The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-03-23

ciSts VIII operate a drug factory for
their own wares. Even as these lines
are written. friend informs me that
sixty wholesale liquor merchants. hav-
ing pooled" their interests. are now
putting the finishing touches to one of
| the most complete distillerieS in the
world. And this same tendency among
| small retailers. is exemplified every
day in the formation of local "Associa-
tons" of tailors, grocers. butchers.
| bakers. and other tradesmen All of
| which indicates that there is no pos
| sibllity at present of predicting the
limits within which future business
! consolidation may take place.
! 1t is TO be expected that along with
much conflict delaying the develop
ment of Trusts. will go not a little mu-
tual concession Fastening their growth.
/ The utility of the conflicts will be in
/ the evolution of the Trusts internal
/ organization in bringing TO light the
various individual interests. provision
/ for which will be necessary to harmony
! and success. The utility of the con-
/ cessions will be in the growth of the
/ Trusts external power. in increase of
1 its magnitude by attracting TO it
! members whose rights are provided
/ for. Finding that the cOnfectionerS of
district, city or a State have COM
| bined TO found a candy mandatory,
which will surely secure their trade.
| existing candy manufacturers viii be
! obliged to concede much to confection-
ers, eventually to take them into part
nership Finding that the wholesalers
have established their own distilleries,
the Whisky Trust must ultimately
combine with them and take them into
the Trust. Finding such combinations
in hundred lines of business conSci-
Gus of their economy from actual eX-
perlence, the consumer must at length
give freely to the Trust the support
that is now given only with mental
reservations and moral misgivings.
Surely here is outlined already the
future development of the Union So
long as existing businesses retain
their present formations. so long will
it be impossible for many workmen to
consolidate their fragmentary inf1u-
ences. There are trades carried on by
small numbers of workmen, trades
comparatively insignificant in them
selves, but often of vital Importance in
their relations with other trades These
| workmen cannot now unite to advan-
tage, because their Union, by the mere
fact of it's littleness, would be of no
avail against the Entertainments of
employers. But erase the line that
wipe out the line that separates this
trade from a third combine all three
trades by common business organic
alton, or TruSt-and you give the work
men in these trades Just the oppor-
| tunity they need to enable them to
| consolidate their several interests. AS
surely as the ar-seing capitalist finds
! his best interest in combination with
| brother capitalists. just as surely will
| the watchful workman see that his in
| terest lies with the common interest
of his fellow-workmen. All that is
wanting to the latter will be supplied
by the forced combinations of the for
mer. Every step taken by the mill
owner toward the Trust will be follow
ed by a step taken by his employees
| toward a Union.
AS if with ear to multipleX tele-
phone. 7 seem to hear a thousand vio-
lent protests: ''You destroy the indi-
vidual." ''You eliminate ambition: and
when you eliminate ambition from the
hu,aan soul, you shut out the visions
which entice men upward"
No one can dispute the fact here
mentioned. AS TO the dedGetions, mems
minds differ But that conclusion the
opposite to this I draw can be reached
by any practical business man, is
ed: and any intermediate position i'm
plies. from the very logic of the stu
alton, the admission that the business
tendencies of the times are cOmmun-
istic. There is no escape from this To-
gical dilemma; and there is no neces-
Sity for escape. Every step in civiliZ-
alton has been a step in communism.
The evolution of social condition
from the savagery of primeval man
was one long march toward commun-
ism. The gradual surrender of baron
ial privileges the assumption of free
dom by serfs. the desperate dethrone-
ments of feudal kings. the founding
Of legislatures, the birth and growth of
modern commerce, each has been a
step, some of them enormous strides,
toward communism. And while his
tory shows the tendency, science pre-
diets the end Our conception of the
true meaning of education with its
implied altruism caught alike by
Christ and the latest materialiSO, gives
the assurance of ultimate communists.
lust as the ''peer of our day knows
that he is better off without defensive
appliances and retainers and serfs than
his predecessor was with them just
as he knows that though he can COM
pei no one to labor. the labOrs of free
men make him immensely more veal
thy than was the ancient holder of
bondsmen;" just so the capitalist of the
future will see that. though he cannot
get his brother capitalists trade from
him, and though he cannot stamp his
own untTammeled will upon the wage
of a labOrer. yet his brothers efforts
are in his behalf. too, and his work
mems higher wages are an earnest of
his own prosperity.
Individualism opened a wide avenue
TO chOked and sitting ''mercantilism,
but gave birth to an unrestricted COM
petition which, carried in our time to
its uttermost limits, is suicidal. Anoth
er step in the same direction means
industrial paralysis; and the force of
expansion forbids a boundary to pro-
gress; that would mean social cOnvul-
sion, explosion There is but one way
to save the business interests to-day,
and that is to lift them out of the