Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-09-18


cit is very gratifying to notice that
the subject of trusts and combinations
is receiving so much serious attention
on the part of the people at this time,
for this makes it certain that partisan
prejudice and campaign oratory are
not to be allowed to solve the prob
lens which they present The devel-
Opment of our industrial system may
be said to have been the result Of wise
combinations of both capital and la
bor The organization Of each has
seemed to be a necessity, as well as a
wise provision. I am a believer in
labor organizations, and also in the
organization of capital. Both, as |
have intimated, seem to be along the
line of industrial development, and
toward a wise economy in the produc-
ton of the necessities of life. So far,
therefore, as the combinations have
been formed in this manner, they
would seem not to have violated any
of the recognized laws of trade or in
dustrial progress, and should not be
condemned.
"'There is always a danger, however,
in placing large power in the hands OF
a few. This is as true in the indus
trial world as it is in politics and re-
ligion. I see more to fear on this
higher plane, where, owing to the
enormous power in their hands, men
controlling great aggregations OF cap
ita1 may be tempted to exercise that
power outside of it's legitimate pro-
vince, than in the possibility of exor-
bitant prices. But this evil, which we
have not been wholly free from up TO
this time lies outside of the legitimate
channels of industry, and ought not to
be laid at it's door. Wherever any
trust or combination should attempt
to advance the prices of it's product
beyond a reasonable point, competi
ton would in the nature of the case
soon restore the equilibrium. I am
not ready to say that measures should
not be adopted at times to prevent
even the temporary advancement of
prices to an unreasonable point-in
fact, I believe that it may become nee
essary to do so. The principle which
should be applied to- the solution of
any such difficulty when arises is
simple one; the people do not exist for
the benefit of trusts or combinations
of capital or labor, nor to perpetuate
the existence of a political party or
maintain the integrity of any religious
organization. Under right conditions
these various interests exist for the
people Whatever vitality affects,
therefore, the material or moral well
fare of the people in a government
such as ours, is a legitimate subject
for legislative consideration.
''There is danger, it seems to me,
that we shall consider some of the in
terests named as of too delicate ma
ture to be controlled by legislation. II
it be necessary now, or if it should be-
come necessary at any time to restrict
the manipulation of combinations of
capital, great Or small, and control
them more directly, there should not
be the least hesitancy to enact laws for
that purpose. But such laws should
be made intelligently and not be the
result of hysterical feeling wrought up
by agitators for personal gain or par
tisan or political advantage. We can
not afford to be carried away by
wave of excitement over these prob
lens They all involve the serious
thought of the people of the country.
This republic is not to be disrupted by
the organization of trusts, because
when trusts are not SO conducted as to
result in benefit to the people among
whom they are established, they must
come to an end.
LET us not think because any man
or set of men organize a great in
dustry, that necessarily they are enc
mics of the race. Let the results of
the combination speak for it. Some of
the great aggregations that exist in
this country have resulted in the low
ering of prices Of the necessities OF
life; and in their natural development
this is what all should do. If temper
arily one should control product in
purely selfish way, and against the in
terests of the people, such combina-
ton must of necessity be dealt with.
Cali this simply emphasizes, as L
said before, the necessity for serious
thought and careful study of these
problems. Let us not run against in
dustrial or moral progress by denounc-
ing every attempt which is made to
make better use of labor, capital or
machinery, but judge of it by its
fruits. No more worthy object of leg
islation and of treatment through the
proper channels can be suggested than
that which has to do with the material
and moral welfare of the people. So,
on the one hand let us not make bug
aboo of these great combinations, and |
on the other hand let us not be afraid |
to deal with them as we would deal |