The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-18
Concerning Trusts.


In a recent issue of the Sun, Francis
Wayland Glen made spirited defense
of trusts" So much has been said
in condemnation of them that 1t is
rather interesting to hear presentG-
tion of the other side. He atllrms
that large corporations engaged in
production or distribution have rem
dered beneflceHt service to humanity
when controlled by intelligence and in
tegrity. They have reduced the cost
of production and distribution with
out lessening the rewards of labor. or,
in other words. they have increased
the purchasing power of wages. They
have enabled the wage Garner, be he
day laborer, salesman, artisan, engi-
neer, cashier, lawyer, physician. inven-
tor tutor professor, editor, general
manager. or president, to purchase
more of the necessaries, comforts and
luxuries of life with his dai!v. weekly.
monthly, or yearly salary or profess
sional fees than he otherwise could
have done: therefore they are bless
ing to humanity.
Mr.. Glen cites instances in proof.
Tho New York Central RailrNad COM
pany, he says. is as much q trust rs the
Standard Oil company or the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining company. The
of distribution since it was organized.
and also improved the character of
the service rendered to the public in
every feature. The various railways
forming the New York Central and
Hudson railway were consolidated in
1S54 The average cost of carrying
ton of freight one hundred miles in that
year was $2.95, while the average cost
of carrying 1t the same distance in
1894 was II cents, or less than one
fourth of the cost forty years ago.
The Standard Oil company has re-
duced the cost of refined petroleum to
the consumer, and improved the quail
ity at the same time, and in addition
lessened the cost of distributing. The
American Sugar Refining company has
accomplished the sam,- results for thu
sugar consumer. The refining of sugar
costs the consumer less at the present
time than at any previous period in
the history of the industry, and the
quality of the refined article never has
been surpassed. ITO accomplish these
beneficent results" he adds, neither
of those two corporations has reduced
the wages of its employees. The reduc-
tion in cost has been secured through
the introduction Of economic scientific
processes and improved mechanical de-
vices, which cannot be profitably en-
ployed except in gigantic establish
ments."
All this is true, and more. 1t Is true,
for example, that II 1t had not been
for the principle of associated effort as
represented in corporations we would
today be little further advanced than
were our great-great grandfathers.
who made their own homes out of logs,
knit and spun their own clothing, grew
their own food and developed social
W IL llilS dIt. but uo VIC
disputes this. The only claim made by
sensible men is that corporations, be-
ing in their legal form creations Of
public sufferance, should occasionally
reme mber their just debt to the public.
and should not utilize their great pow
er for mean or dishonest ends When
they reach out to secure inequitable
advantages at the expense Of their real
creators, they open the door to So
cialism and discomfort and need not be
surprised if in the ferment of those
who experience a sense of wrong, the
wrath of the populace is visited like
the rain of heaven, alike upon the just
and upon the unjust.