The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-15

this conference, the Civic Federation Of
Chicago sent out circulars containing
in all sixty-nine questions. Those in
quiries were addressed to Trusts,
wholesale dealers, commercial travel
erS' organizations, railroads, labor as
sOciatiOns, contractors, manufacturers,
economists, fnanciers and public men
only one of these SiXty-nine QueS-
lions related in any way to the effect
of Trusts upon society I do not call
attention to this in order to criticise
the Civic Federation.
7 do so for the purpose of showing
that in all the discussion of Trusts
there is no Indication that any thought
whatever has been given to their effect
upon our national life, upon our citizen
snip, and upon the lives and characters
of the men and women who are the
real strength of our republic.
I think that this is the most i'm
pOrtant consideration of all.
Everybody has been asking whether
more money can be made by Trusts
than by small corporations and in
Observation-Disclosures cost of production
Will be increased or creased-Whether
investors will be benefited or injured
whether the financial system of the
country will be Observation-Disclosures
we can better compete for the world s
trade with large combinations or
'Trusts'-whether prices will be raised
or Observation-Disclosures men will be
thrown out of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
wages will be higher or lOwer-whether
stricter economy can be enforced and
so on.
In other words. the only idea now
adays seems to be to find out how bus
mess or commerce viii be affected by
trusts The Almighty Dollar is the
sole consideration.
Z believe that all these things are
minor considerations. I think it is of
far greater Importance to inquire
whether the control of the world 5
trade, or any of the other commercial
advantages claimed for the trust, are
q
VIII it pay us either as individuals
or as a nation to encourage trusts?
Instead of discussing the question
from the standpoint Of commercial
gain, let us view it as patriots.
Il believe that conference of this
kind should not attempt to judge a
question so important to our national
welfare as this, by the selfish standard
of commercial greed. I think that loft
Ter motives should rule US in this dis
cussion.
The commercial and financial as
poets Of the trust problem are i'm
pOrtant I believe. however, that
there are considerations more import
ant to US nation.
In this republic of ours, we are fond
of saying that there are no classes. In
fact, We boast of it. We say that classes
belong to monarchies, not to Republics.
Nevertheless, none of US can dispute
the fact that our society is divided into
classes, and Well-defined ones too. They
are not distinguished by differences of
social standing. That is, we have no
aristocratic titles, no nobility.
The distinction with us is based
upon wealth. The man is rated by the
property he owns. Our social and po-
litical leaders and speakers deny this.
In doing so, however, they ignore
actual conditions. They discuss what
ought to be under our form of govern
memnt-not what is.
THE strength of our republic has al
ways been in what is called our middle
| class. This is made up of manufacture
ers, jobbers. middlemen, retail and
wholesale merchants, commercial traV-