
IFcTUEE BY SIMON sTERNE BEFORE THE SOCIETY
OF MECHANICS AND TRADRsMEN.
c... c.o,,Do doI;narad a Ioctura on " The

IFCTUEE BY SIMON sTERNE BEFORE THE SOCIETY
OF MECHANICS AND TRADKsMEN.
Simon Sterne delivered lecture on The
Corporaton-is benefits its evils benefaetor, as no
nopolist" Thursday at stciDway Hall before the Gen
eral Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen. There was
good attendance. Mr.. sterne said IN part:
The CORPORATION has become alimpOrtant factor IN
the social arrangement Of modern civilization Ii is our
banker i'm porter and insurer. He who rails at II rails
az the sunlight and laughs at the moon III Is not 'he
growth of this century, OF ancient or modern evil
izaon It autedates written history, and In the end
will be the last thing to death II has been said
that aptnuity did not know corporations :" but an
touity had them Rome had them In the gems. eurtd
family and tribe which were essentially corpora
tons. The family then was very different rom
what II is now, and retained an I'M
broken dist net character Later when the people be-
came agricultural the town and city took the ace OF
the family and sustained corporations. The guilds OF
the Middle Ages grew into cities which made
common cause, established factories and formed
n widespread league which gave Us as the
result OF their experience the basis OF inooern
Maritime law. Bv OF the guilds traditions OF
methods of work retained In the craft The city u
the development of the trades guild, corporation
rising against the Government The Middle Ages may
well be said TO be condemnation OF corporations
The orders Knights universities numerous religious
orders and trade organizations were all corporations
though they bear no resemblance what have now
could be a member OF Only ono oIgah%"po" """
TO it his life beloneed took all his activity and left
him nothing for himself.
With the discovery OF America new form OF trading
CORPORATION into existence as child OF the STATE
and no longer growth but creation The hrst snare
holding corporations the great banks OF Europe
Laws great financial scheme TO help France ana the
sonth sea bubble in England illustrate the magic OF
stock and from these mistakes and msfortunes OF the
English and French came the modern corporation
Regulated corporations, the speaker continued
shoud not be omitted. They we're not shareno'ding
but to them anyone could be admitted by
having n small SUN, aud then be entitled
70 share all their privileges and take part In
their adventures unity OF interest was
created by them instead OF competition. Trade was
carried on by them Russian, African and other com
panies. When the great English trading com
papies were formed great encouragement was
required to induce capital 10 seek new aud
apparently unsafe ventures aud " was necessary
70 Grant great privileges. AS mOnopoist there Is O
detect In the organization Of corporations in com
mnn with that Of our representative government n
,bs majority confrols in iurn the majority. This
is allowed 10 remain so, as u rs commonly ueeseo u
that IL ia Inherent representative government In
pure democracy the whole people acted when repre-
sentative government was formed fundamental and
a majority. There should be 10 such thing as
majority and minority but fair represenation Ir m nll,
monopoly but II Is sometimes suspended anu %
4 Tons then become moDOpOlists. When corporation
supplies demand not local In character It s benefac
tor hut M Il monopvIst II the matter supplied is local
and necessary MOnOposts not such from special
grants the arises III part from the exclusive
0ossesson of favorable laud which makes an increase
Of business without corresponding increase OF exen-
| diure possible.
IN there had been n telegraph system when the Gov
ernment was founded IL would have been certainly
| added TO the Post Office TO prevent monopoly.
In our railways. Mr.; Stern continued we have great
tendencies TO monopoly. so little their growth un-
rstood IN 1885, t at in that two chief engneers
eported 10 the Legislature OF tins State that railroads
would doubtless carry little besides passengers and then
! only whore canals could not De easily made.
Ths Standard Oil Combination shows the power OF a
corporatlon 10 crush and destroy its opponents In
! len wears II destroyed about $50 relneres and
| ob, aimed 90 per cent Of the oil business oi
| nv the railroads. What is more monstrous
tHan inc power OF corporation used In such case
Tncn corporation exercises las delegated powers ior
40 sinister tho powers cannot be TAKEN away
| 100 soon. The question arises OF the aosorptiOn
| of the state by monopoies or the aDs0rpnon OF
onopoies by the State Few realize how far 0nop0nes
save absorbed the STATE they have not put the'f hands
little in politce. few hard, graspnR ana capaDle
sn are more than match for the Legislators van
oerbilt or a Gould Wield5 substantial power thah
the Governor any state railway KING is the great
ear poaition able ambitious IN TINS counlry
We have stripped the Government OF power until IL
no longer an object of ambition to strong men, ana Dy 50
doing have strengthened corporations. When the ran
vay bank aud insurance committees OF our Legislature
are corporations, ard the Legislature obeys
| them our institutions have become despoiic.