New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-26
INDTSTRIALS on Trial.

man with eyes open can see an astonishing
difference In the mental attitude Of different
people toward the new industrial corporations.
Some are seriously studying the problem, first
to Judge whether good or harm on the whole
will be done to the people by the merging OF
many companies IN one case no less than one
hundred and fOrty-fve in a single organization,
and second. 10 discover what practical remedies
exist if the powers of such corporations are
abused Others show positive dread Of knOwl-
edge on the subject lest they should be embar
raised in their flow OF vituperaion. They call
every Industrial organization n trust and mo-
nOpoly, so wicked in purpose and baleful in eff
feet that It ought TO be destroyed. even II the
country has to pull up its business by the roots
II does not take long TO discover that these
people care nothing for The facts nor for the
public welfare. and are only anxious to manu-
facture political capital.
Ii Is an ignorant man in these days who does
not know that the new organizations are not
trusts nor amenable 10 the laws which have
prohibited trusts. They are not combinations,
any more than n eat is a combination Of all the
mice II has dcv0urcd. They cannot be shown 10
have been formed for the purpose of raising
prices or creating mOnOpOlies. aud such pur-
poses were almost always publicly denied 1t
cannot be shown that they have a monopoly be-
cause all have competition and are open to more.
The right Of such corporations TO sell or not TO
sell is the same as that of an individual The
truth is that these concerns do not appear TO be
at all within the reach Of any National or State
law yet framed or suggested. What their ef-
feet as TO prices will be Is yet predetermined
With exceptional demand and activity prices
have been generally advanced, both for mate
rails and for products and some perhaps exces
sivey as Is usual at such times. But the cor
poratiors have heavy load TO carry wher
business grows fiat, and they offer broad a
mark for attack that they are sure TO meet com
petition. What the effect will be then cannot
be foreknown. If the corporations hold III
prices unduly competition Will strike them hard
II they cut off thousands of needless agents an(
clerks and mlddlemen. and thus reduce cost o
production so far that they can defeat compe
tition. the public will get cheaper goods.
AS this IL the present state Of facts. the on
thing clear is that Wild and indlscriminate raw
Ing about the trusts and monopolies is as sense
less aud empty as the old-time P0pe's bul
against the comet Sober men recognize tina
the excessive capitalization Of most industrial
concerns has been mschievous and will ten
strongly toward mischief hereafter. That it !
possible TO correct Their secrecy Of method
also tells heavily against them, and in an
emergency win give rise TO exaggerated dis
trust or antlpatby. Also It must be reckone
that hostile legislation Will have TO be met 4
many States. with a disposition 20 enforce 1
sharply on the part of officials who have Stat
aud National elections before their eyes.
good many persons will be thrown out of pr,
vious employment some agents and middlemer
and also many workers. because Of the consOl
dalton OF establishments formerly competin,
These things will tend to increase hostility b,
fore the true meaning and effect of new conso
idations can be measured by experience.
Als Is not a problem that can be solved G