The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-19

COMBINES AND TRUSTS.
Their Power II tho Most Dangerous Fea-
ture Of Plutocrstic Control.
In The North American Review for
July Albion w. Tourgee has an article
on 1.-THE Antitrust Campaign, in which
he traces the workings of the combine
ton whose object is the control of part
Of the means of existence. He says that
the process of the trust is well illus
trated by the story of Joseph, who, a.
the agent of Pharaoh, took during the
seven years of plenty one-ffth of the pro-
auce of the land, and then when tho
famine came demanded their land from
the people in exchange for the corn
which they had raised and surrendered
as tribute to Pharoah. !;
"The protest against the power of un-
restricted accumulation, says Mr..
Tourgee, sscomes late in the worlds his
tory, for many reasons. First among
them is the fact that not until very re-
cent times has it been clearly recognized
that the power of wealth is separable
from the power of privilege, Of which it
was in the past most frequently an incl
dent. Indeed, while privilege was domi-
nant, mere untitled wealth was subordi-
nate, and SO very often cast it's strength
with the weak, who fought against pre-
rogative. Every hereditary nobility was
also hereditary plutocracy, and dread
Of the power of wealth was merged in
the more intense dread of privilege.
"It was thought, too, that mere pari-
ty of right to acquire would so stimulate
competition as tQ prevent harmful &C
tumulation, but it was overlooked that
mere right to do is fruitless unless
linked with opportunity. He who is
born only to poverty and an appetite
cannot compete IN acquisition on even
terms with one whose Inheritance needs
not his strength to make it grow. he
may do it, and sometimes may even
overcome the disadvantage, but for
every one who is able to do so there will
always be a thousand who will be over
whelmed by such disparity of opportu-
nifty.
ESPECIALLY was it not realized that
the almost universal application of in
telligence to the work of material &C
QUESTION, the opening Of unexpected Wis,
tas of comfortable values and the ma
terial progress which science and inven-
ton have made possible would enable
the almost incredible Accommodations Of
today to Be applied with inconceivable
, rapidity and ease to the accomplishment
of the most remote and unrelated pur-;
poses; that the power of wealth would
be multiplied by unheard of legal devices,
and the opportunities for combination
and cooperation in the application of
capital would be so enhanced that whole
peoples may be subjected to the will of
a combine of today as easily as single
purchaser or tenant to his creditors de-
fnand hundred years ago.
"The truth is e ..i; Of late becoming
clearly apparent that the danger result
ing from prerogative is greatly enhanced
by if not strictly dependent upon the
facility with which many great holdings
may be united under one control and ap-
piled to single purpose. AS combina-
ton was the strength of privilege, SO it
has now become the right hand of plu-
tocratic power. The western crusade
against trusts, as the sentiment which
for some years has been showing espe-
cial strength there is sometimes termed
is merely the most pronounced form OF
the protest against the the most evident.
~ dangerous feature of plutocratic con.
troll. 1t is not a crusade against wealth
any more than democracy is crusade
against power. 1t is only demand fol
the restriction of power exercised by
combined accumulation, as democracy
was crusade against the power of com.
bined privilege
"The term trust in it's general &C.
ceptance, includes all combinations OF
capital intended to take advantage OF
the necessities of the many for the bene.
fit of the few. What do you mean by q
"trust?" was asked of a wage Garner Of
exceptional intelligence, who had stoutly
declared his antagonism thereto. "A
"trust, was his reply, is combination
OF capitalists to run things in their own
: way for their own profit, and without
regard to the interests or needs OF
others"
In explanation of the fact that the
antitrust movement has it's principal
strength in the west, Mr.. Tourgee saws
in his North American Review article:
ut is natural that the sentiment against
this form of control should take a moro
definite form and find more general ex-
preston in the west than in the east A
much larger proportion of the populs
ton OF the west than of the east a
self employers and naturally dislike 4,
process of reduction to the ranks of -
dependent employee which thre. ..s+
them. Besides that the west has { 49,.
from the east by process of 800.
selection peculiar to our past La
independent and vigorous of it's 1,S.o
NOT necessarily the best. 49, =,
strongest" OUT u
Ohio Populist TicI