New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-26
THE QUESTION OF TRUSTS.
DISCUSSED, BY MR. TERENCE " POWDERLY.
THE GENERAL MASTER WORKMAN OF THE
KNIGHTS OF LABOR MAKES REPLY TO MR.
So r DODDs ARTICLE IN THE TRlB-
UNE-EFPEcT OF GREAT MoNoP0-
LIES UPON THE INTERESTS

CNE-EFPECT OF CHEAT MoNOtN'
LIES UPON THE INTERESTS
or THE PEOPLE.
Agreements may, he entered into between ind-
viduals or associaions partnerships may he formed
and corporations private and public may ne con-
Quoted openly and fairly in strict accord win "e
law and in such a woy that al men may know
just how they are managed. Many people conrouhd
corporations with monopoles and wh.ls many cor
porations may be mOnopOies all are not So Inc
partnership limited ~ otherwise, and the corpo
ration may be understood by those WHO take 'Je
trouble to study the workings OF these insutu"ofs
and the laws, rules and regulations ny which 1ieS
are governed As consequence they are hot 50
danSrous as pn agency which may cohtroi paf'nei-
ships and corporations and yet he without respon-
sibility of any kind and, 80 far no ITS operations
are concerned, remain a mystery TO all but Its
managers. Agreements 70 conduct business III
accord with the laws Of State or the United
States iuust be recorded where access 10 them may
be had by the legal representatives OF the people
Partnerships and corporations must take out legal
papers and charters under which fD operate, but
the latest form Of organization works independent
of the laws of State OF Nation and in direct viola
ton Of both without leaving any individual naDF
for damages to the person, property or interests
Of any other individual The readers OF Edward
BsaDy's Looking Backward according 10 their
own ideas OF economic or social subects assert TINT
Ais plan is either Socialism pure and simple Stsre
Socialism without doubt or Communism. All
agree however, that the individuaist Ioscs MS
identify in LOGGING Backward In opposing
the views, theories, OF Me- Bethany the chler
argument USUALLY made Use is that such hum
drum, machne-like way Of living would have
direct tendency to smother ambition and take from
IL nd iD1iyilue
there would he no incentive to excel in any branch
Of trade industry science or art. and with all men
subject to such conditions as would prevail II
Looking Backward" were a reality invention
would cease ana progress be brought 10 stand
still Tbs most bitter opponent Of Looking
BACKWARD will have TO admit that its author In
tended to care for all the people; even the most
stupid and insignificant would not he lost sight
of or made To suffer The great objection offered
Is that the identity Of the citizen would be OBJ
secured and would merge into that Of the commun-
ity should the system PROPOSED by Nh. Bcliamy
prevail.
When Congress through its Committee on Manu-.
features, investigated the management and opera
tiOns of Trusts in 1883 il discovered that viii e
the identity Of those interested in the perpetuation
of the Trust had not ceased vet there existed no
person within the limits of the United States. or
work Gone or Injury inflicted by the Trust. II
was also discovered that UNDER the operation or
direction of Trusts many industries that had
formerly hourished and maintained independent
and distinct indvdualitlcs had been merged into
O combine which dictated operations, directed
patronage apd curtaied production according To
The sweet will Of some hidden agency that was not
amenable to law Of any kind. Under such
system of business management the identity OF
THE MERCHANT and manufacturer is not only lost
sight Of more completely than in Looking Back
ward" but the identity, interests and welfare Of
the poor man are entirely ignored Whether
Tailoring man, mechanic or merchant has rights
that should be respected makes difference %
the Trust 1t was discovered that there existed
O Standard Oil Trust, Cotton Seed Oil Trust,
Sugar Trust, Lead Trust, Copper Trust and
q Whiskey Trust; since then we read OF many
other Trusts, including Coffin Trust, which
aspire to as complete control of business manage
ment as Mr.. Belany would vest in the Govern
mept Competition once said 10 be the life
of trade, but whatever OF truth belonged to that
assertion IL can not he denied that the Trust is
the death Of competition. The aim Of the Trust
is to curtail production that the very last cent
may be extracted from the consumer Science
and invention have worked wonders in aid OF
cheap production they have made il easy for man
to produce thousand and one things that were
not required dreamed OF at the beginning of
this century. With the production Of these
articles sprang up desires the part Of the people
TO possess these things, and tus the introduction
Of a new machine or invention, while it caused
temporary embarrassment and worked injury 10
certain classes of workmen, made II easS for thou
sands OF others TO possess that which, previous
to that time, was uuattainahle. These inventions
and appliances were chcapenine the accessories
of life without making it necessary to reduce
wages. The wants OF the people increased with
every new inycntion. ana just IN
market became acquainted with the product OF
the new agency the demand for that article began
to grow The margin OF profit in the manufacture
of these articles was necessarily very small, but
its certainty was assured, for with steady employ
ment the people could lie depended upon to
sumo sufficient maintain prosperity and stimulate
trade. The Trust did away with all of that. and
weipow end hundreds of thousands Of worknen
in vain search for employment who might be
Constantly at work Dad not the Trust gathered up
the various factories within its grasp. Under
the nanipulations of the Trust it Is possible TO
control every agency Of production of any
given article ard throw thousands out OF employ
ment in order 10 keep up the price. The price is
not maintained in order to afford employ
ment TO Workmen or 10 stlnulaue INDUSTRY. IL
is advanced or KEEP: up so that che same share Of
profit may lie gathered in by the Trust as though
q larger quantity Of manufactured articles were
sold for lower prices. The tendency Of this is to
throw people out Of employment reduce the wages
Of those employed. dishearter workmcn. drive
struggling manufacturers and employers out of
business. and 50 regulate trade that It VIII Afford
o profit only to tboee connected ylth tne tiusS
Free trade between the States or the people there
OF is not possible so long as freedom to trusts
is guaranteed, ana without free trade between
States and individuals in this Nation, prosperity
cannot exist Through the operations OF the
Trust the many are impoverished and the few en-
Yiched. This gives to the few the power t. dlc,
tate legal decisions and control politics, from
Trenton, Feb S.-The great Sugar Tynst th'eas
ems 70 become an importan, factor in New-'ersey
legislation fha Trust slipped bill into the
House tho other dav. giving itself unlimited powr
"a aahhia in I'll kindS of stocks and bonds The