The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-04
Vet One Word Lacked

~HAUNcEY NJ. DEPEW in re-
cent address before the Mon
~ tauk club of Brooklyn. after
discussing at some length the
difference in financial conditions of the
presen, time and the past of fifty years
ago. of twenty-five years ago. nay, of
six months gone by. and both explain
ing and justifying the evolution as he
secs IT, spoke some very strong and
wise words to one class of the newly
made milionaries Of this country. Be
fore quoting them it will be of interest
to see his point of view of the courses
of the present commercial conditions,
going back only the six months just
referred to. He said:
''rhe animal most frequently seen
upon the pages of large por-
ton "f the press of the United
States during the canvass of 1900
and brought out upon the platform
at every meeting of one party was the
octopus. II frightened millions of
voters as to the dangers to themselves,
with its t"ntacleS spreading over and
.nveloping the country. but the octopus
of the imagination of the Populist
writer and speaker of October. 1900.
was lamb compared with IA lion be-
side the real octopus of March. 1901 a
billion dollar corporation formed in Oc-
tobcr might have reversed the Novem-
Der verdicts. And yet such has been
the march of public opinion, owing to
the marvellous conditions which have
come up within a few months. that the
formation Of a 81 600. 900 900 company
frightens nobody. and is not even the
subject of extended editorial comment
in the pages of The cornmoner.' The
processes and the procession up to the
present have so happily included. for
their own benefit. every profession,
trade and occupation, that people are
looking for results instead of criticiz-
ing methods or listening tn predictions
of disaster. We witness in this rapid
evolution a universal effort to nullify
the maxim which has existed since
barter was known that competition is
the life of trade"
Here Mr., Depew instanced the late
y. y, Stewart and described how he
wrought in and by merciless cOmpc-
tition the ruin of hundreds of rivals
Then he went on 20 say: "Thc busi-
ness and industrial world began re-
Gently tc recognize. as the railway
| world had discovered years ago, that
| there Is IL point in competition whicl,
is destructive of society. 1t works by
| closing the factories and stores, the
transfer and concentration of labor
| the ruin of towns and individuals. and
causing widespread distress among the
worthy people whose means OF living
have been suddenly taken away. The
| new method. or rather the new expert
ment is community of interests. St
| far II has received the approval OF
| labor because of better wages and
| more regular employment. So far II
| has not raised prices Ia consumer o:
proved destructive to producer. 1t.
danger is the misuse of power The
same danger existed when merciless
| competition left only the survivor il
| IN. field"
y large number of the fortunnt,
| Amerloan citizens Of wealth, tn.
| speaker noted. are throwing protec
! tion around themselves and their elias!
| by libcrality of gifts ana contribu
lions for education and henevolenc,
/ unknown in any other age or country
Then came the words first referred [,
n al
class. There is. he told them, IA see
ton OF III" very rich who are dom,
more To promote socialism and anar
chy than all other agencies combined
Ihey aim, he declares. 10 hedge them
selves about with Il social exclusive
ness unknown IN Europe
Here is the contrast as lie made il
London has long heen the social cen
ter OF the world, Genius, which ha
Won distinction in art. IN arms. in lit
erature, in public life IN education, il
invention, upon the lyric or dramati
stage or in iournaliSm, finds cordia
welcome and apprecialive recognition
in the homes. both city and country
of the proudest of the arstocracy an
the descendants of the oldest and mos
distinguished titles among the nobility
Their parks and picture galleries ar
free and open to the people, and ii
;his acknowledgement and welcome a
the leadership of those who have wo
success in every department of huma
interest and the brotherhood of ma
which have kept The nineteenth cen
fury car of progress from running ore
and leyeling The ancestral orders :
Europe. but our millionaire e%clu
sivcs bar the doors and refuse TO lc
| in upon a social equality these reprs