The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-12-15
THE KING OF TRUSTS

The people Of this country may well in
aulre, ''uPoN WHAT MEAT DOTH THIS, OUR
CAESAR, FEEDP" Stimulated by the sue
cessful squeezing process OF the numerous
othor Trusts. that is by the food upon
which they feed, - IL is said 20 be now pro
posed by certain speculative railroad mag
mates, to organize Railway Trust TO cover
ell the lines between the Mississippi Valley
and the Rocky Mountains,
This vast scheme 10 not only plausible,
but quite natural; and shows 10 what height
ambition and greed may lead. But 1t ls
apparently overlooked that. "BY THAT SIN
FELL THE ANeLEs." And so as TO :avoid
the charge Of conspiracy to defraud the
public, and to maintain an outward show
of being common carriers, the new arrange
ment is to be called "a Clearing House"
II is one Of those attractive schemes that
only capital and brains can devise, and II
% proposed under this cloak to make an
arbitrary arrangement of rates so as to in
sure GALL THAT THE TRAFFIC WILL
nEAR;" but involves q child-llke con-
fidence in the slavish submission of ma
tion Of freemen, that its instigators can
hardly be expected to hold forever at bay
II railroad lines are 10 continue to be a
means Of public service and convenience,
their managers and incorporators must be
held to their well-defined legal functions as
common carriers. II would not be sound
public policy 10 allow them to be perverted
TO uses antsgonistic to the public gooc
But says foreeful writer: "It is evident,
In the light Of the decision Of the New York
Court Of Appeals in the Broadway Rail
road case, that existing legal methods and
restrictions are Of no particular avail to
control chartered corporations which ma,
have used the powers conferred upon them
In manner detrimental to the public In
tsrest.'
The great question of the day Is, how
can corporations and Trusts be properl.
controlled and regulatedf Among the
writer's Of note, who have recently dis
cussed the economic and social aspect oi
Trusts. 10 the Political Economist, Mr.
George Gunton, In the September number
Of the Political Science Quarterly. He In
sists upon separating the economic char
aster Of the trust from all questions as L
the MORAL AND PERSONAL ACTS OF TIL
TRUST MANAGERS, AND AS TO THE USE OF
ABUSE OF TRUST POWERS, thus limiting
his argument to discussion Of the abstrac
econemic conception Of the Trust rs tn
natural successor to the corporation b
combining corporations, just as the corporal
ion has succeeded less advanced agencie
by absorbing and combining them. Tha
10 to say, as understand him,--that com
bination Of capital and brains, when 8
employed as to advance the public veal i
all respects, they are highly beDefca
agencies. But here Is the rub,-that ha
not heretofore been the purpose and scop
Of Trusts. By their acts and fruits W
know them. During the recent Presiden
tial campaign Hon. James G. Blaine form
ulated the famous dictum that "Trusts ar
largely private affairs" &c,-HsdIhe quail
fed It somewhat 20 Mr.. Gunton did. th
food Of adverse criticism which followe
ito promulgation, could not have come
For many years our statesmen and peopl
have derided England's national polity a
sgsyerment by An Aristocracy. The Ems
lishstsuntingly rstorted that this countr
was governed BY lawyers. But Within
few years our masters have changed, an
We are now governed by corporations, syn
dicates and Trusts. And all who are nc
within their charmed circles are put "HEw
nRs OF WOOD AED DRAWERS OF WATER
w. NJ. RAPsEER.
Nauch Chunk, Dec. 12, 1888.