The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-09


the unity of ownership
These are all subject to law. These
are all subject TO restriction or destruction
by legislative enactment. and it may be
safely predicted that the Legislatures of
the various States, which will meet in the
coming January. will take hold OF and
regulate this new form of corporate COM
bination.
United States has, by three decisions. de-
stroyed all forms of combinations between
interstate-commerce carriers, relative TO
rates of transportation.
"A society in which few are the en-
ployers and the great body are merely
employees or servants. is most hurtful in a
republic. These propositions are as true
to-day as they were in the days of Lord
Coke. 1t should be, and is, the policy Of
the law to multiply the numbers engaged
in independent pursuits. 1t as much the
policy of the law to increase the number
of industrial establishments as il is to
cheaper the price to the consumer.
AN evil day will have come to this
country when the little shop and factory
shall have closed, and the independent
priprietors shall have become workmen in
the great factories of the few; when the
corner grocery shall have been absorbed
in the department store; when the corner
bakery shall have gone into the cracker or
biscuit trust; when the blacksmith shop
rack, and the independent village black
smith must quit business, or move to the
city and become one cog In the great wheel
of an industrial enterprise that counts its
capital by the millions and numbers Its
employees by the thousands.
1.-The injury to society is the greatest
of all injuries that will spring from the
modern trust. This is the same in Indiana
as it is in New York, and as it is in Eng
land. / know it is said that the modern
combination is but the resultant OF the
forces of evolution in the industrial world.
what are the other results that must
follow, not only in this State, but in all
the States? The less profitable factories
will be closed: the price of raw material
will be lessened; the cost of production Will
be decreased; the more faVOrably situated
factories will be kept running-the factories
where raw material can be most cheaply
purchased, and where labor can be most
cheaply employed. The pinching-out pro-
cess will go on. The few industries will be
greatly enlarged and the smaller and less
profitable ones will be shut down and dis
mantled.
This is the inevitable result. This is
the very purpose of the organization OF
the modern trust. This is the purpose
plainly stated in their circulars to in
vestOrs.
"These evil results have not yet been
plainly manifested in Indiana, for the
reason that times are so prosperous and
business is at such a high tide. But II
dIstrust should sieze the people-ff trade
and commerce throughout the State should
meet with reverses-then these evil results
will be magnified, and then will be en-
phasized the proposition that the only
permanent prosperity that can come to
the people is by the multiplication OF IN
terests. the multiplication OF industries,
the diversity of trades and the independ-
ence of the artisan"
THE DISCUSSION,
The general discussion of the subject, in
stead of taking In all the various indus
tries absorbed by the trusts. conferred on
the methods of the insurance combina-
tion,' which, it was alleged, were squeez-
ing the people of the State at a fffghtful
rate Louis H. Martin. Of this city. took
up the side of the insurance companies by
saying that while it was admitted that
rates were too high here in Indiana, it was
because too little attention was paid to the
erection of standard" buildings. He said
fully 80 per cent. of losses paid In Indiana
were preventable. He said the companies
as whole returned about SO per cent. of
their premiums to the State in the way Of
losses, and that the companies were williue
to reduce rates still lower than had been
done In Indianapolis whenever the property
owners would build good houses. He said
it was the view of insurance companies
that it is preferable to have 81 less loss
than to have 81 more premiums. and that
the insured can follow the example OF A.
A. Barnes. of this city, who. by spending
$1,000 on his factory, reduced his insurance
rate 20 cents a hundred. The general SEN
timent of those present was that there was
an Insurance trust" While Governor
Mount contended that no matter how
equitable the schedule of fixed, rates might
be, the principle of the thing was that the
insurance companies sought to restrict
wholesome competition.
MR.. JOHNSONS PAPER
Following the trust discussion, Alexander
Johnson. of Fort Wayne, spoke on What
II
said in part:
There is large and growing class OF
persons for which the State has begun to
| care, and there are several other classes
not yet generally accepted as proper
wards of the State, who should also be
| controlled and cared for in such a manner
| that the cost of their support should be
but little more than the expense they now
cause to the taxpayers, while their power
| for harm to the community should be cur
tailed or entirely abated. Especially should
| their reproductive increase be checked.
''These may be properly classed together
as degenerates. They differ in externals
| and in habits of life and character. Yet
when we begin to study their family his
| tories, we see how nearly they are re-
lated
Here is partial list copied from thu
American Journal of Sociology-'the in
sane. the epileptics, the imbeciles and idi
| OTIS of various grades. the sexual perverts
the kleptomaniacs, many, If not most OF
| the chronic inebriates, many of the prosti
tutes, tramps and minor criminals, many
habitual paupers, especially the semi-weak
minded mothers of illegitimate children, 81
| often found in our county poor asylums
some of the blind and deaf mutes-al
| these classes, in varying degree, with 9th
| ers not mentioned, are related as being eff
fects of the one cause-which Is itself the
summing up OF many cauSeS-degeneracy
There are many exceptions to genera
rule such this, but it is still the fac-
| that the majority of these classes are truly
| degenerates; that some of them are so fal
| below the normal that their unhindered in
! crease is a serious menace to the well-be
| ing of the race; that their number tends
| TO increase more rapidly than that Of nor
NAL citizens, since they infinitely less
| prudent; that they cause an increasine
! drain upon the resources of the taxpayers
| and, most serious of all, that unless the
| tendencies they disclose shall be checked
| the average standard of manhood anC
womanhood, both physical and mental
| must inevitably be lowered.
ut is time for the community to awake
| to the significance of these facts and Il
| make strenuous efforts 10 remove them
| Whatever we may think of paternal gov
| eminent 1t is time for the mother state Il
| take charge of these, her weak and help
4 less children.
| LAS acute and common-sense bushes.
| men, you will ask, Can this be done? VIII
| not the cost be beyond the power of tn,
| taxpayer to afford?' / believe this shoult
| be done, and that 1t can be done at no
| inordinate immediate cost, and will be {
| great economy in the near future. In som,
| places, and with some classes of degener
| ates, it is now being done. Not only II
| Europe, but in our own country, are ex
| amples, and in our own State we hav,
| made a good beginning. OF the GO inns te