The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-13


an open question, much discussed, full of
interest and important beyond all present
issues: and since it's decision must rest
finally with the people, II Is necessary
that it be- studied with impartial minds,
so that the verdict may express intelN-
gent conviction, unintluenced by pre-
judlce or partisanship As an aid to
this, however feeble IT may be, ] shall
endcavor to present to you the considera-
tiOns relied upon by the respective parties
to the controversy, without intentional
Injustice to either.
Tho case submitted in support of the
trusts, may be thus stated: First, the
present system results naturally and log
iCally from the changed condition of our
industrial life and interests, and 1t has
shown itself 20 be well adapted to these
Second, its tendency, as illustrated by
our present prosperity Is to increase our
production. multiply trade, and offer more
general employment to labor with in
creased rewards
with respect TO the first of these claims,
it will have to be conceded / think, that
we have reached that point in industrial
development when established methods of
business are no longer adequate. No
more could the travel and traffic Of today
be accommodated by the use of stage
| coaches for the one, and Conestoga wag
| ons for the other, than could the trade
-
ods of business which prevailed II half
| century ago. Many things have con-
Sprcd to bring about these changed con
| ditions; but the two important factors
| have been steam and electricity. Together
| they havo accomplished, in very recent
| years, u revolution in our industrial life,
in comparison with which, all other
| changes since our civilization began seem
| insignificant 1t is important to indicate
but two in this connection; they have
multiplied our industrial productive capa-
| city, until il seems absolutely unlimited /;
| by cheapening the cost of distribution,
| they have given us the whole world for
| market.
| The consequences are immense. let
| us look at some of them Our iabor as
at present employed. produces largely in
| excess of what Is needed to supply our
| own wants: to keep our industry active
| up to !tS present capacity, we are COM
| PEELED to seek foreign markets; To gain
| and retain u hold upon these. we must
| successfully compete with the skill, en-
| crgy and capital of the world; in other
| words we must be able to sell the same
| article in the same market as cheap, if
| not cheaper, than our competitors.
| Whereas the stress of competition has
| hitherto been between our own producers
! i'm home market, because the field and
the capacity have both been so enlarged,
1 II
| foreign producers in the worlds markets.
| The world is camoring for an open-door
| policy, and il is confidently expected by
| many that i'm a very short time our own
| capital and industry will JON in the ue-
| mand. 1t further results, that in order TO
| produce at a cost that will enable us to
| compete i'm this larger market, the ecoL-
| omies of trade and production must be
| studied and rigidly applied. Further still
| if the open-dOor policy is to prevail here,
| the same economies must be praCtiCed to
| hold our own markets.
| Now in the manifest changes | have
| indicated, you may find the excuse fo-
| the trusts, or rather | should say the oc-
| casion for their appearance. The trust
| advocate stoutly contends that We may
| find in them, not only the occasion for
| the trusts, but their VindiCatiOn as well.
| His contention Is that the new conditions
| required an increased production at lower
| cost. and that il was this necessity that
| called trusts into existence, as the most
| etiiCieLt agent to this end Their ef-
| ticicncy and adequacy must be admitted.
| BY combination, one management is sub
| stituted for several or many, as the case
| may be; a vast saving in itself. So in
| every department, except in the actual
| labor required for the production. the
| number of employees is reduced; and the
manifold items of expense made ncces-
|
tween the disunited establishments, are
| avoided. This result is so manifest that
II cannot be denied, and it needs no
elaboration, or discussion. From these
considerations, the advocate Of trusts de-
| rlVeS the necessity for a change of meth
DDS, and the adaptablity of his system "a
the new requirements. He encounters
| greater difficulty in establishing his next
position, which is. that while his syst IN
| is efficient for the specific purpose in
| view, il 50 operates that the greatest
| good is secured to the greatest number
| without oppression to any Here his arGu.
ment is largely an appeal to experience
| He points to our present prosperous con
| ditioE, and quite likely If he be an en-
thusiast, quite certainly if his holding.
happen to be large in some profitable
| trust, he will claim 1t as the beneficien
result of the new system; if he be simply
| an honest, diSInterested convert to the
theory, he will be content to claim ne
more than that the trusts have contribut
ed something to present conditions, dnC
| that in any event the two are consistent
| since they are concurrent, with no VisiDl,
} | sign of oppression OF injustice anywhere
| said moment ago that with trad,
and productive industry active, and labo
= | generally employed and adequately re
warded, we had all the conditions essen
tial to public welfare. That is our sit
| genera
, prosperity and progress along these lines
/ as that which has suddenly dawned Upol
! us and which we are now enjoying, ncvc
) before blessed the world with Its radi
) ance. our productive energies are taxct
; to the utmost of immediate capacity
| our trade is busy and pushing ITS wa!
l to the ends of the earth; labor Is dill
gently sought after and literally recon-
pensed. But manifestly the claim tina
We owe this condition to the operation
T of the trusts cannot be allowed. | hav
not the time to discuss the causes tia
, have co-operated to bring to us this sea
: son Of prosperity. A little reflection vii
satisfy anyone that they are several
: | not many; and that they have been 81
1 lently operating for years. 1t is a revi
val following a long period of depression
: during which our productions were IA
| below the measure Of our capacity, an
| during which accumulated stocks wer
| consumed. Such periods of deprcssiO
are recurrent, and at long and short in
tervals, depending upon causes not alway
| apparent, revival follows. Trusts neVe
intervened before; why should they b
| regarded as a cause now? The clair
that they have contributed can be SUI
| ported with much greater reason, and tn
| impartial mind will be apt TO ConCede i
| Put the two things together, eXhaustC
I | supply and reduced cost of production
and we have conditions decidedly favCl
able TO a revival,so far as they go. Some
thing more Is needed, but these play
, most important part, If indeed they L
not essential.
Now, allowing ali the claims considere
up to this point as made out it Is yet (
, little value in determining the main f.
=, sue, except as the remaining position ca
. no made good, viz, that eXperlenC
, shows trusts 70 consist with the publ
welfare as we have defined it, The
may be best adapted 10 accomplish Gel
tain results, but II does not yet appea