The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-15

posure. and in collateral ways. It has been
made plain to the public that the move
ment Of concentration among the dominant
factors in trust control of industry and
transportation has progressed very far;
that the men who for practical purposes
own and direct the great basic productions
and manufacturers. the articles of prime
national necessity. the railways and mu-
nicipal franchises and facilities, have been
growing together in closer and still closer
communion. under cover Of great financial
institutions which serve them at once az
private clearing houses and as a means
for the pooling and central administration
Of their stupendous interests. All these
things are indicative. If we should not say
ominous. Of final step. whicE. perhaps.
after a war OF Titans among a few of the
greatest Of combinations. may lead to the
absorption OF all independent and semi
independent units by one central trust
welding power over ali money. all indus
try. all transportation. and everything else
useful to count in the enterprises and ac-
tiyities Of the country.
As something in the way OF an Offset at
least theoretically. we have the combina-
ton of labor. IL is not necessary at this
time 10 consider how directly or to what
extent this movement has contributed to
the other a generation or less ago trades
unionism began TO demonstrate its strength
and the remarkable power OF organized
labor At the beginning capital was not
similarly organized and industry for some
years was continually perturbed by strikes
and such things. The beginning of the
present regime may be traced 10 the fear OF
labor domination. which drove manufacture
ers, first into closer alliance. and then
when overprOduction and the Chinese. pro-
tectiye tariff made low prices certain. into
the surrender of personal or small cor
porate effort, and the formation of trusts.
As Mr.. Low truly says. il we have wit
messed the growth of combination on one
side, We have also seen the individual la
borer absorbed by the union. the union by
the central organization. aud that by the
federation. Moving on parallel lines we
find capital and labor both apparently
marching 10 a point where all money and
bAopelt4 VIII 9e controlled bH one trust.
and all labor by another.
BY this We do not mean that this is abso-
lutely about, OF soon. TO happen. but the
signs Of the times indicate such an ulti-
mate possible concurrence. And then what?
That is question too large Tor present
decision. What would happen. naturally
or probably. il a score or two OF men held
al the property of a nation and all the
means. agencies. and usufruct OF its pro-
ductions. manufactures. and commerce:
and, the remaining hundred millions or SO OF
the citizenship we're represented BIZ a fed
Grated organization composed OF all the
able-bodied men of a continent? No doubt.
soon or late. there would be q clash between
the two forces. Then. what nexte These are
thoughts which might well engage the
minds Of our great masters OF industry and
hinance-at least OF those who are not in
different to the future or who ara not
cynically minded like Louis XIV. when he
said. "Apreg nous, le Deluge,"