Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-06-24

TOM JOHNSON on TRUSTS.
Mayor Tom L. johnson. Of Cleveland,
has his own views also on the trust
question. Like his views on other prob
lens, these are original and worth read
ing because full of practical common
sense. AS man who has had good
deal of experience in that iine of at
fairs, Mr.. Johnson does not favor the
abolition of business consultations as
the only solution Of the trust problem,
but advocates an honest and intelligent
reconstruction of the laws pertaining to
them. In an article in July Success, adj
vanced sheets of which are furnished,
he says:
Competition is the natural order among
free men, and immense benefits to the
whole community result therefrom. Not
the least of the benefits is the fact that
competition, under proper conditions, re-
suits in combinations of individuals and
aggregations of their capital and abilities.
In this way, enterprises can be undertaken
which, otherwise, would be impracticable;
waste is prevented, functions are special
lied, information necessary for the high
est business development is obtained, and
opportunities are furnished for the var
ious kinds of natural ability.
We have no right to say that either COM
petition or combination and aggregation
should be considered inherently evil, or
that they necessarily produce evils, so
long as we have had no experience with
a social organization where it is possible
to have competition and combination and
aggregation free and unrestricted.
Mayor Johnson takes the view the
Register has long maintained, namely,
that the trust principle of combination
to cheaper production is unassailable
SO long as those at the head Of
such enterprise do not "hog it alp for
themselves, but give the consumer the
people, fair share in the reduced cost
of production. Honestly conducted, the
trust principle of applying common
sense, economical business methods, to
industry, would be a blessing to all,
but dishonesty conducted, in restraint
of trade for the benefit of not the gen.
eral public, but for handful Of mono
polists, and depressing the consumer on
the one hand and the workingman on
the other, it is wrong. Mr.. Johnson
says:
Our laws now, by restrictions and by
direct grants, give some men advantages
which others do not enjoy, and this has all
ways heretofore been the case in every
country, and in every kind of civilization
that has existed
In my view. the evils ofwhch there is
such loud complaint are due to the restric-
lions created ana &c special privileges
granted by law; ard the true remedy will
be found in removing the restrictions and
abolishing the srec:al privileges, giving
to all parties an equal chance
Everybody who has had an opportunity
to observe the formation of a syndicate
for the promotion of new enterprise
knows very well the great influence
which the consideration OF special advan-
tages has. You have to show the amount
OF capital invested, and how much is need
ed for further investment; also the earn
Ing power, both of what has been done in
the past, and by what may be reasonably
expected. But this is not enough I'm
less you can show some special advan-
tages that the corporation which you seek
to form will have over the organizatio
that may be formed in the same way, you
VIII find very great difficulty in making
the combination. And, on the other hand,
the more certain and clear you make it
appear that there will be particular bene-
hts. the more easily and quickly will the
combination be formed If we change the
laws so that it will be impossible for some
men to acquire these advantages over
others, we shall have removed ALL or sub
stantially all, of the evils of trusts that
are now complained of.
In other words, take away the special
tariff privileges of the trusts, by which
favored few become multi-mil-
lionaires at the expense of the Ameri-
can consumer, and the trust problem
will solve itself by natural laws.