New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-23
TRUSTS AND MONOPOLY.
SPEAKERS ARGUE THAT ONE is HARM
LESS WITHOUT THE OTHER.
COOPER UNION CONFERENCE HEARS HOW
THE OCTOPUS" CAN BEST BE
CRIPPLED.

..-+e reonle of this country are not In the least
decided whether trusts are good or bad; don KNOW
exactly whether they raise prices or lower prices
are not precisely certain whether they increase OF
decrease wages; are not altogether sure whether
they DO quito the right thing by their competitors
or not and vet the face of all these doubts IL Is
a curious fact that agree thoroughly on Just one
fact and that is. must have legislation that VIII
smash them"
This was the keynote of the gently saurcai
sneach which Professor J. B. Clark, of Columbia
University made last night in the large nan Oh
Cooper Union, which was filed with keehis M
terested audience which had turned out 10 a'teHu
the fourth session of the Peoples Institute Con-
xoo ~, TRUSTS Professor Charles Sprague
Smith acted as chairman, and before introducing
the speakers announced that the phase OF trusts
under discussion their political and social reia
tons to the people. Professor Clarh WAS inc All o.
speaker and after uttering the sentence already
quoted he went to say, among other tnlngs'
One of the WAYS of explaining this anomaly is
that we are firing blank cartridge; We do not realy
intend to kill the trusts Politicians feel that II Is
LEGISLATORS feel that it is safe to put such laws upon
ne Fe ,S Wv vhV does every political
party think it necessary TO cry Smash the trusts?
know whether trusts are good or bad, and for the
o. US Wo %e 5are zen mighty small o o but
such admission would be the frozen truth
are Poo gay Or bad but first We Gst have more
perence Of them before we reach that stage: we We
guesses was that we needed prOhibitOry laws. But
trusts. So We know that prohibition is not the
way 20 deal with them. Let guess again. An
oiistic power only and leave them the right to get
rich in any other way Removing the PROTECTIVE ,
products abroad cheaper than they do at home
needed; but think we shall get this legislation
because too other interests outside the trusts
guess is that State socialism will cure the evil.
That means that We shall give these vast concerns
n i
think that viii be done either Ny own guess is
islatton which shall preserve competition by keeping
the field open for any other rival and allowing the
rival TO enter IL, the moment the trust in occupa-
tion Of the field suspends work. lays off his hands
or lowers wages.
Professor George Gunton followed Professor
Clark He began the political relation OF trusts
and said that one Of the most commonly accepted
charges against trusts that they
rupting our politics and running our Government.
He then adduced examples Of legislation hostile to
trusts that had been enacted By State legislatures
and by Congress, and argued from them that in
stead Of the trusts being IN the political saddle
the people were in the saddle and the trusts were
Under whip and spur, and the people were not
sparng them. He also said that the millionaire
an individual practically eliminated from poll
tics Coming to the social aspect of trusts. he
combated the oft repeated argument that trusts
crush out the individuality of small merchants by
maintaining that the precarious livelihood made
by the small dealer was in many ways less desra-
bic than the stable revenue derived from salary
wages.
Professor Gunton caused considerable laughter
by HIS reply to a man in the audience who was dis
inclined 10 believe that the millionaire had been
eliminated from politics, and shouted out: How
about the million dollar SENATOR" Professor Gun
ton answered:
! suppose You mean Senator Clark. Well, that
is one Of the disgraces coming from our mediocre
politics The probability is that he will not get IN
vote upon him now. don't believe John D. Rookie
feller could be elected janitor of the City Hall of
this city. In fact. I don't think Mr. Rockefeller
knows nearly much about government he
does about conducting great corporation.
Professor John r. Commons. who attended the
Trust Conference IN Chicago told the audience
what done there, and wound up his remarks
by saying:
Now, going to the trusts? I think
we can DO something better, and that is to take
away from them every special and exclusive priv
lege which they enjoy. The only way TO do this
IS 10 take our Government out of the hands Of the
bosses. and the only way TO get rid Of the bosses
Is by the initiative and referendum. If cannot
the trusts. at least let knock out the props
from beneath them and keep them from owning
Byron W. Holt. secretary Of the Reform Club
Committee, argued that not the trust itself, but
the monopoly behind IL, was the enemy Of man
kind.