Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-12-06
The Trust Problem.

Tie Tremendous ana highly comDl y
industrial devel rment which went on ;vi.a
ever accelerated r@9.dify during thr latter
haii ~ TIC nineteenth century hr ugs Us face
70 fac. al tie lel'un.ng Of The t,ra,iega
V Tin very scricr- -s.irl proifetls Tu. 90 /
law and the old ci.sf' ms Vhich had alnof.
tn rnt.Ihs fore 81 iaw. were once qu.fr
suhlf.ent 10 regulate the :4ccainulat on and
Distribution Of wt4.h Sine. IT,. iuJiis,r..,I
changes which hay. so enoruoIsIy fncr...s,. !
the productive power Fl mankind. they are no
LONGER 81 li.-isnt
The creation Of great corporate fortunes
has rot nc'n de 70 the tariff nor TO any
other governmental action but TO natural
causes IN the business world or,cra:iua IN
other countries they operate in our own
1t i not true that as The rich have grown
richer the poor have grown poorer. On III.
contrary, never before has the average MAJ
tn vase-""fAer the farmer. the small trail
CT. been 50 well of IS in this country ami
az the present time There have been aiuses
connected with the accumulation of x.s,lt,, g.
vet II remains true thar fortune accumu-
lated only on condition Of comforting i'm
me2se Incidental benefits upon Others sue
cessful emit rpris~. of the type which benefits
al mankind, can only exist if the cond tions
are sucA as to- offer great prizes as the re-
wards Of success
The captains of industry who have driven
Toe railway systems across this cOntinen.
Who have built up our commerce who bav..
Developed our manufactures have on thu.
whole done great good To people with
oft the III the material development of which
We are 30 Justly proud could never have
taken place. Moreover. We should recognize
tn immense importance to tbs material
IS compatible with the public good he strong
and foreeful men upon when ~. success
OF business operations inevitably rests
Caution Is Urged.
AN additional reason for caution In deal
Ing with corporations is To- be found in the
international cOmuierc III cond tiCns OF to-
day TIE same business conditions which
have produced the great aggreeations Of cor
p0rate and individual wealth have made them
very potent factors IN international CONNER
cial competition America has only Just
begun TO assume that commanding position
IN the international business world which we
believe VIII more and more be hers. 1t is
OF the utmost Importance that this position
De nov JeGpardtd especially at a time when
the oVefn1"inS abundance of our own natu p
raj resources aud the skill. business energy.
and mechanical aptitude OF our people make
foreign markets essential. Under such con 70
ditions it would be most unwise 10 cramp
OF to fetter the youthful strength of our
Nation.
Disaster TO great business ENTERPRISES can
never nav its effects limited To the men at
the top II spro ads throughout. and while il
IS bad for everybody. it is worst for those
farthest down The capitalist may be shorn
of his Injuries; but the wage-worker may
be deprived OF even bare necessities.
In facing new Industrial conditions the
whole history OF The world SHOWS that legis-
latiOn will generally be both unwise and an
ehectlVe unless unde r;aken after calm inquiry
anu WIN spD'r eti-frstrdlnt. Much OF the
leglslatoh directed at the trusts would have
been exceedingly mischieyous had u not also
been entirely Ineffective. In dealing with
business interests for the government 20 IN
certake b. crude and ill-considered legisIa-
ton 10 do what may turn out 10 be bad
would be 70 incur the risk of such far-reacii-
Ing national disaster that il would be prefer
able To undertake nothing at all
'All this is true: ard vet il is also true
that there are real and grave evils, one Of
the chief being over-capitalzation because
or IT'S many balrful consequences; and rcsO-
lutte and practical effort must be made To
correct these evils
Government Supervision.
IL Is no limitation upon property rights
or freedom of contract to require that when
men receive from government the privilege OF
DOING business under corporate form, which
uees them from individual responsibility