The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-16

that things had changed and that, It was. my
charge on the c9nsuner and the way to prosper
spss SES1.% 9ssams sfv' .t is,9 they s. ns sieleG sas me- sSs
implied" But tRet they Wantcd' a "p part oi The
profits. think they, are beginning to see that
ne tRhs' !tras sn8ri sSsa Il sn the eEnf to i've Sefteayi thSn
when products we're higher"
DEBs WELCOMES THE TRUSTS.
This seems. TO be the fact. as opposition TO
the trusts" from the workinRmen has largely
leaders cry out, against the combinations now.
2Snd some OF these are beginning TO seq the
CAPITAL. has opened his arms to the copsolida-
NNGns, = welcome the trn 4 5 he said to the
e Ssspiesst ago oe"AAh nS SSeup Pe as E DrrII L, 4 man le OF
affairs, speaking on the point. drew attention
tn the fact that the trusts offered workmen as
surance OF employment and certainty OF pay
lnent, together with better wages. usually. than
the separate concerns.
THE STANDARD oils CASE.
In any discussion Of trusts the STANDARD on
]G {SSssr ia and 4 o STGssgss "a, p "a H., By r5 reason q, Of xb IL
the others: The standard Oil Trust was formed
some such. organization necessary for the EN-
Gent conduct Of q consolidated business i1
inherent parts OF tne country. ne. DtduudTu
company wanted to do business all over the
business in another State only as permitted by
that state. As a. consequence the Standard
COMPANY formed corporations in various
States: These separate companies turned over
formed to receive them and operate them all as
g single concern. That was the Standard Oil
Antagonists cried that the trust stiied COM
petition: The companies Of the trust were
fn or@ed ' to eomnet to GTHb%GSs sSle Th Wanted wsTe eo mot
lower prices. Yet the Standard OIL combine;
cents tsG q ea ritaSe ,prI ta1 g is7s Ss to cents e a n ssilo ~
sonable profit" at that figure. the product itself
being at the later date Of a far better quality
One man summed up the trusts In this way:
"A few, thousand dollars was once enough to
carry on business. Men who wanted to branch
capital and energies. and those who, wanted to
do more formed companies. The big consolt.
tho same as the old companies. in essential
character. Q! men; Of capital and OF energies. to
P DrodSe S%' s s1atI e@fs%se' b snieeSsn ana raf sos, g.
mon use within y reach Of an increased number
on business in n Without, Sw%o@rldcwide' markets
rerops as, It has, become. People Of the
world would not have been paying us the
| BuTlS Uney nave DHlO. NltnOut InpSe DIG COnlDl-
impossible, without enormous aggregations
Of capital the work Of the combinations would
the STANDARD OIL Gomrany, has nut up. to con-
seaboard. and to build the tank steamer and
r rnan1n1 car ears o Thish trWRni tbo the oIo about ~ The
obtainsble by combination this could not have
been accomplished.
.s lad ths objection Put forth to this he
The delSnded want to stopthis power q eombina-
delusion that there is only 80 much capital
II the world; and that I snmeb21dy else has i
being produced, ali the while. and these men
with the large fortunes are helping to produce
this tfhhn1 very s1"I' owe 't of eom nj Eal toi 0y The ESeSG rai (.
roads couldn't have been built without com
ness cannot be. run with great success with
out consolidation. And, although there WINS
any am ns so Seia ns f to asSis %, s the tn IdT 2 away s!ms' Of Of
their power o., consolidation? Almost any one
can see what that would do to The business OF
lines OF industry would do no less,
"A word more: Unless combinations reduce
pose and they fail az businesses. and this Is
true though they may have been formed to
Of manufactnrs and prices None Of them is a
strict monopSly. Consultations do not stire
com petition
In. a pamphlet on the uses and abuses of
combinations. published several years ago by
9; G. T. podd. solicitor, of the STANDARD on
the bench i fennsylyania as follows:
commerce. or to carry on any other branch Of
industry. although it may IN its consequences
indirectly operate on third persons, Is q com,
affairs which stimulates to competition and
enables men to engage IN undertakings too
The same Judge in the same case said:
"A combination Is criminal whenever the act
Sdice the public or oppress i individuals Isl BY pt n8-
Justly subjecting them to the power OF the con-
fsdrra,es' and giving effect to the purpose # i
A lawyer pointed out that for years, In Eng
land; Joint ,associations with transferable
crime there to buy merchandise. food products
especially. in one market to sell them in an
ali these laws were repealed by England. with
q confession that instead Of benefting they
had hanpered business and the people.
TRADE CONVERSATIONS IN soIoMoN's TINE.
Charles Fisk Beach OF Indianapolis. who has
condemnation Of efforts to control prices back
trusts similar to those Of to-day confronted
Rome and Greece, He finds. too. that laws
tahS cn1l as n mTnG asainsf w T%Rplnat as well n as rar;!
talists. Dehs and his followers found ,operat-
ing aGainstthemsclves the law they bad sought
to have put on the books against the hated capt.
talIst. Mr.. Beach quotes an edict Of the En-
p.ror Zeno. A. ID. 4S3:
No one may presume to exercise n monop-
oily OF any kind OF. clothing. or of fish. or OF any
other thing serving az food or for any other
use: nor may any persons combine or ngree in
unlawful meetings that different. kinds Of
merchandise may not he sold at less price
than they may have agreed uDon among
themselves. Workmen and contractors for
buildings and al who practice other professions
are entirely prohibited from agreeing together
thu M nVn nnU M ~ AZ n "a N.Nrk .np N n ~
for by another. o. that q person. may prevent
one who has contracted for q work from finish
ing it,
After the repeal in England OF the laws ham
perinE business. before referred to. the courts
held legal even some combinations formed to
increase or maintain prices. In New York
State the, Appellate Division of the Supreme
Court within a few weeks laid down the rule
that all contracts in restraint Of trade are not
void-agreements having for their purpose
realization OF a fair price for the product sold
not contravening any rule Of public policy. al
though operating in, restraint Of trade. The
decision commended that courts should refrain
from interfering with the affairs OF individuals
nCtC la apiinpt