The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-25
Senator Beveridge's Speech.

devoted to Il consideration of the lesis-
lative problems growing out of what
are popularity called trusts: in re-
ality, combinations of capital and Ell
terprise for works primarily or Incl
dentally of public benefit. The senator
presented figures in some detail and
with exceptional skill to prove that
whatever evils may come to pass
through abuse of power by those man
aging these large interpretations. they
are far outweiehed by the public adj
Vantages. TO illustrates
The farmer ships his grain to distant points,
hundreds. thousands of miles away. lie needs
cheap rates and quick despatch. Short and sep
aratc lines of railroad we're inconvcnicnt, high
priced. unsafe and slow. The business man re.
qurcl his mail by the swiftest means: delay of
day, an hour may mean disaster Thus Trans
portilion men found that their profit lay in
meeting the necessities OF the producing and
the business world. Here in Indiana segregated
roads were consolidated into the big Four
lines. The old 81 ii. and H. '.vinccnncs'' and
"Nandaa" absorbed by the Pennsylvania.
What followed! Improved service increased en-.
ploylncnt OF labor. higher wages, regular pay.
reduced rates on freight lower fares for travel.
tncss, speed and safety. For example: The
average rate per hundrclwciglt on grain from
Grcensburg to Chicago during twenty-five years
before the 'Rig -Four" consolidation was SO cents.
Today it is cents. To New York the Old rate
was GTla cents; today. 16l2 cents. On live
stock from Grccnsburg to Chicago the average
freight rate tor twenty-five years before conso'i-
daton was y cents per hundrcdwcght; today
it is - cents. To New York then, Sl.10: today,
p cents. Competition did not cause all this, be.
cause between Greensburs and Chicago there is
not and never has been. the slightest competi.
ton What did cause it? Merely this simple
law: Low rates means greater shipments, and
hauling vast quantities at smaller prices means
greater total profits. Consider the improvement
in speed: Before consolidation. the average
time of transportation of a car of freight from
Grccnsburg to Chicago nearly three days;
today the average time is sixteen hours To
New York the old time was ten to fifteen days:
now the average time is five to -iN days. Or
consider increased convenience: Before ConEoli-
dation. passenger going from Terrc Illutc 10
New York had TO change cars five times: today
lie goes through without single change. Or
take railway employment throughout the whole
republic: In 1870 less than 10000 men were
employed by American railways, receiving little
over SiU,nOOO00 in salaries and wages every year
In 1900 nearly 1.a0o, 900 men were employed by
railroads. and were paid nearly $3.50, 600 600 every
wear Ths increase was not caused by new rail
ways, because today there are nearly 100000
more men employed by railways than were en-
ployed in 1897, and are paid nearly sl200OO.00O
more every wear than they were paid in 1877:
and since then no; enough railways have
been built 10 employ in operation 1j.G00 men.
Another much-attacked specimen OF
the industrial tendency 10 bring to-
sethcr manufacturing processes under
centralized direction is the steel trust
Go, nt. Il, c,, I'll
tell the truth about the steel trust:
1t employs over 10000 more laborng men now
than the total number employed by all the
Establishments which consolidated into This
single company. The steel trust employs today
more than 10000 laborcrs and pays them more
than SlO5.JOU,000 every year in wages, not in-
chiding officers and salaries. The average wage
to each laborcr is 20 per cent. larger than before
consolidation, and aggregate wages are over 40
per cent. greater than before
Has this general movement toward
concentration by consolidation upon the
whole oppressed the American people?
Senator Beveridge thinks not
II has not oppressed the worknemen because
more labo,ers are now employed at, higher wages
than ever before in history, and in saving banks
alone American woikinsmcn have deposit to-
day over $1,000 ON, ,OO0--morc than enough ready
cas! TO buy out any ten of the greatest corpora
tons OF the world 1t is said that this move
ment throws labor out of employment. When
the railroad came, the stage driver and horse |
dealer thought they were thrown ont Of en-.
hut, instead, new and better cin. |
ploylnenr was provided When the sclf,bindcr
came, harvestcrs thought their occupation gone |
but, instead. new and better occupation came !
This whole development, throwing men here and |
there our OF employment for day, furnishes |,
permanently increased employment for the ever |
charging number of American workngmen; and |
where i2jl,6l1 wage carncis were employed in |
ten years ago, nearly G,OO0, ,OCO |
worlsinemcn are earning higher wages now in the
single occupation OF manufacture alone. This |
then has not oppressed labor. 1t has |
not oppressed the agricuturiss, because Amcri. |
can farmers in the last six years have paid mort.
cages on their farms to the amount OF $500 O0O,-
N)0, and The American farmer could today with |
his live stock alone pay the entire national debts
Of England and Germany, and still have over
$500, 000,0 600 left. 1t has not oppressed any class
because The well heing OF the whole American
people is the establishment and envy of the
world.
oppress the people? Why should any organi.
,ntion nt industry or commerce oppess the pro-
peY Their prosperity depends upon the peoples
prosperity. Profits of railroads come from
heights on shipments fares If Passengers.
And prosperity OF the people means large ship
nents and heavy travel; poverty OF the people
means little freight and few PASSENGERS. Banks
nave no source OF income other than exchange
md loans: but when times hard there arc
lew loans and little exchange, The steel trust
,an make money only by selling steel Tor rail.
'oads, buildings, bridges; but II business is not
good, buildings, railroads, bridge, will not Lc
constructed. The profits of every organization of
industry and finance drawn nom
he great fountain of the common prosperity