Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-01-18

Of which he is president.
Nineteen years ago, Jan. /, the
present organization was formed.
More thnn 30 factories were purchased
outright. AT no time have we had n
monopoly of the business" said the
speaker. 1--WE have always conducted
the business on competitive basis"
Soon after the purchase of the col
lection Of factories, the aggregation
was consolidated into FIVE plants,
thereby dispensing with the vast
waste that was being perpetrated on
the public, in expensive organizations
maintaining Of plants, consumption
of fuel, and incidental and expensive
costs" BY this consolidation, Mr..
Barber said that goods were furnished
to the public at 40 per cent Of their
former cost. "Thls," he continued,
could not have been accomplished
by individual effort"
Reference was also made to the san
itary condition of the factories pur-
chased. "Many Of them" said Mr. Bar
be-, "were not sufficiently good for the
purpose of maintaining healthy con-
dltion of the operatives" This has now
been obviated by the consolidation and
today the plants Of the trust are models
of cleanliness In the Industrial world.
The English government complimented
the trust on the sanitary condition
of its foreign plant, this after a
thorough investigation had been made.
"In this particular trust" said the
speaker, "that prior to its organiza-
tion there were not 100 people finan-
cially interested in the companies pur-
chased by the trust, while today there
are over 1,4OO people drawing diyi-
dends from II, and its stock can be
had any dny ON the market for less
than Its real value, so that anybody
feeling wronged can get on the inside,
and have the full benefits. The aver
age amount held by stockholders is
$4,000. - Such form of combi-
nation are only successful when con-
Quoted on business principles, and they
will invariably fail when the sole aim
is to conduct them on an excessively
profitable basis. A law of just COM
pensatlon is stronger than any law we
can formulate to regulate trusts, which
law all private companies and trusts
are amenable to-"
Mr.. Barber reviewed the conditions
of the times during the trusts, and snid
that he did not believe the world was
going backwards. 81 thank my Maker
that l have been permitted to take a
modest part In the building up Of the
industries Of the 10th century. Results
have been obtained by cooperation In
the physical development Of the world.
that have made life very easy to the In
dustrious worker, and civilization has
been advanced" ., oy a}l -
The speaker criticised the people
who are continually bowling about
trusts, and the favored rights Of the
rich. "Most of the proposed laws
against trusts are really against the
wealthy" said Mr.. Barber. "I'll sug-
gest law; Make Il sweeping law that
no man he permitted to take his wealth
into the next world, then 1t makes no
difference how much wealth he saves,
aud the world is better OFF for his hav-
ing done 30.
Great aggregation of capital Is alb
solutely necessary for the accomplish
ment of the greater works of man, such
as the building of railroads, canals,
steamship lines, and If for these pur-
poses, why not for what seems to be
lesser purposesI'
In conclusion, Mr.. Barber referred
to many corporations TINT are proving
themselves blessings to mankind. His
argument was principally devoted to
submitting existing facts, rather than
devolving from the subject n theorcti.
cnl analysis of the qualities Of which 1t
Is composed.
"Only II deft hand should step In rs
tho regulator" he said, and his con-
Guiding remark was the question:
Have you the hand?"
JUDGE n. ID. TIBBALS
Was then introduced. He said in
part: "The question under discussion
this evening Is Justly regarded by the
best minds of the country as one of
great moment, largely affecting the
interests Of our whole people. 1t has
reached such position before the
country rs to he the two great lead
ing political parties of the Nation, and
has been the subject Of Presidential
messages by Presidents Harrison,
Cleveland and Mckinley, and Is now
engaging the attention Of various or
ganizations Of learned men, education