The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-27
ATTITUDE TO TRUSTS.
Rev. A. w. Martin Says They should
he Regarded With Discrimination.

Rev. Alfred W. Martin delivered the fifth
ef his series Of diseources on Present Day
ence that completely filled the G. A. r.
han. His subject was. What Should Be
Our Attitude TO Trusts In part Mr.. Mar
tin said; The modern minister need not
apologize Tor discussing such a subject.
His models are the neutrality-suspicious. OF
the Bible. and they discoursed on the vital
pubic issues OF their time. In the fifth
chapter q Amos is discourse on the
ethical aspect OF monopoly and oppression
OF the poor. In 40 Il. G.. there was a
strike IN Jerusalem, and the three great
s psopns,s :, OF 1.-The. the period preached
Jus;ifiabie strike. and strikes and
trusts are the two most serious and press
Ing questions Of the modern industrial
have intelligent and just opinions about
these problems, ard IL is the privilege and
mission OF the modern minister to help
In the formation of such opinions.
We are In the midst OF an Industrial
crisis caused by what? BY the creation
OF bad wealth. Wealth, as / said two
weeks ago. is benefit 10 the race because
II adds TO the bare necessaries OF life.
Every one who increases by labor or by
thought the sum OF civilizing things Is a
benefaetor of the race. But bad wealth,
II dishonorabiy. Is a menace to society and
endangers Industrial progress. new
method OF doing business has been eyolv-
ed out OF the exissncies OF a growing in
tages with IT, but also many crying evils,
and we have 70 ask, what should be our
attitude to this new movement shaping IL
self In the form Of trusts and industrial
combinations?
There are five clements that should
enter into our attitude toward them. I.
Dispauionateness. Wholesale and blind
denunclation does only harm. and every
one who joins in the bitter. unqualified de-
nunciations prevalent today against
combinations is only increasing the diff
Guilty Of solving the problem satisfactorily.
:. Discrimination. There are trusts and
trusts: some tina, are almost wholly good
and unobjectionahle: many that are al
tion becomes fundamental duty in our
attitude toward them. 3 Uopefulness.
Every innovation, be II in business or poll
tics or religion, gives birth TO crowd OF
calamity howiers.' who assure MS the re-
public Is going to instant ruin unless this
innovation be destroyed. But IL should be
remembered that society has worked itself
out Of all the trails attending permanent
Innovations. so that the principle of COM
bination in business need not cause us TO
share the nessimsm and despair that are
entertained In many quarters today.
~. The greatest help In the right under
standing of any question comes from look
ing at I In the light OF evolution" At
this point DR.. Martin sketched briefly the
evolution of industry. showing how the
principle OF combination entered In II from
the start
20. Remember that all evolution involves
REIMBURSEMENT 10 new conditions has al
ways followed every painful transition"
This fact was fully illustrated by the
speaker. and he drew from II the inference
that whatever hardships and suffering
were necessitated by the adaptation OF so
ciety 90 the newly-organiz.ng combina-
tons. adjustment would soon set I'm and a
forward step for civilization be secured