The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-27
TRUSTS AND SOCIALISM.


There is result proceeding steadily, even if
imperceptiby from the growth and operations of the
trusts in the United States to which general atten-
ton has yet been called but which is surely des
tined to attract the popular notice in short time.
That is the increasing tendency among the people day
by day to regard with less disfavor the socalistc
theory of government. Not all the socalisc philos
ophers from Carl Marx to Gronlund have wrought
much for socialism in the United States as has
been accomplished in a brief year or two by our
trust creations
The American people must be regarded as having
essentially discarded the socialstic system in the
adoption of our existing social and constitutional
system. Nor have to any visible extent regard
ed with favor the Intervention of the state IN the
affairs of the individual in the century which has
followed the adoption of political system. The
mere miserable fragment of voters who from
time to time, until within the past year two,
have given socialism the sanction Of their ballot
shows how small an impression this line of thought
had made political community.
Within the past twelve or eighteen months So
calism has found practical expression by the cleo
ton of at least one mayor chosen a straight
out adherent Of the socialist party and of at least
two others whose views are distnctively socalfstc.
socialist vote has been cast in twenty-five Ameri-
states and has footed up pretty close to 100000
votes. Men heard every day espousng prln-
cples of governmental action which purely So
calistic in character
What have the trusts to do with all this? Very
much The average man looks around him. and finds
that not number of the principal necesSaries
of life but all of them are in the commercial world
controlled by the industrial creations. There is
not perhaps in any city of the United States today
which has $4,000 Of population, retail butcher
who kills his own meat. The price of that COM
modify is absolutely dictated by the trusts which, to
all intents and purposes represent a single institu-
ton. The price of bread of salt of sugar of fuel Of
light is subject to the control of these Institutions
There is no vital competition in most Of the COM
monest commodities which in in the several
industries. The production of most Of those things
is absolutely controlled by these large combina-
tons is the supply Of natural heat and light
determined by the that shines just and unjust
alike
1t would be unreasonable to suppose, with such re-
suits universally recognized being in operation,
mems minds did not turn to the teachings of
calism. How can men avoid asking each other
der such conditions why, if the trusts can do these
things for and produce these results, the same
things cannot be done and better results the
of men be produced by the state? One need not ac-
cept the alacy involved in that form of reasoning IN
order to understand the power with which it will
appeal to the intellect and understanding which
but half informed and wholly incapable of deducing
correct results from the conditions which to
present themselves.
Our various governments and their officials stand
idle while this process is in progress. The evil Is
universally recognized Remedies beng discussed
all sides. The movement is recognized being
in violation of the fundamental law Of the land But
in the teeth Of all public discussion and protest the
movement goes serenely on and public officials, at
least up the present acknowledge by their inacton
their helplesSness.
In addition to all this the principal engaged
in this movement do not hesitate to a purpose
which if carried out, will effect a complete and far
reaching revolution, not only in commercial and
Industrial but in social life. They tell us that
their purpose is to annhilate the little fellow to
drive the weak out Of business which may be
a commendable thing in itself. long society has
but little regard for it's weak members. But they
go further They declare it to be their purpose to
drive the wholesale merchant sometimes known az
the Obber the retail merchant the commercial travel
er and all other so-called middlemen out Of exist
Such end as this is the very day dream Of
the socialist. 1t cannot, say, be accomplished
without working social revolution and that revolu-
ton ultimately involves the establishment of the state
socaliStc system