The Washington times., 1901-09-12
The Political Power of Trusts.

IL the September number of Gun
toms Magazine" the influence of cor
porations upon Government is discussed
at some length. The conclusion reached
is that it is not necessary for great COR
poratiors to control governments in or
der to make money; that the largeness
of the combinations enables them to
reach the desired financial ends without
controlling governments. Then that
magazine refers to the great Steel Trust
as possessing control of sufficient
sources of ore, the process of manufac
ture, methods Of transportation, and
adequate marketing of products, to
make it practically independent of gov
ernment 1t has thus got all that gov
ernment could give it and by economic
fcrces Thus runs the reasoning of the
magazine mentioned. This view can
hardly be accepted in all its length and
breadth.
1t is very true that the massing Of
capital into great corporations and the
practical monopoly of sources and
methods of production. give such com
binations a tremendous industrial ad-
vantage, and opportunities for making
money which it would seem should sat
isfy the most grasping. But nothing is
clearer than that the great corporations
are not satisfied with their economic
advantages alone. They want political
power at the same time, and they are
constantly laboring to hold what they
have and get as much more as possible
The question is, Why? To answer the
query in full would require an essay,
but few of the principal reasons may
be here suggested.
In the first place, il is not true that
the economic advantages alone will en-
able the trusts to make all the money
which they desire or which it is possible
for them to make There is no practi-
cal limit TO their ambition on financial
lines. They go on rolling up millions
and even hundreds of millions. just a:
earnestly and energeticaily as If tht
additional accumulations were neces-
sary for the personal comfort of the in
diyidual members. 1t is not strict,
ayarice, but ambition, which inspires
them. They want more millions. not al
aids to physical comfort. but as
as a rule, spends comparatively little o
his income in supplying his own per
sonal wants or those OF his family
The bulk of il goes back into his busi
ness ventures. SO with the huge trust:
which usually are composed of man
multi millionaires.
The ownership of untold millions @
wealth, and the employment of man
thousands of men, makes a trust po
tent in political way. This is graft
flying to the ambition of the magnate.
and at the same time it enables ther
to so shape legislation as to increas
greatly the economic advantages whic
they possess. They are in position I
head off whatever they may regard a
unfriendIy or injurious legislation. an
in many cases to secure the enactmer
OF such laws as they think win benef
them
The most obvious desire of the trus
at this time is To prevent what the
are pleased to term ''tinkering with II
tariff" They do not really need tari
protection That is to say. they cou
make fair and reasonable profits will
out IT. but they are not content wit
such profits. They want all that the
can get II by means of high duti'
they can bar foreign goods out of Il
american market, it gives the trus
not only control Of the sources of SUI
oily in this country. but of the hon
market also. As a result they can p
up the prices TO the American co
sp,,Ar while lowering the rates abro;
to whatever extent may be necessary
order TO secure the foreign trade. TIL
we see that the control of legislati
does enable the trusts to make mo
money than they could solely from
monopoly of raw materials and man
featuring processes.
The heads OF the great industri
combinations now under oonsiderati
are shrewd and able men. They a
weighing carefully every economic a
legislative force which in any mann
bears upon the question Of their prof
and It is perfectly clear that they
not accept the view that political po
er brings with it no substantial ga
In fact. they know better. They L
derstand that 1t adds to their inimedi;
profits. and also enables them To sa
guard their interests against the effe