The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1901-06-12
Trusts and Socialism.


Pittsburg Post
The socialist propaganda well
come the progress and increasing
power of trusts as in their line OF
progress and maintain that it will
eventually lead to the adoption of
sooialistic policies in the United
States. From the opposing stand
point-that of opposition to social
ism-Prof. Bull, ok, of Williams
college, in Il paper in the Atlantic
Monthly" holds to the same view,
and as preventive prompt meas
ures to hold the trusts in check,
and that the delay in securing leg
islation to regulate the trusts is a
menace to the public welfare. The
connection between the trust prin
oiple and socialism has. been much
discussed and the opinion ID very
general that it ia intimate and in
time may be controlling Prof.
Bullock is not an alarmist, but he
recognizes that oppressive monop-
oIies "cornering" and regulating
tho prices of the necessaries of life
is a condition and not theory.
He concludes his paper with this
striking warning:
THE popular discomfort caused
by the monopolization of one neces-
sary of life after another prepares
the soil in a manner ideally perfect
for the sowing of socialistic seed.
American socialism has first be-
come an appreciable force in this
ora of trusts and combinations, y
The last ten years have wit
messed remarkable growth among
conservative people of an opinion
favorable to public ownership. y
If thinking mon ever become
convinced that in manufacturing
and other industries competition is
impossible and monopoly inevitu-
BILE, only two possible alternatives
will then present themselves pub
lie or private monopoly. Those
who are now occupied with the for
nation or justification of trnsts will
be the persons chiefly responsible
in case the balance finally swings
in the direction of socialism"
Most thinking people in the Uni
ted States are now opposed TO Soc
ialism, but there is no telling to
what radical and even revolution
airy measures the public may be
driven by the continued extortion
of monopolies. 1t is mistake
that trusts reduce prices. They
are not created for that purpose,
but on the very human principles
of increasing prices because in that
direction lie the prospective divi.
dends. The destruction of cOmpe.
tition-at home by combination
and from abroad by tariffs-is the
most effective weapon in their
hands This is not probability
for the future, but an increasing
and present evil. 1t cuts into the
pocketbook of every citizen, and
especially the wage. workers, many
of whom are being deluded into
tho notion that tho trusts are a renl
benefit because of certain except
ional conditions in tho labor
market.
A recent advance in the price Of
anthracite coal, the work of the
coal and transportation companies,
to exact as much as the traffic will
stand, it is said in Philadelphia on
good authority, will advantage the
GOAL trust to the extent of fifty mil
lions of dollars this year. Next
year it may be still more. This in
crease in one of the great necessar-
les of life is spreading socialism in
the sense of government regulation.
It is the conservatives who sock to
break the power of private monop-
oily because it is an incentive to
State socialism.