The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-12-04
ARE THE TRUSTS FIXTURES FOR
EVER.

be ~unopposed during the presidents
surprise. We must hope. The country.
we cannot believe. Is really satisfied
with the reign OF the hundreds of de-
vouring trusts Warnings have been
given already. and We hope the oppo-
sition viii intensity with the passing
months. Charles r. Flint lis the
head Of the rubber trust and is boasting
that the election Of Mckinley settled
the question Of the continuance of
trusts-that in the future Is In the past
the viii continue to control the indus
tries Of our vast country-that they
are fixed and will remain a part for all
time OF the wicked and destructive sys-
tenn OF the Mckinley gang. The New
York Sun Is Of the same opinion. They
unite in the opinion, TO quote now from
the Philadelphia Record, that there
will be no antitrust legislation by the
election OF Mr.. Mckinley as a r~epudia-
ton by the people of antitrust Bry-
anism." Now, there is a widespread
feeling that the trust magnates are in
danger of presuming too far on this In
depreciation of the result of the election,
and there Is a belief on the part of
many that If the unrestrained opera
tons Of the IL be essential to the
general prosperity, then prosperity may
come too high"
If Mckinley had his eye on the trusts
or the wicked subsidy scheme-a gigan-
tic robber. plot to distribute 1910, OO0, 900
Of the people money mong certain
ocean and transportation companies, it
will be seen in the hear future.
1t is further noticeable that Senator
Lodge, of Massachusetts,. admits the
truth of what Mr.. Flint said. He was
more cautious. however, in his affirma-
ton. The following we clip from an
editorial in n Philadelphia Times that
will help to a better understanding of
republican plars as to trusts. 1t says:
Senator Lodge and Mr. Flint are
both representative republicans who
profess to consider the trust question
from h public standpoint. What they
say about it is Of chiefest Importance as
AlS I Va 1C ISpob-
lican leadership upon the relation Of
the trusts to the public welfare. Mr..
Flint holds that the trusts are a bless
ing and not an evil. Senator Lodge
regards them as an inevitable evolu-
tion Of modern industry which only
need to have a few teeth and claw ex-
tracted or pared down by a republican
ongre to render them not only HARM
less, but the agents Of perpetual indus
trial prosperity"
Such IL lis both mischievous and
foreshadowing. We find in a speech Of
Bishop Patterson, Of Massachusetts,, at
a recent banquet in New York by the
chamber Of commerce, some remarks
that revealed much more of statesman
ship and integrity than mark the
speeches OF the northern politicians.
He said:
The people, the great common peo-
pie, are suspicious that some great cor
poratiOns and masses of wealth are pro-
tected or their interests advanced in
ways that are inconsistent with the
rights Of the people. Civilization can
not go on where there is such a sus-
picion, and prosperity cannot go on
long while the people feel or think that
the reverence tor law by which proper
ty is s~afeguarded is not upheld"
That is wis and most timely. Again
he declared that 1.-The most imminent
danger to the rights and liberties of the
American people is the corruption OF
the public service and Of legislators
by great corporations which seek spe-
cial privileges. The eminent churchman
also warned his hearers of the dangers
which are likely to arise from the spirit
of commercialism, the test of value by
money, the gauging of social position
by fortune and the figuring of national
bigness by national wealth"
The country has got, and has had
for years, what is designated in the
north as sound money" But not sat
isfied there is a wide, wild chaze over
what is we'll named "commercialism"-
a craze for wealth, trade extension at
any cost, either Of life, money or cruel
ty. We are not particularly enamored
of the veteran ex-representative and ex-
mayor of New York, Abrams Hewitt, a
man of much mental force and bold
ness, it nus be admitted. He stands
for a democrat in the great city. He
made a speech before h educational
alliance in his city a few nights ago
We find it stated hat he spoke Of the
growth Of the commercial spirit among
the American people, the abuse of the
power of wealth in the hands of the
few and the failure of the rich to do
what they should to elcvaue the plane
of education and of living of the great
body of the people. Mr.. Hewitt closed
with these words: IF the spirit Of COM
mercialism and greed shall continue to
grow, then the twentieth century will
witness a social cataclysm unparalleled
in history. 1t is only by the ~discounte-
nancing of commercialism n the
spreading of altruism that we can safe
guard justice, property and liberty"
These dangers have been foreseen in
the south by journalists and politicians
and Thoughtful reading people. AT last
the real dangers ahead growing out of
present conditions are discovered. 1t
will be we'll for the great class who are