Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-03-31
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
THE TRUST AND THE WORKING GLASS.


cussion of the trusts. 1t may have been
noticed, however, that very little is said
as to how the trusts are going to affect the
wage worker. To fight against the trust Is
just as silly as it would be to butt your head
against a stone wall. The trust Is the natural
logical result of competitive system. First,
we have the small individual dealer; then
comes the partnerships then the great cor
poraton or union of several capitalists; and
this is absolutely sure to be followed by
union of the corporations-the trust.
The trust is the economical way of con.
Quoting business under our present system.
Competition is a huge waste. Just one II
ustration will suffice to prove this A few
years ago there were thousands of tobacco
firms, each competing for trade, at great
pense TO themselves directly and indirectly
to the wealth producers of the nation. These
tobacco firms employed 12,500 drummers at
on average salary of $500 per year and an
average expense of six dollars per day.
With the formation of the tobacco trust
nearly II 900 of these drummers have been
di pensed with. Not only that, hut many
other items of waste are now saved. by
reason of our insane competitive Struggle,
millions upon millions of days labor are
made necessary and millions upon millions
of dollars in wealth are wasted annually.
with the advent of the two leather trusts ana
the shoe machinery trust, there is nothing
left for the shoe manufacturers but II trust;
ana within five years it will be in successful
operation.
When the the shoe trust is perfected and an
end put 10 cutlroat competition there will
he no further excuse for n cut I'm wages
The one thing that causes the shoe workers
NhEeS 10 nc cut Is '"i' very cp.hpcu' i"''
r'''c" ll'l"l'cu'lt' c"'up'UnE lo' Nn''
l"Ict7 ''"Wh 'll' prlco VI Sn"ea '"" Hhe P'lV'
spite all the efforts made by the more or
less powerful trade unions, the price paid
'lle 9h"" operative Nus S'e""ilA ".eI'"''
"ul"l- nc p"9- '''"1! l''l9' ID l7 ''"l'"7
s,nc u""cI irc0 "iIll'll'I"i i"' 9""' n''u-
"i"V'"l'i l" '"i'u"' NV P.'0' VI 9''
lH"itcr now we" ne ,"N wiz" ~ PN nus
"i'"H' '' - l"l''" NY 'Ii' WV i'''I'''' l vs.
g'' l." if'F inc collptl"NiN N"-'' "u" 'n3
WE. jul "i' t"""'il' IT, hi"H = l''t' """
l" lh' sln~lSl'hc' point. 'u7l =" I""E f7
'Nr '"'HP'''NV 7NNl''" i III 'NlS''"'' We
VIII zoe c'nprA'n 10 l'c' ll "n ever '.'
'''HalHE i''7 "l "HEc7' '"S.'.'' ny '"'
WORK performed. ihc WnlNlhS CLASS are
l'NI Na'nl"' lhi7 Ia "h" 'h'N are n,' S'-
'' '' NUM- 'Ni'' d" ANY w
l...,n,.,, ,',..r,,s.l" ~, ,o,o i''
TO ii INT che natural law of evolution. and
the logical results of our capitalist system
VIII ''iln DC III h'op'n- WIN 'u' III -'1,'
nrplnrrati, n,,tv Tbr writer If This WA.
the first t. advocate the coming shoe trust,
and that it is coming swift an sure d" NOT
bv reason Of comne,ifion every yea what
would be thought of "a man who insisted that
every ume we maze zen P'lr7 OF snocs we
s,o,.s w. ,nnId ,,,t,,,',,I,, .,, tha r,n,, ,y.,.
insane. shoe trust can AFFORD 10 raise
wages - per cent and still sell shoes AT the
present price les hey w'u'u even oc max
~ corrso if doc. NOT folin,y tiat nynr,, nn,y
trust VIII raise wages. but it is a fact that
those trusts which have beenin existence for
some years ,,o p''V - per cent nlSner ""s,,S
tcnlties 10 he .nre in fine formation of the
shoe trust hut no more than the tobacco or
sugar men had TO deal with Anyhow the
oh,,, ,,,,' ~ ,,,
become trustifind. one thing il certain. Win
the education of the m tsses witch is now go
ing on lh",t lapi'Iy' the w"Iklhg cnsS cannot
~ -, 80
After the nus, what? F.G r. GoRpoN.
The above from the pen of the leading
socialist in Manchester presents a very
different view from that of most who dis
cuss the trusts and we are not prepared
to saw that it is not nearer correct than
much that is printed upon the question.
The trust does not necessarily mean a
reduction of wages. On the contrary it
may mean an advance in the wages of
those who work. for almost any employ
err. v hen in absolute control of the market
for his line of products, will pay more
for labor than he can pay when he is
subjected to sharp competition: but the
trouble comes i'm a loss of chances TO
work "The trust is the economical way
of conducting business" Ii is too eco
nomical. 1t enables two men TO do the
work three are doing. The two NAV get
more wages than they did before bur the
one gets none. The $50 tobacco drum.
ners who arc retained nv the trust ma U
get $1,000 ia year each instead of $780,
but the 100 who are DISCHARGED are
fortunate if they get 5000 in the calllngs
ipto ubiob +hav ORC croudod And