The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-05-28

the door oil opportunity TO young
men. This, in his view, was their
greatest menace. Mr.. Allen spoke az
follows:
Mr.. ALLEN ON TRUSTS.
Mr.. President and Gentlemen OF the
Convention:
| recognize as an honor and a
privilege the opportunity offered ME
by your honorable Secretary and
Committee to address 30 distinguish.
ed "a body OF able financiers. Just
why u country editor should have
been selected for so important a
trust, / have been unable to fully
comprehend, unless it be as u recog-
milton OF his class as successful finan.
ciers. But | want to assure you that
we don't all carry thousand dollar
bills around in our pockets.
II / could solve the problem which
has been assigned me for discussion,
| would, in my judgment, be confer
ring as great blessing upon thepeo-
pie OF this country as did that great
statesmanin whose mighty mind was
conceived the Declaration of indie
pendence. For to-day it is a living
issue before this people, more than
any other on the face OF the globe.
1t is no new subject contiguous to
this age, but has developed to it's
present magnitude by the strenuous
ness OF the commercial era which is
upon us, the tendency OF which is to
large deals and vast enterprises,
necessitating immense capital which
compels combination.
The Supreme Court of the United
States, IN a trust case, Justice Peck.
ham rendering the decision, gave the
following definition OF trusts;
Combinations OF capital whose pur-
pose in combining is to control the
production or manufacture OF any
particular article on the market, and
by such control dictate the price at
which such article shall be sold-the
effect being to drive out OF business
all the small dealers in the commo-
dity, and to render the public subject
to the decision of the combination az
to what price shall be paid for the
article"
accepting this definition ascorrect,
the effect OF such combinations upon
the commercial world would unques-
tionably be beneficial to one class
members OF the combine-and Diet.
riment and a disadvantage to all
consumers OF such articles, as it
would absolutely put them at the
mercy of few men whose sole object
in entering into such combination
was the prospects of gain in increas
ed dividends. The probability OF
this becominga serious menace to the
prosperity, comforts and even to the
lives OF the people was demonstrated
by developments in the great anthra
cite coal situation last winter. There
the most serious problem was not
the price OF coal, which was multipli.
ed until no other term would aptly
characterize it so well as "highway
robbery" but the actual preserva.
tion OF life; for, II the Associated Press
dispatches are to be believed, and
they were not contradicted, train
load after train load of anthracite
coal was side tracked in the outskirts
OF New York, while the people were
suffering and many dying from the
effects OF the severe weather. Under
such circumstances, who can galnsay
that ours are not long suffering
and law. abiding people.
From the very beginning, combina.
tions OF capital have been among the
most potent factors in the develop.
ment OF civilization The hardy
pioneer with crude implements blazee
the way, railroads must follow to
provide means for transportation
mines are to be developed, manufac
tories established and other great
enterprises, making combination o
capital absolutely necessary, and te
that extent corporations have prov
en- a blessing to mankind. Our owl
imperial commonwealth, with itt
diversity OF soil and climate, fertile
farms, thriving towns and cities, and
the great West, OF which we are &C
proud for what has already been &C
complished, and it's boundless posi-
bilities, are living evidences OF what
say. But the commercial spirit O
the age, with it's feverish quest O
wealth and power, is not satisfied tt
stop where corporation is pittet
against it's like, as individuals, il
legitimate and healthy competition
for trade with a fair profit. It need
for master minds with imperialism
instincts and grasping natures tt
merge these corporations into ON
whole. whereby competition is oblit
Grated and profits limited only b,
the conscience OF selfish greed. It 1
hardly necessary, l take it, to discus
before so enlightened body OF gen
tlemen, the evils OF such tendency
| want to say at the very outset
that / have no sympathy with tina
class OF people who make war upol
IN nfta1 oithor ainD1v or oo,nh;roJ