Evening star., 1899-10-10
FIGHT TRUSTS With LABOR
President Gompers Convinced That the
State is Incapable.
Development of WOrkmen's Organf-
cations and the Growth of the
Modern Capitalist System.

Mr.. Samuel GOmperS, president Oh tue
American Federation of Labor, has an in
teresting statement in the October NUMBER
of the American Federationist on the sub
ject of trusts, which Mr.. Gompers claims
the state is incapable of dealing with sue
cessfully Mr.. Gompers has appeared be-
fore the industrial commission, and will
again give testimony before that body, 1t
is believed, before the meeting of Congress.
Concentration of Industries.
I'VE are all conscious of the giant strides
with which industry during the past de-
cade has combined and concentrated into
the modern trust" says Mr.. Gompers in
the Federationist. There is considerable
difference of opinion, however, as to what
is regarded by many an intolerable
evil.
"Organized labor is deeply concerned re-
garding the swift and intense concentration
of the industries. and realizes that unless
successfully confronted by an equal or su-
perior power there is economic danger ana
political subjugation in store for all
But organized labor looks with appre-
hension at the many panaceas and reme-
dies offered by theorists to curb the growth
and development destroy the combina-
tons of industry We have seen those who
knew little of statecraft and less OF eco
nomics urge the adoption of laws to regu-
late interstate commerce and laws to pre-
vent combinations and trusts, and we have
also seen that these measures, when en-
acted have been the very instruments en-
ployed to deprive labor of the benefit of
OF ganiZed effort. while at the same time
they have simply proved incentives to more
subtly and surely lubricate the wheels of
capitals combination.
The State Incapable.
For our part, we are convinced that the
state is not capable of preventing the leg1t-
innate development or natural concentra-
,,-{ff tome 70 do
SO which have come under our observation
would beyond doubt react with greater
force and injury upon the working people
of our country than upon the trusts.
''The great wrongs attributable to the
trusts are their corrupting influence on the
politics of the country, but as the state has
always been the representative OF the
wealth possessors we shall be compelled to
endure this evil until the toilers are or
ganized and educated to the degree when
they shall know that the state is by right
theirs, and finally and Justly come to their
own, while never relaxing In their EFFORTS
TO secure the very best possible economic,
social and material improvement In their
condition.
Vulnerabilfty of Trusts.
"There is no tenderer or more vulnerable
spot in the anatomy of trusts than their
dividend-paying function, there is no power
wields so potent a weapon, to penetrate,
disrupt and, If necessary, crumble the
whole fabric. This, however, will not be
necessary. nor will it occur, for the trade
unions will go on organizing. agitating and
educating, in order that material improve
ment may keep pace with industrial devel-
op-nent until the time when the workers,
who will then form nearly the whole peo-
pie develop their ability to administer the
functions Of government in the interest of
all.
"There will be no cataclysm, but tran
sitton so gentle that most men Will wonder
how it all happened.
DEVELOPMENT of Systems.
"In the early days of our modern cap
italist system when the individual employer
was the rule under which industry was
conducted the Individual workmen deemed
themselves sufficiently capable to cope for
their rights; when industry developed and
employers formed companies. the workmen
formed unions: when industry concentrated
into great combinations. the workingmen
formed their national and international
unions as employments became trustihed,
the toilers organized federations OF all
unions-local national and international
such as the American Federation of Labor.
eve shall continue to organize and red
crate the grand army of labor. and with
our notices lesser hours of labor, higher
wages, and an elevated standard of life,
we shall establish equal and exact justice
for ALL Labor Omnia Vincit.'