The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-17
A Trust Mngnate ON Trusts.

is Z distinction without difference.
Trust MnEnnte ON Trusts.
One of the most noticeable and. to most
people amazing features of the present
campaign on the Republican side. is the
contemptuous cynicism with which the
party leaders treat subjects they know to
be regarded by the masses as Of vital
Importance. 1t seems as If the Repub-
lican organization had thoroughly absorb
ed and come to share Marcus A. Hanna's
profound conviction that principles and
platforms are entirely superhuous in con-
necticn with national elections, and that
all this is necessary to carry them is
plenty of corruption money, and coercion
OF the laboring class by their employers.
and of farmers and small traders by the
banks.
One phase OF this cynicism was strong
!y reflected in a speech made in Balti-
more on Monday by Theodore Marbrrg,
leading magnate and official of the To-
bacco Trust, to the Maryland Commercial
Travellers Association Unlike Hanna Mr..
Marburg started out by declaring that the
trusts were here. and here to stay. and
that they had, as charged, put the COM
Inercial traveller out OF business. The
speaker said. with brutal directness:
Il fear have very little ooaaolatie. to cf.r
The travelling man. There is nothing that at
| present indicates his rehabilitation.
ITO talk of abolishing trusts is % idle as
10 Talk Of abolishing newspapers or OF breaking
MP the great trunk lines and restoring tie
I
, It is possible that the Tobacco Trust
! director thought he was making capital
and votes for the candidate of his COM
,,ination. by remarks like these. II so.
We only hope that he is still Of that mind
| and will keep on talking in the same
strain. From his own viewpoint. it must
he said that his frankness is TO be ad-
mired. rather than his judgment. He
clearly outlines the industrial and mer-
camille policy and purpose of all trusts.
which is, to monopolize the market for
raw material. monopolize its manufacture,
The saving of the salaries of travelling
salesmen.' says Mr.. Marburs. lis only one
of the many economies effected by these
great consultations Others are the
| elimination of jobbers. wholesalers. and
retailers, their places being taken by
State, district. town. and neighborhood
trust agencies, managed by employees and
| not by independent merchants. No one
| is to make more than a bare living out
of the production. the manufacture, or the
sale of a commodity; only the trust is to
reap the harvest. All others must be its
| slaves and liable to discharge from en-
ployment at moments notice. That sort
Of thing constitutes the wonderful
economy of the trust system.
| Perhaps Mr. Marburg is not altogether
1 sound in his declaration that it would be
! impossible TO abolish the trusts. We are
rather inclined to think that, in tine event
! of the election of Mr.. Bryan and an hon
est Congress, he will find that ways can
lie found to considerably relax the trust
grasp upon the tfroats of the American
| people. An Attorney General faithful to
his oath O. Office and to his country. and
! not appointed by trust influence, doubtless
would be able TO accomplish something.
Mr.. Bryans plan OF putting all articles
! of trust production on the free list would
! amount to even more. 1t would seriously
paralyze the power of trusts to extort
. from American consumers the cost OF en-
tering into competition with w-pricei
producers abroad. and ii would open the
way for the latter TO come over here and
compete fer domestic trade. That would
be an important corrective. and incidental
IT, would tend to rehabilitate the cammer-
cial traveller. q thing Mr.. Matburs thinks
cannot be done
Trusts engaged in interstate commerce,
under Mr. Bryan's plar, would he COM
! pclled TO take out Government license.
| and TO submit themselves TO Federal SUI
! peryision and control That again would
remove some Objectionable features OF the
system. In brief. by depriyins the trusts
OF their monopoly of the home market OF
their ability TO make Illegal combinations
| with carriers, and of their present i'm
munity from interference by the legal
arm of the Government they woald DC so
shorn of their power to Cypress, rob. ard
cnslave that, while they might not be al
together abolished. they would be ren-
dered helpless 10 crush legitimate compe-
| tition and to ruin all who dared enter the
same lire CT business, as they are able to
DO today. In less than three weeks now
the American people will walk up to the
ballot box and say whether they are to
| control and regulate the trusts, or are to
| be owne,; by them. 1t is the voters ow.r
lockout. Thcy know what is before them
! in either case Their decision is likely to
be final for the next generation. or, per-
haps. until the advent OF another b.ocdy
| struggle for independence.