Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-02
A TRUST MAGNATE's VIEWS.


The boldest utterance thus far made
on the trust question Is that of Charles
r. Flint, organizer of the Rubber Trust
and an officer or director in twenty
other large trusts and corporations. In
speech before the Outlook Club at
Montclair. n. j., on the subject, us 4
College Education Advisable for Il
Business Career" ne declared that the
trust was endorsed by the people at
the recent election and that il has come
to stay. He said:
The new method is the scientific, the
civilized one. 1t is built on the knowl-
edge of the interdependence OF men. 1t
eNplodes the fallacy of Independence
The next business idea, call il the
trust If you will, recognizes this prin
ciple and develops it 10 its highest
form. AS constitutional scientific gov
eminent has come to supplant the feu-
dial system, so the consolidation era in
business has come 10 supplant the old
system.
And this new consolidation era has
come to stay. Let no young man think
otherwise. That fact was settled in our
recent Presidential election. The JUS
tice and wisdom OF combination in
business. the trust was as distinct an
issue us the single standard, and it was
as emphatically ratified by the people.
They refused to be mislcd on this queS-
tion as clearly as they refused to be
misled on free silver. The trust is
here for good, and under the new sys-
tenn that it brings in business. in
creased intelligence and mental acumen
are demanded OF the business man"
1t is pleasant TO find n person OF Mr..
I'lint's frankness. 1t is easy 10 get down
to business and come to an under
standing with such men. Mr.. Tweed
was a man of just such STRAIGHTFORWARD
methods: MIR. Vanderbilt was another;
Senator Scott is measurably so, though
he has to look upon the wine when it
is red first. Boiled down, Mr.. Flint's
deliverance as a trust magnate is: I'VE
have got you and you can't help your
Selves
1t may as well be confessed that for
the present Mr.. Flint has the better of
the argument. For four years more
the trust has the citizen and he is
utterly powerless to help himself. The
trusts were not Endorsed at the recent
election. but they might just as we'll
nave uetu II COIIlcS ~ lIlit lOT iii
practical purposes. The party that
made trusts possible and that is a once
the protector and beneficiary of trusts
was indorsed. That this would be con-
strued as an Endorsement of trusts was
repeatedly pointed out before the cleo
ton and may he dismissed as politi-
cal question for the present.
The really important part of Mr..
Flints deliverance is the declaration
that the trust is the outgrowth OF bust
ness necessities. Such is in fact, not
the case. Civilization tends toward
competition, not monopoly. 1t is not
true that a small plant. as a part of
gigantic system, can be managed more
economically than Ii can be managed
independently. If this be true, why
does the trust always seek to destroy u
small competitor by an arbitrary cut of
prices to his customers? Why does it
not depend upon his elimination by the
normal processes of business? The
trust could not exist if 1t were not
allowed to lean on the government for
support and to Shield itself behind leg
islation from the tendencies that would
destroy 1t. Ii thrives not by legiti-
mate economy in production and distri-
button. as Alr. Flint would have us
believe. but by illegtinate profits
wrung from consumers who have no
other source of supply. Hence its ter
ror OF and remorseless war on the
small competitor. The owner of a
small plant who can look closely
after every detail can produce more
economically. generally Speaking than
the manager of q hundred small plants
can possibly do. Hence the necessity
OF crushing the small producer by sheer
weight.
AS commerce develops. the tendency
is toward small profits. The trust is
an attempt to escape thls tendency and
make large profits. II VIII be success
full only so long as 1t is favored by
tariff schedules and freight direren-
tials in violation of law.
--------------
We gather from the dispatches that
Boer persistence is bringing the En-
glish rapidly into that Conger state
of amiability.
----------------
Dom Paul Kruger is doubtless too
wise to ATTEMPT to wear that sword
the Parisisns gave him. He would be
sure to tausle his feet in it and fall
down and freak his Dutch pipe.
The city of Atlanta wants to hold
another exposition, probably on the
theory That II viii ilnnrnNe with