Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-07-05
MoLDERs HAVE A PICNIC.
Twin-City Tradesmen Fnioy an Outing
c. j. Searle Condemns Trusts.


c. j. Searle Condemns Trusts.
Iron molders of Moline and Rock
Island are celebrating the 10th birth
day of the Iron holders union of
North America at Concordia park,
Moline, TODAY. The celebration was
arranged by Union 2s7. of Moline.
States Attorney c. j. Searle deliv-
cred the principal address. He held
that trades unionism in this country,
as compared with other countries, is
still in its infancy. Trades unions
are by no means perfect, no more
than the men that belong to or man
age them. They make mistakes, oft
times act indiscreetly and sometimes
unlustly; but in the main they act
from proper motives and surely with
as much Justice and with as proper
motives as the organizations they
have to cope with. There was time
in this country when trades unionism
was neither necessary nor practical.
That was day of the small shop
owner and proprietor-workman. But
that day has passed. This is the age
of machinery, of large enterprise.
organization and minute division of
labor. Industry has come to bat
tie between huge organizations,
rather than between individuals.
Inequalities are due to mans
own devices and the institutions of
his own creation. The history OF
mankind has been the struggle of the
many to prevent the enslavement of
the few. That struggle is just as
fierce now as ever in the worlds his
tory. In regard to trusts Mr.. Searle
said: The advocates and apologists
of the latest development in com bina
ton, now generally spoken of as
trusts, whatever may be the technical
form of the combination. now openly
urge as one of their chief reasons for
com bining the doing away with ruin
Gus competition. They seek to evade
law that has heretofore been re-
garded as absolutely essential to the
fair regulation of prices of labor as
well as product. Ii they succeed in
throttling competition, as they bid
fair to, unless speedily restrained,
what will regulate prices of labor and
produce?'' The history of every
trust will of necessity be the same.
They are giant highwaymen who, no
longer content with the robbery of the
IHulfiuudi, SidpIIic CiNihEdlioh iCSeii
by the throat with the peremptory de-
mand to stand and deliver. They are
organized in a spirit of greed and
seltishness. They crush out the
Independent. thrifty small pro-
Queer. They rob the small
stakeholder as well as the consumer.
They stifle ambition, crush independ-
ence and check invention. And above
all, and worse than all, and whatever
may be said of their merits. they re-
suit in still greater inequality in the
distribution of property and oppor-
tunity to secure it. They amass great
fortunes in the hands of few. They
are productive of those twin evils of
society-the multimillionaire and the
pauper-" But no matter what grave
problems confront our country"
concluded Mr.. Searle whose remarks
were well received, .'let us hope that
the wisdom, patience and patriotism
of our people will find solution that
will permit our beloved country to
remain as it ever has been the land of
the free and the home of the brave"
There were also addresses by A. p.
McGuirk of Davenport aud others