Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-06

which he carries on with his fellows. In
time the individual merges into families
who act together for certain purposes and
become for the time being the political unit.
Then Comes the Clan.
These in turn give way to the clan, which
IL merely an extension Of the family. or
rather the family carried through many
generations and enlarged by successive
growth. These In time c~oalesce into the
village. city or state, made up Of people OF
the same race, having a common history
and common needs and purposes. But cities
and countries war upon each other. the
weak often finds Itself unable to cope alone
with the strong. and 90 combines into con
federacies with other weak cities, the bonds
Of confederation being OF a more or less
temporary character, which afterwards be-
come strengthened until out Of the confed-
Grafton there has grown the nation. And II
may now be said that out Of nations which
have warred upon each other and which
still maintain the outward appearance of
the military condition, as shown In vast
armies and fleets maintained at enormous
expense, yet in fact even the nations are
rapidly passing out Of the militant state
and approaching a condition Of unity, as
instanced in the concert OF powers to deal
with the various oriental questions and the
custom by which the chancellories of the
European nations consult with each other,
looking towards united action on i~nterna-
tional questions.
To follow the parallel in the Industrial
state, 1t is only necessary to remember
That the Industrial unit was the individual
VINO alone manufactured everything for his
own use. In time he specialized and ex-
changed some Of the surplus Of his products
for the surplus products Of some Of his
neighbors. Again the individual confined
himself to the manufacture of one product.
which he sold upon the market and with
It's price purchased his other necessaries.
Afterward he was assisted by members Of
his family who, at his death, carried on
the family trade. Individuals or individual
families entered into partnerships for the
enlargement OF their business. Partner
ships in time gave way to Joint stock COM
panies, and these in turn were merged
into corporations. These corporations in
large numbers divided among them the
business in which they we're engaged and
there was an industrial warfare between
them, which has been much lauded as the
competition which is the life Of trade, and
yet, to the student of economic history, it
is nevertheless warfare. as much so as the
warfare carried on by n%eighboring clans
and states in the early periods Of modern
history.
elimination of the Trust.
Just as there has been a concert OF
powers to deal with questions hat are
common to several adjoining nations, and
just as temporary confederacies have grown
into nations, thereby eliminating warfare
from between themselves at least, so there
has been a tendency in the industrial de-
velopment to eliminate the Industrial war;
fare Of competition by establishing a COM
munity Of interest which afterward merges
into a strict combination OF capital, and
thus we have the modern trust.
Before going further in this direction II
might be we'll to call attention to the fact
that the thing which the opponents of the
trusts most greatly deplore and the thing
which the people at large most greatly re-
greet is the elimination Of competition from
industrial life. 1t is said that competition
tends to protect the public against the
exactions OF the trusts. and that II Is COM
petition which has so sharpened the wits
and developed the ability OF business men
as to bring forth much Of the success. Of
the past century In industrial and economic
conditions.
There is no doubt that competition has
played Its part in the worlds development,
Just as there is no doubt that the warfare
OF tribes and the battles Of nations have
been a necessary part In the process OF
evolution. The military condition has de-
veloped and brought forth some Of the
finest and strongest qualities OF the human
character, the ideals of courage, Of devo-
ton. OF loyalty, and Of that form Of altru-
ism which enabled the soldier to give up
his life for his country. getting nothing in
return except the remembrance Of his
heroic deeds. And so in the industrial
development It is probable that the wastes
Of competition were a necessary part OF
industrial growth. But those who believe
that the world is passing out OF the mill
tary state, into that time when the nations
shall sIumber, wrapped in universal law"
annot have occasion to regret the passing
OF industrial warfare.
There need be no fear that the system
which seems now to be ushered In will fail
to develop and bring out the finest business
qualities In the man engaged In the carry
ing on OF the business. h successful
conduct Of the gigantic combinations will
call forth the finest qualities OF business
character. not only in the so-called captains
Of industry. but in all the subordinate on
GERS of the trust Town to Its lowest en-
ployes. The competition which will take
the place of the former Wasteful competi-
tion between rival business houses will
have place between individuals for pro-
motion In the ranks of the trust organiEa-
tion.
Proposition of Socialists.
Before going into the other question Of
how the public is to be protected against
the exactions OF the trust, l must refer to
the contributions which the socialists have
given to this discussion. You will remem-
Der that long before the trusts zane into
existence there we're theorists who advo-
Gated a political state which would be in
itself a vast trust Of all industries and all
distribution participated In by all individ-
uals. The world did not accept the
theories OF the socialists, and In
my humble judgment never would Re-
cept them under any possible con-
ditions nor after any imaginable lapse OF
time. ! refer to the SOCIALIST argument
now merely for the purpose Of pointing
out that the strongest reason put forth by
the socialists In support Of their system
was the elimination Of the wastes OF the
competitive system. We all remember the
Wava NJ InteraRt which swsnf over the Rad