The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-18
AsTs-Tnusr LxcIsLArIox.

II 10 Grise likely that ccnssderahse ror-
iiou OF the attention Of the next cpnsreas
uiii b. ssksn Up with consideration Of
1sstxasicn designed more eRee,uzsiy 70
prsvens ths formation AID operation Of
those peculiar qusss-corporAtsons knosn
~ trusts" The people. with very slight
knowledge. al . rule. OF the workings
81 thsx= institutions are eamass uaAni-
ssous IN ina demand THAI they be sup
pressed. Ard that stringent lsss b en-
scsed 70 prevent further combinations de-
signed to DO away with competition
whIls. ~ fact. the individual con-
snssr. ana. indeed. shs individual wage
Garner. has actually procsed. instead Of be-
ing injured. through the workings OF the
various 'sfrusss" u ID nevertheless true
that such Institutions created and oper-
asSi ~ they uaiformly are. not by taking
advantage Of laws designed 70 favor them.
but IN direct vocation of laws designed to
ssprses them. are . dangerous element to
che community. and n would be weiI II
statutes could be framed sufficiently
ssrong and their execution entrusted TO
men sanscsentiy able and coura seoas TO
AsaHy do away with every combination Of
corporations designed 10 llmsf competition.
saasnce prices and divide profits.
~ has bsen said. the workings Of the
trusts have not been injurious to the In
divfdaal consumer On the contrary.
wherever . vast aggregate Of capital has
sessed upon and practically monopofised
the production Of any specific article. q
hss been followed BY thu introcuctfoa OF
such improved methods. such economy Ia
pfoduction ana consumpsion. thai prices
have uniformly fallen very much below
the isysl reached IN ths period Of unre-
ssrscted eompetision. Moreover. while the
tendency has bssa dovnwards In the
pyicss Of saeh products. there has been
no marked fluctuations in value. because
the operations Of trust have always been
designed 20 keep production rust lsvs1 with
the demand. Labor IN the particular In.
dustry he's likewise been somewhat oens-
nsed. because when there was unrestricted
cofspesition = cutting OF prices BY one COM
pssItor meant . general cut throughout
the entire Issse Of the trade. and the ten
dsncy was 10 recoup the resulting loss BY
. lowering az the scale Of wages
These are tho good points In favor Of
the trusts" ard they are points which
have been almost entirety overlooked In
the discussion OF the question as to how
trusts affect the public.
On the other hand. ffe heaviest arra,gn-
msns against the trusts. ASIDE from the
fact OF their being created and operated
In violation Of law. II the fact that they
have necessarily and remorseiesssy crush
ed out an competition and snonopo.ixed or
endsavored TO monopoIIxs the particular
business they we're designed 10 control.
Wherever they are permitted 10 exist,
fhers viii he one particular business pur-
suit ii which no one outside OF The trust
can again enter upon II would require
but brief perfcsi Of unrestricted trust de-
velsprens 10 close every Industry in the
eoantry TO oasslse competition. A further
step In the direction OF trust OF trasts.'
snASh, Re conceivable. under the gigantic
scAafsse OF which the entire Industrial bEss-
ness Of the country might be controlled
from one central source.
sssrh anal combination az this would,
under popular system Of government. In
syissay result In the establishment Of a
soetssassic system. for when private capital
had succeeded In rerfectlng the working
detaas ef such an Industrial system. the
sseed.- for the government to seize the
central machinery and thereafter opsr-
ase L.