Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-02
THE SOCIALISM OF THE TRUSTS.
(New York Journal and Advertiser.)


THE SOCIALISM OF THE TRUSTS.
(New York Journal and Advertiser.)
The American Republic was built
upon the foundation of individual en-
terprise. This old economic order,
which has produced what we know as
the American character. with all Its
vigor, audacity and self-reliance, is
threatened from two sides. The avowed
Socialists would take nil business out
of the hands of private citizens and
intrust 1t to public officials. The trusts
would take II out of the hands of ordi-
nary men and give it to II few mono
polsts.
In 80 far as the conduct of the ma
tional industries Is concerned. there is
no difference between State socialism
and trust socialism. Both abolish in
divldual enterprise In business. Both
reduce the population to the position of
employees. But there is Il great differ
ence in the distribution of the product.
and in the effects on national happi-
ness and character State socialism
gives everything produced to the work
ers. Trust socialism gives the workers
the lowest wages for which they can
be induced to labor and turns over
everything else to handful of capt.
tnllsts. Under State socialism the en-
ployee is IL self prospecting public off,
clut WHO WOTKS IOf no man, Dut Tor
the whole community. OF which he is
n citizen equally with his superior
officer. Under trust socialism the en-
ployee Is servant He Is working for
men who stand on an entirely different
level from his own. There is no posi-
blllty OF winning promotion that shnll
put him on their grade,
BY all It's traditions the Democratic
party Is pledged to the maintenance of
the American system OF individual en-
terprise as far as possible. The ideal
OF Its founders was n state OF society
In which every man should be his own
master. But due regard must be paid
TO the course OF social development.
The tendency toward the concentration
OF Industries In many directions can
not be and ought not to be resisted.
Where an industry has passed beyond
the stage I'm which competitive, Eo-ns-
you-please management cnn secure the
best results for tho public 1t ought to
be organized under n single control.
But In that case. M n rule, that control
should be directed by public authority
In other words. where the progress OF
events has made an infusion of social
ism unavoidable, the Democracy pre-
fers State socialism to trust socialism.
That IL the case. for instance. in the
matter of the tclcgraphs. The teIe-
graph business Is organized on Il thor
oughly socialistic basis. A single vast
system extends It's wires from Key
West to Puget Sound Connection IN
practically nonresident and individual
enterprise entirely so. In such cir
cumstances private control is wholly
mischevous. In every respect exccpt
Its management and the distribution
or It's profits the telegraph system Is n
public enterprise, and the process of
plete.
So of the railroads We have not
yet reached the single Railroad Trust
mat liz to control all the transportn-
ton routes of the country, but things
are moving that way so rapidly that
me end Is plainly in sight. Already
we nave single men in command OF
railroad systems greater than the
whole mileage OF important European
countries. Half dozen men could
get together about lunch table and
dictate the policy of oil the roads In
the United States
The railroads OF this country employ
million men--one- fifteenth OF all the
voters of the Unlon-reprcsenti a
population nearly equal TO that OF the
State OF New York. These men CON
stitute a force too formidable to he
under any control but that OF the ma
ton. We talk about the danger OF
miiitarism. from n standing army of n
hundred thousand men, but here is IL
standing army OF million mcn--the
picked men of the country for vigor,
courage and endurance. BY the side
or such forces how petty were tho
little bands of men-at-arms with
which the Colonnn and the Orsini ter
rorized Rome In the Middle Ages!
The railroads not only control the
largest organized force of workers in
the United States, but they control
practically all the industries In the
country. BY their alliance with the
trusts they arc helping to kill OFF COM
petition everywhere. They built up
the Standard OIL Combination by dis
eliminating rates and persecution of
rivals until now the creature IS great
err than It's creator. They have main
tanned the monopoly OF the Sugar
Trust They uniformly use their pow
CT to build up great combinations ana
destroy individual enterprise.
The railroad system has passed be-
yond the competitive stage OF organl-
cation. and therefore IL ought To be-
control, with determinations abolished
and n fair field opened to all. 1t would
help to delay the advance of socialism
in other directions.
Meanwhile II should not be forgotten
that the only party that can logically
oppose the general adoption of State
socialism Is the Democracy. IT Is the
only guardian OF the competitive sys-
tenn. The trusts have deprived their
friends OF every argument against So
cialism. They have trampled on the
principle Of individual enterprise: they
have proved that the national organi-
cation of industry is practicable, and
they have carried 1t out in the most
offensive form--a form in which the
masses do all the work and tho few alb
sorb all the profits.
o6 tn nf hn