The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-10

tunities. inducements. and openings of bust
ness and wealth TO its individual citizens
constitute one of the strongest arguments
in favor Of a republic and is one of its
main foundations that TO encourage man
to toll in all the fields of human industry
means the development and prosperity of
the nation, the opening of new fields OF
! occupation to the poor, needy and unem-
| ployed; that the road to fortune is open to
! all as is proved by the lives and achieve
ments OF men who have acquired wealth
In this country; and finally. that those
who seek to allure the labOring and agri-
cultural classes into the approval OF
( schemes which have not the sanction of
/ good sense. history judgment and con-
! stitutional law will sooner or later come
to grief
! Mr.. Dos Passes is not the only one who
has either accidentally or purposely lost
| sight of the tremendous issue that is press
| ing inevitably toward a commercial re-
formation in this country. 1t is not spe-
officially the possessor of great heaps of
/ gold ard blocks of real estate. who is
the object of an angered peoples wrath.
| That is an absurd proposition. Why? Sim
! ply because every industrious man. how
! ever humble seeks his fortune or hopes
to see his son or sons son in a position
of affluencc. The humble citizen las no
quarrel with the millionaire of today slim
ply because of his bank account aud his
assets. And. if the modern Croesus has
fought his way to wealth from the ranks
of the people. they are all the more proud
of him. just as much gratifed, in fact. as
Mr. Dos Passos.
The peoples challenge is TO the trust.
! Why? Because this creature OF an I'M
natural tendency toward concentration
essays to destroy those very free and I'M
limited opportunities which Mr. Dos Pas
SOS has so wisely recognized as one of The
most benefeient features OF modern de-
mocracy. Through the antitrust agitation,
which is bound TO blossom into a crusade,
the American people intend to perpetuate
the inalienable privilege of competition
In so far as the preservation of this right
is concerned. the war against that form OF
wealth, which has chosen TO make the is
sue. is one of determination. il restriction
is not possible. II the existence of a cor
porate interest depends upon the slaughter
of the less powerful competition, then the
battle is most assuredly one to the death
The specious plea that the curbing OF
trust operators will be fatal to the finan
cial interests of the small shareholders
does not seem to be pertinent. There Is q
venaraJ irar.raesiou that tho small gharp-
holder in most of the gigantic corporations
which have sought 10 rule their branch
OF the market Is NOS so very numerous. or
he would be a more effective factor. Il Is
believed that the leading spirit or spirits
of powerful corporations. with decic@dly
monopolistic bent. have taken good care
that their control shall be nearly II not
quite absolute. At any rate. they appear
to be able 10 manipulate the corporate ma
chinery according TO their own sweet
pleasure
Antagonism to the trust has become more
and more pronounced because Of the undo
niable indications that each any every one
Of them cherishes the hope of growing up
into giant monopoly. The Standard oil
oligarchy furnishes conspicuous example
OF what the lesser combines are aiming at
in their particular fields OF operation.
Mr.. Dos. Passos seeks to convince the
public, inferentially, that a general attack
upon wealth viii deprive the average man
Of the blessed opportunity TO accumulate
fortune, because. he says. it will make
property Insecure and disturb The financial
system. But he fails to explain how the
average man is to have any opportunity
other than that Of an ordinary employe or
is 10 escape the limitations OF such a servi-
tude, il the trust is 10 be permitted to con-
iinue a process OF coneentr8t ton In every
Industry. accompanied by the gradual and
unchecked ruin or assimilation of the
smaller capitalist. Il is an absurdity for
him TO point TO the men who have in The
pas; acquired great wealth. They accumu-
lated their immense possessions when the
field was open and the tentaeles OF the oc-
topus had not yet rendered inanimate the
lesser competitor Even Jay Gould. de-
prived OF every dollar and compelled to
start over again today. would be appalled,
by the situation. II Rocket Her should be
sliurn Of his fortune ard put in the oil re-
gions in possession OF two good wells as
his plant. representing the investment OF
bis capital he would wake up in a weeks
time to the fact that the railroads would
throttle his competitive effort by exOrbi-
tant rates, and that he must submit to abb
sorption or starve as the penalty for his
independence. The Standard octopus has
so monopolized the field and cntfenched
itself behind railroad-rate fayoritism that
the present maEnate would find no oppor-
tunity for his genius for organization and
assimilation.
Fair competition is the only hope o. the
ambitious business man. Without It, he is
as powerIess as though he were without
coin. The sole object OF the movement
against consolidated capital is the rcstora-
ton OF at least the right to sell ones prod
ucts in any field; the right to be free from
the underhand tactics of powerful rivals.
The people have no enmity against the pos
SCISSORS OF properly accumulated wealth
properly used But they are determined
that the right to a fair opportunity shall
not be rendered obsolete through the uues-
tionable methods Of those whose Unsuitable
greed has persistently ignored the equities
Of business life in defanceiof laws, moral
and statutory.
If we may credit a local Administration
medium, the star Of Dear Mr.. Dick" is
rising. Since that senatorial election in
Ohio the stub and twist tactics of the
young Napoleon of legislative influence are
said TO fill Mr.. Hanna with admiration
greater than he feels for Thomas the satrap
of Gotham or Matthew of the Keystone.