The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1900-06-28
fully as much if not more than if nc
trust had been formed.

IuIly as mucn III not more than 1t no
trust had been formed.
1t may be true in some cases that the
trust improves the quality and reduces
the price of a certain product, but this
is not the general result. Such policy
generally has been necessary to crush
some independent concern who failed
to combine, but afterward the trust
may raise the price at discretion to an
exorbitant degree. In fact all prece-
dents show that the prices of trust
commodity have been raised, not low
cred; for he who has the sole sale of an
article, may we'll make the price as he
pleases. Experience teaches that it is
not wise to trust to human cupidfty
where there are opportunities of ag-
grandizement at the expense of others.
Another objection to the trusts is,
they seek to control and manipulate
the values of both the raw material
and the manufactured products, there
by enabling them to dictate to the
producer, the wholesaler and retailer,
which means that the consumer has to
be the real one to suffer. This policy
is a menace to our commercial exist
ence. Looking at the matter from
national standpoint we see our social
system which is based on the principle
of independence, threatened with de-
struction by an industrial charge the
development of which puts into the
hands of few men power over the
commercial and social life of the whole
country to do with as they please, for
by manipulating the market they can
deprive smaller concerns from all use
of independent methods. They not
only can do this, but they are doing it
every day. Then again, they have
another power placed in their hands
which is even harder to contend with.
1t is the power of manipulating the
legislatures, although that is by no
means something that is confined to
the trusts. There is also no doubt
great deal of truth to the claim of the
trusts that they are virtually black
mailed by members of the legislatures.
Still that does not change the case, it
only shifts part of the responsibility to
others. The facts of the case are, we
have about reached point where the
existence of free competition is done
away with. The need of the hour is
for some method by which light shall
be let into every one of the corpora
tions or trusts, and the public advised
of their condition and operations.
This must be achieved il the ideals of
our country are to be preserved; but
there will first have to be lawmakers
elected who cannot be corrupted, and
who do not own blocks of stock in the
corporations they are to make laws for.
Ten years ago corporation having
capital stock of ten millions was
looked upon as a great creation. To-
day the incorporation of trusts having
capital stocks ranging from twenty five
millions to six hundred millions, are
reported in the daily papers without
exciting more than a casual mention
on the part of the reader, and unless
there is soon some legislation regard
ing them, our attention will be called
to trusts whose capital stock will rise
into the billions. 1t is even possible
that the respective branches of the
worlds industries may be all gathered
into the nav of some mighty trust, all
under one master who shall cause all
of every class, age and condition to
receive a mark on hand or forehead so
that no man can buy or sell save he
shall have the mark. l wonder would
that be a beneficial agency?
L. S. L.