Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1899-02-18
lPfDgree CD It rustgo

as t1at winch cOnirOntS us on all sides
IN the rapid concentration OF all the
productive energies OF the nation in
the hands OfOvergrOwTl corporations,
or multiple corporations called trusts:
or, where more solid combinations
cannot be effected, by means Of inter
corporate agreements for the purpose
OF limiting competition and controll-
ing prices.
The process began with the means
of transportation and interco1ilmun,-
cat1On-namely, the railroads, tele-
graph lines and telephones. In spite
OF the feeble effort of the Federal Inter
state Commerce law to check the ten
dency,it has continued almost uninter-
ruptedly and promises to continue in
the future.
Indeed, the process of concentration
OF ownership and management has pre-
ceeded much more RAPIDLY since that
law was passed that before. Where
purchases or leases could not be effec-
ted, traffic agreements have been
entered into which accomplish the pur-
pose almost as effectively. Where
these agreements have been 0pen ard
pubic, the commission has i'll some
instances interpoScd a check, but such
Interruptions to theptCccss. have only
driven the promoters TO more inge4.-
lou5 and secret devices to cyGGe the
law
1t IS no extravaganza of DESPAIR TO
anticipate the time in the not distant
future when the passenger and freight
rates on every train traversing tho
country, when the charges for tele-
graph and telephone services il every
State. and the ownership and control
Of every street car line and suburban
rallroad shall be centred in one great
Office in the city Ct New York, in the
hands Of one board Of managers, and
possibly in the hands Of one man who
may have the genius and power to
control his fellows.
1t has invaded other fields with the
power Of a glacier and the rapiditv
OF torrent. One by one each Of the
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saries of life is falling into the hands
of it's special syndicate, or trust, or
trade combine, which are but other
nance for men dominated by one
man OF superior force the genius, into
whose single hands. is Concentrated
more power than any king possesses,
and in comparison to whom the rob-
Der bar0ns Of leudal ages were pig
mics in their capacity Tor eXtorCiOn
and oppression.
The antitrust laws of the Federal
Government have fallen powerless be-
fore them. Constitutional restric-
tiOns have been interpreted by the
courts so as practically to make those
laws a dead letter. Indeed, no period
OF our history has witnessed so rapid
and nOXiOus q growth of trusts and
combines as the few years since the
National Congress undertook to re-
strain them
These combines formed or rcorgan-
lied since the Antitrust law waspass-
cd by Congress in 1890, and controll-
ed by Comparatively few men, con-
troll capital of nearly three and
half billions Of dollars, equal to 20
per cent of tie entire wealth of the
seven MILLIONS Of agricultural popE-
latiOn scattered over more than four
and halfrilions OF farms, a capital
more than twice the aggregate OF the
entire circulating medium Ofthe cCun-
try.
Nor. is this by any means the sum of
the trust and combine clement in the
crurtry. hundreds eli articles are
governed mth>irprife bysccret agree
ments Whi>h do uot make their APP
pearanct in the torui of legally organ
lied compaEi-s. Ii you inquire care
full You Will disCo1er that you can
sccarcely make purchase in which
the price is rot dictHt by a combi-
nation over which die marchant you
deal with has no control.
Each Of these great trusts now aims
for the most part to control but one
STABLE, although some OF them reach
out for many. Thctontrol of the iron
and steel anlol the. coal beds OF the
country is slowly drifting toward a
single centre. AS the organizations
grow more powerful, all related IN
dustries will be combined in one CON
troll for each great class, as IN the
case Of irOn and coal.
Even in the small ttading of our cities
the process OF Co1fentratlon IS only
too apparent. Oul- cities no longer
present the once familiar aspect OF
miles of busy STREETS, occupied by
thousands OF Smdl but respectable
merchants, each ding modest but
satisfactory trade With his moreimm
date neighbors, aud in a line to (which
he had been trainedby long experience,