The San Francisco call., 1904-02-04

other words DR.. Shaw expressed him
self most charitably toward the trusts,
a few of which, he admitted. had men
aced industrial and commercial pro-
gress. but he argued that the majority
had been Of benefit. He continued:
If you will look backward little you will
recall a number of so-called trusts that were
really of a menacing character, but being
trial Held. The majority of the trusts exist
ing to-day, and especially the greatest of these
combinations OF Invested capital in my opinion
nave wrought no harm to the communities.
They have not advanced the price of commo-
dities consumed but have increased the con-
sumption Of products and in way injured
the common purchaser. Those who have sut-
Tered mainly, If any suffering has been the
case in the organization OF these big con-
Germs, are those who invested their capital in
them. OF course. a few have lost their saw
ings, but most of the losses be easily
contributed the capital for the ex-
perimental undertakings. Many of the accu-
sations that have been hurled at the heads Of
trusts OF late might more Justly have been
modified to charges Of mistakes. These rich
men undertook many things that have since
proved mistakes and no one realizes that they
were mistakes more than those who were per-
haps responsible for them. But all these diff
hcuties will finally adjust themselves.
HONOR AND IT'S USES.
DR.. Shaw classifies the trust as a
high order of commercial enterprise and
looks to its development into a per-
Aldllcnl anu ptiltCl Iu6lnOQ Oh InOOeT0
business. In all undertakings of a COM
mercial character he comedies that
business honor figures prominently, and
in dwelling on this fact he remarked:
Honor of course. belongs to the man and
his success in life depneds on how he will use
H. II he has the instinct of the rogue 1t will
soon show itself. The trust is ostensibly for
the promotion of honest business intersourse
and in my Judgment II greatly eliminates
much Of the od-time cutthroat method OF
carving business enterprises v mai
ing a schedule of prices and providing vast
numbers of the toilers with employment and
broader avenues for the marketing of prod
ucts.
Although unwilling to enter into
general discussion of the political pos
sibiities of the coming national cam
paign or to suggest the probable Presi-
Dental candidates to be chosen at the
party conventions, DR.. Shaw did vol
unteer the prediction that the trusts
would not cut much of a figure in the
deliberations Of the two great parties,
and said:
OF course. much may depend on who is nomi-
mated but when 1t is remembered that Wall
street is interested in both tickets, it becomes
doubtful If the trusts will be made great is
both parties and they busily engaged in
making tickets, and II l am not mistaken, they
the Democratic tickets. They realize that the
interests of the country cannot be jeopardized
by attacks on industrial concerns.
Taking up the often suggested propo-
sition that the existing high tariff of
the country was materially responsible
for the development of the trust form
of business, the gentleman replied that
he did not coincide with those who have
made this claim, and added:
The heads OF the trusts have themselves
told you that they were not greatly concerned
over the tariff They control the more impor-
tant products of the country and If the tariff
on similar commodities from abroad were re-
duced they figure that they would not suffer
to any great extent
DIR. Shaw expects to remain in this
city for several days and will then
Journey to Southern California for a
little rest, of which he is much in need